1. Average tax rate is defined as total tax revenue divided by gross domestic product. See “Taxes and Other Revenues,” in CIA World Factbook, www.cia.gov/
2. Ruut Veenhoven, “World Database of Happiness,” http:/
3. U.S. Department of Justice, “Justice Department Requires US Airways and American Airlines to Divest Facilities at Seven Key Airports to Enhance System-Wide Competition and Settle Merger Challenge,” November 12, 2013, http:/
4. Vanessa Wong “With Keurig 2.0, Green Mountain Wants Its Monopoly Back,” Bloomberg Businessweek, March 11, 2014, www.businessweek.com/
5. The World Bank, Table: Central government debt, total (% of GDP), http:/
6. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Frequently Asked Questions, Question 6,” www.bls.gov/cpi/cpifaq.htm#Question_6.
7. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Table 1: Relative Importance of Components in the Consumer Price Indexes: U.S. City Average,” December 2010, www.bls.gov/
8. Allison Schrager, “The Great Debate,” Reuters, August 28, 2013, http:/
9. “Historical Inflation,” www.inflationdata.com/
10. “The U.S. Inflation Rate—1948–2007,” www.miseryindex.us/irbyyear.asp.
11. Sam Mamudi, “Lehman Folds with Record $613 Billion Debt—MarketWatch,” Wall Street Journal, September 15, 2008, www.marketwatch.com/story/lehman-folds-with-record-613-billion-debt?siteid=rss.
12. “Humbled GM Files for Bankruptcy Protection Business Autos Msnbc.com,” June 1, 2009, www.msnbc.msn.com/
13. Teresa Sullivan, “Bankruptcy Statistics 1980–2010,” www.bankruptcyaction.com/