Topic: The Washington Post

daily broadsheet newspaper in Washington, D.C.

Annual Report 2026

The Southwest Public Policy Institute is proud to release its 2026 Annual Report. What began in 2022 as a lean, technology-driven startup has grown into a national force for transparency, accountability, and market-based public policy reform. This past year marked a turning point for SPPI, with our work appearing in premier national outlets, including The […]

Washington Post: Mortgage rates just fell below a crucial psychological threshold

Post author By Patrick M. Brenner
Post date March 14, 2026
No Comments on Washington Post: Mortgage rates just fell below a crucial psychological threshold

The difference from a 6 percent rate is tiny, but the appeal to customers is big.

Tags 30-Year Fixed Mortgage, American Housing Market, Annual Percentage Rate, APR, Asset Ownership, Auto Loans, Banking Regulation, Buy Now Pay Later, Charm Pricing, Consumer Credit, Consumer Finance, Consumer Psychology, Cost Of Borrowing, Credit Cards, Credit Markets, Credit Transparency, Debt Culture, Depository Institutions Deregulation And Monetary Control Act, Economic Behavior, Economic Perception, Financial Deregulation, Financial Disclosure, Financial Literacy, Financial Markets, financial regulation, Home Buying, Household Debt, Housing Affordability, Housing Demand, Housing Economics, Housing Finance, Housing Market, Housing Policy, Interest Rate Exportation, Interest Rate Perception, Interest Rate Psychology, Lending Regulation, Lending Standards, Lending Transparency, Loan Pricing, Marquette National Bank v. First Of Omaha Service Corp, Monthly Payments, Mortgage Advertising, Mortgage Economics, Mortgage Industry, Mortgage Interest Rates, Mortgage Marketing, Mortgage Policy, Mortgage Rate Threshold, Mortgage Rates, Mortgage Refinance, Mortgage Sentiment, Patrick M Brenner, Payday Loans, Personal Finance, Psychological Pricing, Real Estate Finance, Southwest Public Policy Institute, Subscription Economy, Total Loan Repayment, Truth In Lending Act, U.S. Household Debt, Washington Post Opinion

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

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

Coal, Oil, Natural Gas Conservatism Domestic Policy Economic Opportunity Economy Energy & Environment Energy Economics Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources Government Regulation Government Spending Government Transparency and Accountability Markets and Finance Political Thought Poverty & Welfare Poverty and Inequality Press Progressivism Public Opinion Top Issues Updates

In the News: National Media and Policy Leaders Highlight SPPI

Post author By Southwest Public Policy Institute
Post date December 25, 2025
No Comments on In the News: National Media and Policy Leaders Highlight SPPI

National media, policy leaders, and regional voices alike are amplifying SPPI’s research, analysis, and solutions.

Agriculture Alaska Arizona California Coal, Oil, Natural Gas Colorado Conservatism Culture Domestic Policy Energy & Environment Energy Economics Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources Life New Mexico Oklahoma Political Thought Progressivism Public Opinion Renewable Energy Texas Top Issues Updates Utah

The Washington Post: New Mexico knows Trump’s BLM nominee. Back away.

Post author By Patrick M. Brenner
Post date November 22, 2025
No Comments on The Washington Post: New Mexico knows Trump’s BLM nominee. Back away.

Former New Mexico Republican chairman Steve Pearce is the opposite of what the complex agency needs.

Tags Administrative Leadership, American West, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Climate Policy, Conservation Policy, Donald Trump, Economic Development, Energy Policy, Environmental Policy, Environmental Protection, Executive Branch Appointments, Federal Agency Leadership, Federal Appointments, Federal Land Oversight, Federal Land Use, GOP Infighting, Government Competence, Government Reform, Grazing Permits, Land Management Policy, Mineral Rights, Natural Resources Management, New Mexico Legislature, New Mexico Politics, Oil And Gas Industry, Opinion Editorial, Otero Mesa, Partisan Politics, Patrick M. Brenner, Political Accountability, Political Analysis, Political Appointments, Political Polarization, Public Land Stewardship, Public Lands, Public Policy, Public Trust, Republican Leadership, Republican Party, Rural Policy, Southwest Public Policy Institute (SPPI), State Politics, Stevan Pearce, Susana Martinez, Tribal Nations, Trump Administration, Trump Second Term, Washington Post Opinion, Western Communities, Western Conservation, Western States Politics

Agriculture Alaska Arizona California Coal, Oil, Natural Gas Colorado Conservatism Culture Domestic Policy Economy Energy & Environment Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources Government Regulation Illinois Nevada New Mexico Oklahoma Political Thought Press Progressivism Public Opinion Texas Top Issues Updates Utah

SPPI Opposes Steve Pearce’s BLM Nomination

Post author By Patrick M. Brenner
Post date November 18, 2025
3 Comments on SPPI Opposes Steve Pearce’s BLM Nomination

The Institute warns that the Pearce nomination could undermine western land management

Tags Ben Ray Luján, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Energy Policy, Environmental Policy, Federal Appointments, Government Accountability, Land Management Policy, Martin Heinrich, New Mexico Politics, Political Leadership, Public Lands, Senate Confirmation, Southwest Public Policy Institute (SPPI), Steve Pearce, Washington Post Op-Ed, Western Land Stewardship

Arizona California Coal, Oil, Natural Gas Colorado Culture Energy & Environment Nevada New Mexico Nuclear Energy Top Issues Utah

Shaking Up Your Rattlesnakes

Post author By D. Dowd Muska
Post date May 18, 2023
2 Comments on Shaking Up Your Rattlesnakes

Fifty years ago, Washington’s plans for ‘peaceful nuclear explosions’ ended in Colorado.

Tags Cold War, History

Arizona California Coal, Oil, Natural Gas Data Energy & Environment Energy Economics Nevada New Mexico Top Issues Utah

What About the ‘Megadrought’?

Post author By D. Dowd Muska
Post date January 30, 2023
4 Comments on What About the ‘Megadrought’?

On the Arizona-California border, the Colorado River below the Palo Verde Dam is running at 110 percent of its median flow. Utah is “having an astounding winter,” and “in certain watersheds, it’s breaking records.” In New Mexico, the Pecos River near Lake Arthur is flowing at 108 percent of its median. Flagstaff’s “received 84.5 inches […]