within the macroeconomic mainstream in the united states, distinctions can be made between saltwater economists and the more laissez-faire ideas of freshwater economists. however, there is broad agreement on the importance of general equilibrium, the methodology related to models used for certain purposes (e.g. statistical models for forecasting, structural models for counterfactual analysis, etc.), and the importance of partial equilibrium models for analyzing specific factors important to the economy (e.g. banking).