This macroeconomics class helped me realize while the United States has by far the largest, most productive economy in the world, there is a large variation as to how that affects cities and towns across the country. The shift from a manufacturing based economy to a service based economy, has left many rural towns economies to suffer while cities continue to boom. These differences can greatly affect the opportunities an individual receives within his or her lifetime. Our nation is so large and diverse it is hard to implement one size fits all economic policy.