You pick up the morning newspaper and note a headline reporting a major scandal about the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation that is likely to undermine the public’s confidence in the banking system. What impact, if any, do you think this scandal might have on the relationship between the monetary base and the money supply? 5. Discussions in recent years about the vulnerability of the Social Security System cause some people to believe that the payments promised will not materialize at the time of their retirement. a. Other things being equal, what would the likely impact of this belief be on interest rates? b. Why?