Problem 1: What is the current state of the US trade deficit? Is this a concern?
Problem 2: What is the current state of the dollar versus other international currencies? What has been the trend for the last six months?
Problem 3: What is the size of the national debt? Is this a concern?
Problem 4: Is the federal government currently running a budget deficit or a surplus?
Problem 5: What is the relationship between the trade situation, the value of the dollar, the national debt and the budget deficit/surplus?