Policy Brief
Analysis and commentary; the default for shorter pieces.
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Policy Brief
The Real Cost of Homeownership: Beyond the Mortgage and APR
This guest commentary was written by Ed Harris, CEO of Harris Northwest Advisors and a Visiting Contributor at the Southwest Public Policy Institute. In his argument about APR, Patrick Brenner is wrong but inadvertently correct on…
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Policy Brief
Compounding Interest: The Case Against the Confused Case Against the Case Against 30-Year Mortgages
In his letter responding to my column in The Wall Street Journal, “The Case Against 30-Year Mortgages,” former Freddie Mac executive David Andrukonis defends the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage as a transparent, borrower-friendly product. In “A Confused…
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Policy Brief
Compounding Interest: Reader Replies, Part IV
When you publish in The Wall Street Journal, you have to expect a few readers to come out swinging. Some disagree on principle; others on tone. And then there are those who lecture you like you…
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Policy Brief
Compounding Interest: Reader Replies, Part III
The responses to my article for The Wall Street Journal “The Case Against 30-Year Mortgages” keep coming… They’re thoughtful, challenging, and occasionally humbling. What started as a critique of an outdated lending standard has evolved into…
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Policy Brief
Compounding Interest: Reader Replies, Part II
When The Wall Street Journal published my op-ed, “The Case Against 30-Year Mortgages,” I expected disagreement. What I didn’t expect was the flood of thoughtful, funny, and occasionally fiery responses from readers across the country. Read…
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Policy Brief
Compounding Interest: Reader Replies, Part I
After my recent op-ed in The Wall Street Journal, “The Case Against 30-Year Mortgages,” readers had plenty to say. Some were critical, most were kind, and many brilliantly insightful. Below is a selection of responses, shared…
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Policy Brief
Trump’s Japanese Tariff Agreement: A Winning Deal for Consumers?
A 15% tariff may look like a trade victory, but American families could end up paying the price.
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Policy Brief
Lip Service Masquerading as Credit Inclusivity
When Wells Fargo first rolled out its Flex Loan program, it was heralded by advocates like The Pew Charitable Trusts as evidence that America’s largest banks were finally offering an “affordable” alternative to short-term credit products.…
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Policy Brief
Expanding 401(k) Access to Private Markets
Why America’s workers deserve the same investment opportunities as public pensions.