Better living through better policy.

Category: Infrastructure & Technology

The Future of Retirement is Here

Post author By Patrick M. Brenner
Post date March 31, 2026
No Comments on The Future of Retirement is Here

The change could quietly unlock billions in hidden retirement wealth for everyday Americans.

Tags 401(k) Plans, Alternative Investments, Department of Labor (DOL), Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), Fiduciary Duty Standards, financial inclusion, Investment Diversification, Private Equity Markets, Retirement Policy, Retirement Savings Crisis

Budget and Spending Conservatism Courts Culture Cybersecurity Domestic Policy Economy Government Regulation Government Spending Government Transparency and Accountability Infrastructure & Technology Legal and Judicial Life Markets and Finance New Mexico Political Thought Progressivism Public Opinion Reports Security Technology Top Issues Transparency Updates

Report: Rolling the Dice

Post author By Southwest Public Policy Institute
Post date March 23, 2026
No Comments on Report: Rolling the Dice

Procurement failures and vendor transition risks threaten the New Mexico Lottery.

Tags Bid Scoring Methodology, Central Gaming System, Contract Duration Limits, Contract Extension Risk, Cost Versus Technical Evaluation, Critical Infrastructure Procurement, Emergency Contract Extensions, Evaluation Committee Process, Government Accountability, Government Contracting, Government Efficiency, Government Oversight, Government Procurement, Higher Education Funding, Implementation Risk, Infrastructure Governance, Infrastructure Transition Failures, Internal Audit Review, International Game Technology (IGT), Intralot, Legislative Lottery Scholarship Program, Lottery Gaming Systems, Lottery Infrastructure, Lottery Procurement, Lottery Retailers, Lottery Revenue Risk, Lottery Technology Providers, Lottery Vendor Contracts, New Mexico Lottery Act, New Mexico Lottery Authority (NMLA), New Mexico Procurement Code, NMSA 1978 Section 6-24-9, Operational Continuity, Policy Analysis, Pollard Banknote, Procurement Accountability, Procurement Compliance, Procurement Governance, Procurement Transparency, Public Finance Risk, Public Policy Research, Public Procurement Failures, Public Sector Risk Management, Public-Private Partnerships, Regulatory Compliance, Retail Network Operations, Risk Of Service Disruption, Scholarship Funding Risk, Scientific Games, Sole-Source Contracts, Southwest Public Policy Institute (SPPI), State Lottery Operations, State Revenue Systems, State Statutes Compliance, System Conversion Risk, System Deployment Delays, Technology Procurement Failures, Think Tank Research, Transition Planning, Vendor Transition Risk

Coal, Oil, Natural Gas Conservatism Culture Domestic Policy Economy Energy & Environment Energy Economics Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources Government Regulation Infrastructure & Technology Legal and Judicial Life Markets and Finance Nuclear Energy Political Thought Progressivism Public Opinion Renewable Energy Taxes Top Issues Trade Transparency Updates

The Carbon Standardization Project

Post author By Patrick M. Brenner
Post date March 19, 2026
No Comments on The Carbon Standardization Project

International bureaucracies are undermining America’s energy policies.

Budget and Spending Conservatism Courts Crime and Justice Domestic Policy Education Government Regulation Government Spending Government Transparency and Accountability Infrastructure & Technology Legal and Judicial New Mexico Political Thought Progressivism Public Opinion Top Issues Transparency Updates

SPPI Files Public Records Request Regarding New Mexico Lottery Contract Procurement

Post author By Southwest Public Policy Institute
Post date February 27, 2026
No Comments on SPPI Files Public Records Request Regarding New Mexico Lottery Contract Procurement

SPPI seeks transparency and legal clarity regarding the New Mexico Lottery Authority’s procurement process and transition planning for the state gaming system contract.

Agriculture Alaska Arizona California Coal, Oil, Natural Gas Colorado Conservatism Culture Domestic Policy Energy & Environment Energy Economics Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources Firearms Government Regulation Government Spending Homeland Security Infrastructure & Technology Life Nevada New Mexico North Dakota Oklahoma Political Thought Progressivism Public Opinion Security Texas Top Issues Updates Utah

Zachary Fort Featured in National Public Lands Debate

Post author By Southwest Public Policy Institute
Post date February 26, 2026
No Comments on Zachary Fort Featured in National Public Lands Debate

Media coverage highlights SPPI Vice Chairman Zachary Fort’s leadership and policy engagement during debate over Bureau of Land Management nomination.

Tags Albuquerque Journal Opinion, American West Policy, BLM Director Nomination, Bureau Of Land Management, Center For Western Priorities, Conservation And Recreation Balance, Conservation Policy, Department Of The Interior, Energy Development Policy, Federal Land Management, Federal Land Policy, Federal Land Sales, Federal Lands Governance, Federal Resource Management, Government Accountability, Hunting Access, Hunting And Recreation Communities, Land Stewardship, Landscape Podcast, Las Cruces Sun News, Media Coverage Roundup, Multiple Use Land Management, National Conservation Debate, National Policy Debate, New Mexico Politics, New Mexico Public Lands, New Mexico Shooting Sports Association, New York Times Coverage, Oil And Gas Development, Organ Mountains Desert Peaks National Monument, Outdoor Heritage Protection, Outdoor Recreation Policy, Patrick M Brenner, Policy Advocacy Campaign, Public Land Access, Public Land Privatization, Public Lands Advocacy, Public Lands Campaign, Public Lands Conservation, Public Lands Debate, Public Lands Policy, Public Lands Stewardship, Public Policy Leadership, Recreational Land Use, Santa Fe New Mexican, Senate Confirmation Hearing, Senate Energy And Natural Resources Committee, Shooting Sports Advocacy, Southwest Public Policy Institute, SPPI, SPPI In The Media, Stakeholder Governance, Steve Pearce Nomination, Think Tank Advocacy, Trump Administration Interior Policy, Vet Voice Foundation, Washington Post Opinion, Western Economic Policy, Western Governance, Western Land Use Policy, Western Public Lands, Zachary Fort

