Better living through better policy.

Category: Legal and Judicial

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.

Conservatism Courts Culture Domestic Policy Economic Opportunity Economy Government Regulation Legal and Judicial Life Markets and Finance Political Thought Poverty & Welfare Poverty and Inequality Progressivism Public Opinion Top Issues Updates

National Review: Sue-Pervised Retirement

Post author By Patrick M. Brenner
Post date March 1, 2026
No Comments on National Review: Sue-Pervised Retirement

Rampant litigation against 401(k) sponsors is narrowing employees’ investment choices and eroding their retirement wealth.

Tags 401(k) Plans, Alternative Assets, American Retirement Crisis, American Workers Retirement, Capital Formation, Class Action Litigation, Congressional Tort Reform, Defined Benefit Pension Decline, Defined Contribution Plans, Democratizing Investment Access, Department Of Labor Regulation, Employee Retirement Income Security Act, Employer Sponsored Retirement Plans, ERISA Fiduciary Duty, ERISA Litigation, Excessive Fee Lawsuits, Fiduciary Liability, Financial Inclusivity, Financial Independence, Financial Policy Analysis, Financial Regulation Reform, Free Market Policy, Free Market Retirement Solutions, Hughes v. Northwestern, Illiquidity Premium, Institutional Investing Advantage, Investment Diversification, Investment Menu Diversity, Investment Policy Debate, Investment Regulation, Judicial Paternalism, Labor Department Rulemaking, Long Term Investing, Long Term Wealth Building, National Review Op Ed, Patrick M Brenner, Pension Fund Investing, Private Credit Investments, Private Equity Investing, Private Markets Access, Private Retirement Accounts, Public vs Private Markets, Retirement Economics, Retirement Investment Choice, Retirement Investment Freedom, Retirement Investment Innovation, Retirement Litigation Risk, Retirement Ownership, Retirement Plan Sponsors, Retirement Planning In America, Retirement Policy, Retirement Policy Reform, Retirement Portfolio Allocation, Retirement Reform, Retirement Safe Harbor Rules, Retirement Savings, Retirement Savings Shortfall, Retirement Security, Retirement System Reform, Retirement System Sustainability, Retirement Wealth Creation, Retirement Wealth Gap, Revenue Act Of 1978, Social Security Act Of 1935, Social Security Insolvency, Southwest Public Policy Institute, Target Date Funds, Tibble v. Edison, Trial Attorney Incentives, Trial Lawyer Litigation, Tussey v. ABB, University Endowment Investing, Wealth Accumulation

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.

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 Legal and Judicial Life Political Thought Progressivism Public Opinion Top Issues Transparency Updates

When Silence Speaks: The Optics of Editorial Conflict

Post author By Patrick M. Brenner
Post date February 18, 2026
No Comments on When Silence Speaks: The Optics of Editorial Conflict

A statistical coverage disparity raises transparency questions at the Financial Times.

Tags Abbas Khalaf, Apollo Global Management, Aquarian Acquisition, Asset Management, Athene, Brighthouse Financial, Capital Markets, Conflict Of Interest Disclosure, Corporate Governance, Corporate Media Ethics, Coverage Disparity, Editorial Conflict Of Interest, Editorial Independence, Editorial Safeguards, Editorial Standards, Ethical Journalism Practices, Financial Journalism Analysis, Financial Media Scrutiny, Financial Times, Global Atlantic, Global Financial Media, Governance And Oversight, Industry Coverage Imbalance, Institutional Credibility, Institutional Trust Erosion, Insurance And Annuity Market, Insurance Industry Reporting, Insurance Sector Coverage, Journalism Integrity, KKR, Lebanese Economy Minister, Life Insurance Industry, Life Insurer Market Share, Media Accountability, Media Bias Concerns, Media Ethics, Media Governance, Media Independence Standards, Media Transparency Protocols, MetLife, Michel Khalaf, Newsroom Transparency, Patrick M. Brenner, Perceived Conflict Of Interest, Perception Versus Proof In Journalism, Private Capital In Insurance, Private Equity In Insurance, Public Trust In Media, Recusal Policy, Reputation Risk In Media, Roula Khalaf, Southwest Public Policy Institute, The Optics Of Editorial Conflict, Transparency In Journalism, When Silence Speaks

Conservatism Courts Culture Debt Domestic Policy Economic Opportunity Economy Government Regulation Legal and Judicial Life Markets and Finance Political Thought Poverty & Welfare Poverty and Inequality Progressivism Public Opinion Transparency Updates

The Washington Times: The dangers of credit card populism

Post author By Patrick M. Brenner
Post date February 15, 2026
No Comments on The Washington Times: The dangers of credit card populism

Capping interest rates won’t create a fairer system.

Tags 10 Percent Interest Rate Cap, Access To Affordable Credit, Affordability Debate, Annual Percentage Rate, APR Regulation, Banking Industry Economics, Banking Regulation, Bernie Sanders, Bipartisan Populism, Capital Reallocation Effects, Consumer Credit Policy, Consumer Finance Policy, credit access, Credit Card Competition, Credit Card Ecosystem, Credit Card Interest Rate Cap, Credit Card Populism, Credit Card Reform Debate, Credit Card Rewards Programs, Credit Card Rewards Redistribution, Credit Market Distortions, Credit Score Tiers, Credit Underwriting Standards, Debit Card Interchange, Deep Subprime Lending, Donald Trump Economic Policy, Durbin Amendment, Economic Consequences Of Rate Caps, Economic Shortages From Price Controls, Federal Financial Regulation, Federal Reserve Study, FICO Scores, Financial Behavior Economics, financial inclusion, Financial Market Intervention, Financial Services Populism, Financial Services Regulation, Fraud Protection Costs, Government Price Controls, High FICO Borrowers, House Financial Services Committee, Interchange Fee Caps, Interchange Fees, Jim Himes, Josh Hawley, Lending Contraction, Market Distortions, Modern Payment Systems, New York Fed Study, Payment Processing Industry, Price Controls, Regulatory Overreach, Retailer Interchange Debate, Rewards Versus APR Competition, Richmond Federal Reserve, Risk Allocation In Lending, Risk Based Pricing, Scott Bessent, Subprime Borrowers, Usury Laws, Usury Limits, Zero Liability Protection

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 Domestic Policy Economic Opportunity Economy Government Regulation Government Transparency and Accountability Legal and Judicial Life Markets and Finance Political Thought Progressivism Public Opinion Top Issues Transparency Updates

Fiduciary Standards Start With Transparency

Post author By Patrick M. Brenner
Post date February 4, 2026
No Comments on Fiduciary Standards Start With Transparency

The loudest voices demanding “fiduciary purity” in America’s retirement debate are often the least willing to submit themselves to basic public scrutiny. That contradiction is now impossible to ignore. This week, the Pinpoint Policy Institute filed a formal complaint with the Internal Revenue Service alleging that the Institute for the Fiduciary Standard (IFS) has failed […]