January is Financial Wellness Month. SIRS Issues Researcher provides a variety of Leading Issues (handout) related to both United States and International Economic Policy.

For the last two years, the American and world banking and financial systems have been in crisis. Many experts feared that if nothing was done to address the crisis, a global depression similar to the 1930s would follow.

First, President Bush acted to inject hundreds of billions of federal Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) funds into the largest banks to prevent them from failing. President Obama continued this policy as well as creating a Stimulus program to shore up other areas of the economy and help states and the unemployed.

Recent economic indicators show that both of these programs are working. The largest banks have repaid, with interest, the TARP funds that they received after achieving profitability in a short period of time. Stimulus funds have reportedly helped state governments to retain many employees that could have been let go without these funds.

Now, the Obama administration and Congress are turning their attention to reform efforts that would create new rules and regulations intended to prevent the banking and finance business crises of the last decade. Members of the banking and financial industry argue that deregulation creates the environment that spurs innovation and reduces cost. On the other hand, the government argues that the past decade of deregulation is exactly what caused the current crisis.

Should the U.S. government impose more regulation of the financial sector?

Students should access the Leading Issue Federal Government and Economic Policy in SIRS Issues Researcher. Investigate both sides of the deregulation arguments between business and government. Leading Issues provides the viewpoint articles, multimedia images and unique critical thinking process to help students explore this issue and achieve financial literacy and wellness as they approach voting age.

Assign students to take either a Pro or Con position on the role of government regulation or deregulation of business activity in our economy.

Students should write a report of at least 150 words (or a presentation of at least seven slides) that cites at least four resources. Students should address the following essential question for critical thinking in the reports (access related Essential Questions by accessing the U.S. Economic Policy Leading Issue): "Should the U.S. government impose more regulation of the financial sector?"

SIRS Issues Researcher Link > Click Visual Browse > Select "Economics, Business, and Law" > Economic Policy > Federal Government and Economic Policy

You can help students develop additional 21st Century Skills by providing them with additional strategies to differentiate the ways that they demonstrate what they have learned. Within this assigned issue are the links to templates for a formal research paper, a mini-research paper, a slide presentation, and a mini-informal debate. Click the RESEARCH TOOLS icon to the left of the open issue to review these possibilities.