Mark Schaffer
@markeschaffer.bsky.social
Professor of Economics, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh
Pinned
Mark Schaffer
@markeschaffer.bsky.social
· Oct 14
The UK macro policy problem is like the classic Irish joke about the lost traveler who asks a local farmer how to get to Dublin.
Farmer thinks for a bit and replies, "Well, I wouldn't start from here."
Farmer thinks for a bit and replies, "Well, I wouldn't start from here."
Reposted by Mark Schaffer
The automated problem factory!
‘A new service called Objector is offering “policy-backed objections in minutes” to people who are upset about planning applications near their homes.’
Another reminder that AI can be used for things you don’t like as well as things you like…
Another reminder that AI can be used for things you don’t like as well as things you like…
Bloody hell www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
November 9, 2025 at 4:26 PM
The automated problem factory!
Reposted by Mark Schaffer
Bloody hell www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com
November 9, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Bloody hell www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Mark Schaffer
A Sharon Begley byline, almost 5 years after her death.
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
James Watson, dead at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers
James Watson, the co-discoverer of the structure of DNA who died Thursday at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers.
www.statnews.com
November 8, 2025 at 1:39 PM
A Sharon Begley byline, almost 5 years after her death.
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
Reposted by Mark Schaffer
sometimes an Oxford comma can make all the difference
November 8, 2025 at 12:36 PM
sometimes an Oxford comma can make all the difference
Reposted by Mark Schaffer
Haha, this from the New Yorker is getting passed around the math dork community. I did a comic about this kind of thought a few years ago: www.smbc-comics.com/comic/commut...
November 7, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Haha, this from the New Yorker is getting passed around the math dork community. I did a comic about this kind of thought a few years ago: www.smbc-comics.com/comic/commut...
Reposted by Mark Schaffer
"it's always the fault of the migrants. Except when it isn't."
Colin from Portsmouth thinks we should blame immigrants for things before they even happen.
Colin from Portsmouth thinks we should blame immigrants for things before they even happen.
November 7, 2025 at 1:08 PM
"it's always the fault of the migrants. Except when it isn't."
Colin from Portsmouth thinks we should blame immigrants for things before they even happen.
Colin from Portsmouth thinks we should blame immigrants for things before they even happen.
Reposted by Mark Schaffer
The fundamental problem:
58% of voters want public spending maintained or increased.
67% want taxes to stay at their current level or be cut.
In reality, it’s a binary choice. Taxes go up, or spending is cut. That’s it.
58% of voters want public spending maintained or increased.
67% want taxes to stay at their current level or be cut.
In reality, it’s a binary choice. Taxes go up, or spending is cut. That’s it.
October 31, 2025 at 12:00 PM
The fundamental problem:
58% of voters want public spending maintained or increased.
67% want taxes to stay at their current level or be cut.
In reality, it’s a binary choice. Taxes go up, or spending is cut. That’s it.
58% of voters want public spending maintained or increased.
67% want taxes to stay at their current level or be cut.
In reality, it’s a binary choice. Taxes go up, or spending is cut. That’s it.
Reposted by Mark Schaffer
Me: The least-helpful workshops are often the ones given by people who just Know Too Much 🥹
Data Friend: Have you see that blog post about this?
Me: No, show me!
Data Friend: anniemueller.com/posts/how-i-...
Me: BRB SENDING THIS TO EVERYONE I KNOW 😂
#rstats #python #databs
Data Friend: Have you see that blog post about this?
Me: No, show me!
Data Friend: anniemueller.com/posts/how-i-...
Me: BRB SENDING THIS TO EVERYONE I KNOW 😂
#rstats #python #databs
How I, a non-developer, read the tutorial you, a developer, wrote for me, a beginner - annie's blog
“Hello! I am a developer. Here is my relevant experience: I code in Hoobijag and sometimes jabbernocks and of course ABCDE++++ (but never ABCDE+/^+ are you kidding? ha!) and I like working with ...
anniemueller.com
October 31, 2025 at 9:31 PM
Me: The least-helpful workshops are often the ones given by people who just Know Too Much 🥹
Data Friend: Have you see that blog post about this?
Me: No, show me!
Data Friend: anniemueller.com/posts/how-i-...
Me: BRB SENDING THIS TO EVERYONE I KNOW 😂
#rstats #python #databs
Data Friend: Have you see that blog post about this?
Me: No, show me!
Data Friend: anniemueller.com/posts/how-i-...
Me: BRB SENDING THIS TO EVERYONE I KNOW 😂
#rstats #python #databs
Reposted by Mark Schaffer
This week's post: What the call for fiscal headroom reveals mainlymacro.blogspot.com/2025/10/what...
Exaggerated claims about market reactions to debt and deficits infantilize fiscal policy, and that can be dangerous. The call for more fiscal headroom is just a small example of that danger.
