Author: Jadrian Wooten

Economics eductor. Follow me @Wootenomics

Soda Sizes

2017

Leslie meets with Kathryn Pinewood to discuss the sizes of sodas sold at the local restaurants. Leslie, as city council member, doesn’t believe that this move by local businesses is good for the health of her community. Local restaurants have gotten creative in marketing the larger sodas by offering price discounts when customers by large volumes. Despite framing the larger sizes with more normal names, Leslie is confused why people would keep purchasing that much soda.

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Soda Taxes

2017

Leslie’s first act as a city councilwoman is to implement a soda tax because she believes that it will make Pawnee healthier. The new larger sodas are causing obesity in town and Leslie aims to regulate the market through taxes. Depending on the size of the local elasticity, there may not be much of a change in consumption, but it could mean additional revenue for the city.

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Care Package

2017

Ben and April are in DC while Ben is serving as a congressional intern, but both receive care packages from their significant others while away. Andy is running out of clean clothes and includes this in his most recent care package to April. While Ben’s care packs from Leslie aren’t as strange, April’s includes Andy’s dirty laundry because she is so much better at doing laundry than he is. Andy feel’s April has a comparative advantage in laundry despite being so far apart from each other.

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BBQ Pork

2017

The Parks Department is hosting a BBQ in the local park. Ron decides to bring a pig to the park because he wants people to see their food before consuming it. He is not allowed to because it is against the law and violates health codes despite his beliefs that he should be allowed to as the Parks Department director.

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Ben’s Considering a Job

2017

Ben’s been offered a job with a local accounting firm, but he isn’t as excited about the commute or the carpeting in the office. Leslie recommends that if he isn’t in love with the idea of working there then he should take some time to consider other options. The non-pecuniary aspects of jobs are important in the decision to accept employment.

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Cheapest Wine

2017

Leslie wants to break up with Ben, but she needs to order a bottle of wine before she goes through with it. She let’s the waitress know that she wants wine, but isn’t coy about only selecting the cheapest  one because she can’t tell the difference. There’s a long line of literature on the effects of quality and wine prices that shows even professionals can’t often tell the difference between brands.

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Ann is an Entrepreneur

2017

Tom pranked Anne by putting glitter in her laundry detergent and she decides to return the favor by putting glitter in Tom’s moisturizer. She pitches it as a new product gimmick, but Tom supports the idea of this new product, “Sparkle Skin.”

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The Pawnee River Needs Cleaning

2017

Ben is in DC working as a congressional intern and Leslie takes the opportunity to head to Washington, D.C. to ask for federal funding the clean up the Pawnee River, which is a bit of a “fixer-upper.” This rent seeking behavior is common when entities are seeking federal funding for items that will only benefit their areas.

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Because of Jail

2017

The Parks Department of Pawnee invites delegates from their sister city in Baraguá, Venezuela to attend a local townhall meeting. This particular townhall meeting includes complaints about various externalities associated with parks including frisbees and dog feces. The Baraguá delegate describes the command and control approach used by his country when citizens impose externalities on others.

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