Conservatism Culture Domestic Policy Economic Opportunity Economy Government Regulation Housing Infrastructure & Technology Legal and Judicial Life Markets and Finance Political Thought Poverty & Welfare Poverty and Inequality Progressivism Public Opinion The Constitution Updates

Housing Shock: The Cost of Investor Ownership Bans

Post author By Patrick M. Brenner
Post date February 24, 2026
No Comments on Housing Shock: The Cost of Investor Ownership Bans

A prohibition on institutional investors could destabilize housing markets, but a targeted exemption can protect homeowners and renters.

Tags Affordable Housing Policy, American Housing Market, Build-To-Rent Housing, Congressional Housing Policy, Economic Policy, Federal Housing Policy, Federal Legislation, Forced Divestment, Free Market Housing Policy, Home Value Stability, Homeownership Policy, Housing Affordability, Housing Affordability Solutions, Housing Asset Prices, Housing Construction, Housing Crisis, Housing Development, Housing Economics, Housing Investment, Housing Investment Incentives, Housing Investment Policy, Housing Market Fire Sale, Housing Market Liquidity, Housing Market Policy, Housing Market Reform, Housing Market Stability, Housing Market Volatility, Housing Policy, Housing Policy Exemptions, Housing Policy Research, Housing Regulation, Housing Shortage, Housing Supply, Housing Supply Constraints, Institutional Homeownership, Institutional Investor Ban, Institutional Investors, Investor Ownership Caps, Investor-To-Investor Sales, Land Use Policy, Market Stabilization Policy, Market-Based Housing Solutions, Neighborhood Property Values, Patrick M Brenner, Permitting Reform, Private Capital In Housing, Property Rights, Public Policy Analysis, Real Estate Investment, Real Estate Liquidity, Real Estate Markets, Real Estate Public Policy, Real Estate Regulation, Real Estate Valuation, Regulatory Barriers, Rental Housing Supply, Rental Market Stability, Single-Family Housing, Single-Family Rentals, Southwest Public Policy Institute, Think Tank Research, Zoning Reform

Conservatism Culture Cybersecurity Debt Domestic Policy Economic Opportunity Economy Government Regulation Housing Infrastructure & Technology Legal and Judicial Life Markets and Finance Political Thought Poverty & Welfare Poverty and Inequality Progressivism Public Opinion Technology Top Issues Transparency Updates

Weakening Tri-Merge Would Make Housing Less Affordable

Post author By Patrick M. Brenner
Post date February 6, 2026
1 Comment on Weakening Tri-Merge Would Make Housing Less Affordable

Why cutting credit reporting costs won’t fix housing affordability, and may make it worse.

Conservatism Courts Crime and Justice Culture Cybersecurity Domestic Policy Economic Opportunity Economy Government Regulation Government Transparency and Accountability Infrastructure & Technology Legal and Judicial Life Markets and Finance Political Thought Poverty & Welfare Poverty and Inequality Progressivism Public Opinion Technology The Constitution Transparency

Real Clear Markets: Credit Card Rate Caps Will Lead To a Shortage of Credit Cards

Post author By Patrick M. Brenner
Post date January 19, 2026
1 Comment on Real Clear Markets: Credit Card Rate Caps Will Lead To a Shortage of Credit Cards

Why a national credit card rate cap would shrink access and worsen inequality.

Tags Affordability Crisis, Capital Allocation, Command Economy Policies, Consumer Credit Policy, Consumer Debt, Consumer Finance Research, Consumer Protection Policy, credit access, Credit Building, Credit Card Accounts, Credit Card Interest Rates, Credit Card Limits, Credit Card Rate Caps, Credit Card Regulation, Credit Card Rewards Programs, Credit Contraction, Credit Market Infrastructure, Credit Markets, Credit Rationing, Credit Underwriting, Digital Payments, Donald Trump Economic Policy, Economic Freedom, Economic Inequality, Economic Policy Analysis, Federal Reserve Bank Of New York, financial inclusion, Financial Mobility, financial regulation, Financial Risk Pricing, Financial Stability, Fraud Protection, Free Market Economics, Household Debt, Household Finance, Housing Affordability, Inflation And Cost Of Living, Interest Rate Caps, Lending Standards, Market Distortions, Milton Friedman, Monetary Policy, National Interest Rate Cap, Online Commerce, Patrick M. Brenner, Payment Systems, Price Controls, Prime Borrowers, Regulatory Overreach, Southwest Public Policy Institute (SPPI), Subprime Borrowers, Temporary Government Programs, Trump Credit Card Proposal

Amicus Curiae Conservatism Corner Post, Inc. v. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System Courts Crime and Justice Culture Domestic Policy Economic Opportunity Economy Government Regulation Government Transparency and Accountability Infrastructure & Technology Legal Legal and Judicial Life Markets and Finance North Dakota Political Thought Poverty & Welfare Poverty and Inequality Progressivism Public Opinion Technology The Constitution Top Issues Updates

SPPI Files Amicus Brief Supporting the Federal Reserve in Major Debit Card Case

Post author By Southwest Public Policy Institute
Post date December 30, 2025
No Comments on SPPI Files Amicus Brief Supporting the Federal Reserve in Major Debit Card Case

A major federal court case could reshape debit card economics nationwide, impacting payment security, reliability, and everyday consumer transactions.