Exaggerated claims about market reactions to debt and deficits infantilize fiscal policy, and that can be dangerous. The call for more fiscal headroom is just a small example of that danger.
What the call for fiscal headroom reveals
Everyone, including the IFS, is agreed that the Chancellor should in the budget create more fiscal headroom than she did previously. Rath...
mainlymacro.blogspot.com
October 23, 2025 at 8:10 AM
This week's post: What the call for fiscal headroom reveals mainlymacro.blogspot.com/2025/10/what...
Exaggerated claims about market reactions to debt and deficits infantilize fiscal policy, and that can be dangerous. The call for more fiscal headroom is just a small example of that danger.
Exaggerated claims about market reactions to debt and deficits infantilize fiscal policy, and that can be dangerous. The call for more fiscal headroom is just a small example of that danger.
Reposted by Mark Schaffer
"The government needs to take ownership of the Budget and use it to construct a convincing narrative. That means not blaming the OBR or HMT but explaining why tax reform is necessary, why it will be good for growth and public services and how pain will be fairly shared.
www.ft.com/content/a06d...
www.ft.com/content/a06d...
Blaming the OBR for the Budget maths is a waste of time
The government must explain why tax reform is necessary and desirable for fiscal sustainability
www.ft.com
October 20, 2025 at 6:36 AM
"The government needs to take ownership of the Budget and use it to construct a convincing narrative. That means not blaming the OBR or HMT but explaining why tax reform is necessary, why it will be good for growth and public services and how pain will be fairly shared.
www.ft.com/content/a06d...
www.ft.com/content/a06d...
Reposted by Mark Schaffer
Great moments in redaction history.
October 18, 2025 at 4:35 AM
Great moments in redaction history.
Reposted by Mark Schaffer
In today's least surprising news
October 16, 2025 at 7:07 AM
In today's least surprising news
Reposted by Mark Schaffer
ew post: Populism and Economic Prosperity
mainlymacro.blogspot.com/2025/10/popu...
We would expect populist governments to damage the economy, and the evidence suggests that they do so in a big way. But we know from Brexit that the media typically nullifies the impact of this evidence on voters.
mainlymacro.blogspot.com/2025/10/popu...
We would expect populist governments to damage the economy, and the evidence suggests that they do so in a big way. But we know from Brexit that the media typically nullifies the impact of this evidence on voters.
Populism and Economic Prosperity
Mainstream political parties normally claim that populist parties, if they ever got to power, would damage the economy. We have clear evid...
mainlymacro.blogspot.com
October 14, 2025 at 8:06 AM
ew post: Populism and Economic Prosperity
mainlymacro.blogspot.com/2025/10/popu...
We would expect populist governments to damage the economy, and the evidence suggests that they do so in a big way. But we know from Brexit that the media typically nullifies the impact of this evidence on voters.
mainlymacro.blogspot.com/2025/10/popu...
We would expect populist governments to damage the economy, and the evidence suggests that they do so in a big way. But we know from Brexit that the media typically nullifies the impact of this evidence on voters.
Reposted by Mark Schaffer
That's pretty fucking cool too.
October 10, 2025 at 12:39 PM
That's pretty fucking cool too.
Reposted by Mark Schaffer
NEW
Law versus politics
Both the UK and the US face a choice between unchecked executive power or a balanced constitution
By me at @prospectmagazine.co.uk
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/law/th...
Law versus politics
Both the UK and the US face a choice between unchecked executive power or a balanced constitution
By me at @prospectmagazine.co.uk
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/law/th...
October 9, 2025 at 11:12 AM
NEW
Law versus politics
Both the UK and the US face a choice between unchecked executive power or a balanced constitution
By me at @prospectmagazine.co.uk
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/law/th...
Law versus politics
Both the UK and the US face a choice between unchecked executive power or a balanced constitution
By me at @prospectmagazine.co.uk
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/law/th...
Reposted by Mark Schaffer
A thread of inspirational quotes from two of my idols: Kemi Badenoch and Ange Postecoglou
(uh-oh, I may have gotten some mixed up... or have I??)
🧵
(uh-oh, I may have gotten some mixed up... or have I??)
🧵
October 6, 2025 at 9:11 AM
A thread of inspirational quotes from two of my idols: Kemi Badenoch and Ange Postecoglou
(uh-oh, I may have gotten some mixed up... or have I??)
🧵
(uh-oh, I may have gotten some mixed up... or have I??)
🧵
Reposted by Mark Schaffer
The mystery of medical diagnosis!
October 3, 2025 at 6:25 PM
The mystery of medical diagnosis!
Reposted by Mark Schaffer
Every few months now I re-read this "Who Goes Nazi?" piece from 1941 and am blown away by how it captures the people we are dealing with 80 years later.
harpers.org/archive/1941...
harpers.org/archive/1941...
