Paul Ryan Wants to Shape Policy, Not Be President

Vox has a slight commentary on Paul Ryan’s decision not to pursue the GOP presidential nomination. Ezra Klein argues that Ryan is making a straightforward choice to use his post as Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee to shape the nation’s fiscal policy, preferably in his own image. Part of his analysis is that the media mis-portrays American politics by overemphasizing presidential power, often at the expense of Congress, where policy truly happens.

I always welcome any corrective element that seeks to properly portray presidential vs. legislative power. Our founders laid out the Constitution under the assumption that Congress would not only be the mouthpiece of the people, but was also the most dangerous branch of government. We tend to view Congress today with more of a whimper and less of a bang. At the same time, as Klein notes, the President does set a strong agenda, but that does not get him control of policy, at least not fully.

Boehner, US House Rip Obama’s Executive Order on Immigration

“Today I rise, and the House rises, to support and defend our Constitution,” said Speaker John Boehner (R-OH). He took to the floor to critique President Obama’s executive order that placed millions of illegal immigrants beyond the reach of the federal government’s enforcement powers. The House, after Boehner’s speech, passed a bill that funded Homeland Security while seeking to block Obama’s executive order. If the Senate passes a similar measure, Obama will surely veto it.

Andrew Luck: Nerd Alert

As you consider which NFL team to root for this weekend, you should choose, by definition, the Colts as opposed to the hated New England Patriots. Why? You could root for Tom Brady, a cover model who wears Ugg boots, or you could root for Andrew Luck, a nerd of the highest order. According to Colt punter Pat McAfee, Luck has been known to use Lord of the Rings references in his line calls. So, the next time Luck stands under center, listen and you might hear:

“Ready! Nazgul! Gandalf! My Precious! Hut! Hut!”

Clearly, there is no choice here. Root for Andrew Luck to win his “one ring to rule them all.”

Oscar Nominations Announced

The Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences unveiled its nominations for awards this morning. The nominees for best picture are:

American Sniper, Birdman, Boyhood, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game, Selma, The Theory of Everything, and Whiplash.

Of these, I have only seen The Grand Budapest Hotel. As much as I like Wes Anderson’s film, this one was not my favorite, though I enjoyed it. I annually seek to see all of the nominees for best picture and I annually fail to do so. Will this year be different?