@clintballinger.bsky.social
(Short) book: https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/1f999e87-8e3c-40b4-8067-4741100ae1a5
Some random thoughts on economics https://clintballinger.wordpress.com/
Some random thoughts on economics https://clintballinger.wordpress.com/
When singular, it renders competition incoherent: policy must shift from taming monopolies to governing (or publicly providing) the network core. Some markets require collective provision to exist at all.
#econsky
clintballinger.substack.com/p/the-non-sc...
#econsky
clintballinger.substack.com/p/the-non-sc...
The Non-Scalable Intercept: When Networks Defy Antitrust
Thresholds that create markets, not margins
clintballinger.substack.com
January 10, 2026 at 3:06 AM
When singular, it renders competition incoherent: policy must shift from taming monopolies to governing (or publicly providing) the network core. Some markets require collective provision to exist at all.
#econsky
clintballinger.substack.com/p/the-non-sc...
#econsky
clintballinger.substack.com/p/the-non-sc...
And THEN - as if all of this wasn’t bad enough:
As mentioned in “1” above, this whole process involves so many channels that our methods are known to be incapable of meaningfully analyzing the resulting changes to the system
As mentioned in “1” above, this whole process involves so many channels that our methods are known to be incapable of meaningfully analyzing the resulting changes to the system
December 24, 2025 at 2:37 AM
And THEN - as if all of this wasn’t bad enough:
As mentioned in “1” above, this whole process involves so many channels that our methods are known to be incapable of meaningfully analyzing the resulting changes to the system
As mentioned in “1” above, this whole process involves so many channels that our methods are known to be incapable of meaningfully analyzing the resulting changes to the system
So not only negative forces; not only *increased* negative forces; but significantly higher distortionary forces of *all* kinds.
December 24, 2025 at 2:37 AM
So not only negative forces; not only *increased* negative forces; but significantly higher distortionary forces of *all* kinds.
So to summarize: We are pushing up via
1) (known to be harmful) channels that then
2) have to be exaggerated & then
3) worse still again that ALL channels are higher because of this tug-of-war effect.
1) (known to be harmful) channels that then
2) have to be exaggerated & then
3) worse still again that ALL channels are higher because of this tug-of-war effect.
December 24, 2025 at 2:37 AM
So to summarize: We are pushing up via
1) (known to be harmful) channels that then
2) have to be exaggerated & then
3) worse still again that ALL channels are higher because of this tug-of-war effect.
1) (known to be harmful) channels that then
2) have to be exaggerated & then
3) worse still again that ALL channels are higher because of this tug-of-war effect.
This is how raising interest rates to fight inflation works.
Not only is the intervention known to be damaging (unemployment, reduced investment…), but, because of this tug-of-war between opposing forces, the total force of ALL channels is greater.
Not only is the intervention known to be damaging (unemployment, reduced investment…), but, because of this tug-of-war between opposing forces, the total force of ALL channels is greater.
December 24, 2025 at 2:37 AM
This is how raising interest rates to fight inflation works.
Not only is the intervention known to be damaging (unemployment, reduced investment…), but, because of this tug-of-war between opposing forces, the total force of ALL channels is greater.
Not only is the intervention known to be damaging (unemployment, reduced investment…), but, because of this tug-of-war between opposing forces, the total force of ALL channels is greater.
…one pulls down and the other pushes up.
The “up” person is slightly stronger.
With a whole lot of input you can just manage to get the object to go up.
But the *total* force on the object is much greater than it would be if you only had the “up” person pushing.
The “up” person is slightly stronger.
With a whole lot of input you can just manage to get the object to go up.
But the *total* force on the object is much greater than it would be if you only had the “up” person pushing.
December 24, 2025 at 2:37 AM
…one pulls down and the other pushes up.
The “up” person is slightly stronger.
With a whole lot of input you can just manage to get the object to go up.
But the *total* force on the object is much greater than it would be if you only had the “up” person pushing.
The “up” person is slightly stronger.
With a whole lot of input you can just manage to get the object to go up.
But the *total* force on the object is much greater than it would be if you only had the “up” person pushing.
Really this= two related issues:
1) Econ analytical methods cannot handle the many channels. The degree of the problem is thus hidden
2) Imagine you have an object you want lifted higher. Two people have a grasp of the object. When you give the command,…
1) Econ analytical methods cannot handle the many channels. The degree of the problem is thus hidden
2) Imagine you have an object you want lifted higher. Two people have a grasp of the object. When you give the command,…
December 24, 2025 at 2:37 AM
Really this= two related issues:
1) Econ analytical methods cannot handle the many channels. The degree of the problem is thus hidden
2) Imagine you have an object you want lifted higher. Two people have a grasp of the object. When you give the command,…
1) Econ analytical methods cannot handle the many channels. The degree of the problem is thus hidden
2) Imagine you have an object you want lifted higher. Two people have a grasp of the object. When you give the command,…
Reposted
“Assume interiority conditions”
A technical convenience- Requires everyone consumes positive amounts and remains in the market.
Absolute deprivation, exclusion, and starvation as equilibrium outcomes become impossible by assumption
A technical convenience- Requires everyone consumes positive amounts and remains in the market.
Absolute deprivation, exclusion, and starvation as equilibrium outcomes become impossible by assumption
December 18, 2025 at 12:59 PM
“Assume interiority conditions”
A technical convenience- Requires everyone consumes positive amounts and remains in the market.
Absolute deprivation, exclusion, and starvation as equilibrium outcomes become impossible by assumption
A technical convenience- Requires everyone consumes positive amounts and remains in the market.
Absolute deprivation, exclusion, and starvation as equilibrium outcomes become impossible by assumption
Reposted
“Without loss of generality, normalize…”
Lossless for whom? Normalization fixes the unit of account- what everything else is measured against - anchoring reference points and binding constraints before optimization begins.
Just “WLOG” though
Lossless for whom? Normalization fixes the unit of account- what everything else is measured against - anchoring reference points and binding constraints before optimization begins.
Just “WLOG” though
December 18, 2025 at 12:59 PM
“Without loss of generality, normalize…”
Lossless for whom? Normalization fixes the unit of account- what everything else is measured against - anchoring reference points and binding constraints before optimization begins.
Just “WLOG” though
Lossless for whom? Normalization fixes the unit of account- what everything else is measured against - anchoring reference points and binding constraints before optimization begins.
Just “WLOG” though