Which of the following is an example of a normative, as opposed to a positive, statement?

A) Gasoline prices ought to be lower than they are now.
B) A decrease in the minimum wage would decrease unemployment.
C) The elimination of trade restrictions would increase an economy's standard of living.
D) In response to the most recent recession, the federal government extended the duration of unemployment benefits.

Normative statements are value judgments or opinions that cannot be tested or proved right or wrong. Choice A, "Gasoline prices ought to be lower than they are now," is a normative statement because it reflects an opinion about how things should be, rather than a factual claim about how things are. Choices B, C, and D are examples of positive statements, which describe the world as it is and can be tested or validated through observation.