Question

For this question, remember that a normative statement is "what should be." The Wall Street Journal editorial on Oregon rent controls suggests the normative statement of:

a. Oregon should have rent controls.
b. Oregon should not have rent controls.
c. The editorial is totally undecided on whether rent controls are in the public interest.

Answer 1

An op-ed urging the adoption of an economic policy is a normative statement, expressing what the author believes should happen, such as positions for or against Oregon rent controls.

Step-by-step explanation:

An op-ed piece in a newspaper urging the adoption of a particular economic policy would be a normative statement. Normative statements express judgments about what ought to be, based on values or opinions, rather than empirical evidence. Therefore, when a Wall Street Journal editorial suggests either for or against Oregon rent controls, it is presenting a normative statement.

For instance, if the editorial states that Oregon should have rent controls, it's making a normative statement advocating for this policy because it aligns with the author's beliefs about what is best for the public. Conversely, if the editorial states that Oregon should not have rent controls, it's also making a normative statement, but this time against the policy because the author believes it causes more harm than good, such as reducing the availability of rental units, thus impacting would-be renters negatively.