Who Goes Nazi?, by Dorothy Thompson
harpers.org
October 1, 2025 at 11:59 PM
Every few months now I re-read this "Who Goes Nazi?" piece from 1941 and am blown away by how it captures the people we are dealing with 80 years later.
harpers.org/archive/1941...
harpers.org/archive/1941...
Reposted by Mark Schaffer
I have watched his bit and the bit after Kuenssberg asks the question about 20 times and my ribs hurt.
Janey, Janey, Janey, still making me laugh from beyond.
Janey, Janey, Janey, still making me laugh from beyond.
October 1, 2025 at 10:27 PM
I have watched his bit and the bit after Kuenssberg asks the question about 20 times and my ribs hurt.
Janey, Janey, Janey, still making me laugh from beyond.
Janey, Janey, Janey, still making me laugh from beyond.
Reposted by Mark Schaffer
New post: Misunderstandings on the left (and elsewhere) about the OBR, independence and the bond market
mainlymacro.blogspot.com/2025/09/misu...
The government delegating some highly technical tasks to independent experts doesn't create a democratic deficit, but it does avoid wishful thinking.
mainlymacro.blogspot.com/2025/09/misu...
The government delegating some highly technical tasks to independent experts doesn't create a democratic deficit, but it does avoid wishful thinking.
Misunderstandings on the left (and elsewhere) about the OBR, independence and the bond market
I often see pieces from those on the left criticising the OBR. Here is Louise Haigh , for example, talking about the “rigid orthodoxy of t...
mainlymacro.blogspot.com
September 30, 2025 at 8:07 AM
New post: Misunderstandings on the left (and elsewhere) about the OBR, independence and the bond market
mainlymacro.blogspot.com/2025/09/misu...
The government delegating some highly technical tasks to independent experts doesn't create a democratic deficit, but it does avoid wishful thinking.
mainlymacro.blogspot.com/2025/09/misu...
The government delegating some highly technical tasks to independent experts doesn't create a democratic deficit, but it does avoid wishful thinking.
Reposted by Mark Schaffer
The word ‘harbour’ shares its origin with French ‘auberge’ and German ‘Herberge’ (both “hostel”).
They come from West Germanic *haribergu (military camp), a compound of *hari (army) and *bergu (shelter).
Other related English words are ‘harbinger’, ‘to harry’ and the name ‘Harold’.
Here’s more:
They come from West Germanic *haribergu (military camp), a compound of *hari (army) and *bergu (shelter).
Other related English words are ‘harbinger’, ‘to harry’ and the name ‘Harold’.
Here’s more:
September 28, 2025 at 3:56 PM
The word ‘harbour’ shares its origin with French ‘auberge’ and German ‘Herberge’ (both “hostel”).
They come from West Germanic *haribergu (military camp), a compound of *hari (army) and *bergu (shelter).
Other related English words are ‘harbinger’, ‘to harry’ and the name ‘Harold’.
Here’s more:
They come from West Germanic *haribergu (military camp), a compound of *hari (army) and *bergu (shelter).
Other related English words are ‘harbinger’, ‘to harry’ and the name ‘Harold’.
Here’s more:
Reposted by Mark Schaffer
Ok, Aeneid discourse time because the statement below is correct, but also, I think, significantly incomplete in ways that understate how good Vergil is as an author (he is very good).
Aeneas is supposed to be a self-righteous prig because Vergil is deeply ambivalent about the Augustan project.
Aeneas is supposed to be a self-righteous prig because Vergil is deeply ambivalent about the Augustan project.
Virgil wrote FanFic.
And while parts of his epic are very good, Aeneas himself comes across as a self-righteous prig.
#ISaidWhatISaid
And while parts of his epic are very good, Aeneas himself comes across as a self-righteous prig.
#ISaidWhatISaid
September 27, 2025 at 4:43 AM
Ok, Aeneid discourse time because the statement below is correct, but also, I think, significantly incomplete in ways that understate how good Vergil is as an author (he is very good).
Aeneas is supposed to be a self-righteous prig because Vergil is deeply ambivalent about the Augustan project.
Aeneas is supposed to be a self-righteous prig because Vergil is deeply ambivalent about the Augustan project.
Reposted by Mark Schaffer
"The tax system gets worse and worse over time."
@danneidle.bsky.social makes the case for big-picture tax reform.
@danneidle.bsky.social makes the case for big-picture tax reform.
September 26, 2025 at 10:30 AM
"The tax system gets worse and worse over time."
@danneidle.bsky.social makes the case for big-picture tax reform.
@danneidle.bsky.social makes the case for big-picture tax reform.
Reposted by Mark Schaffer
"experts say"
www.cnn.com/2025/08/11/b...
www.cnn.com/2025/08/11/b...
September 26, 2025 at 1:59 AM
"experts say"
www.cnn.com/2025/08/11/b...
www.cnn.com/2025/08/11/b...