'Forfeiting the Game'

Today, Speaker Ryan released the latest plank of House Republicans' Wrong Way agenda, another hollow effort to shift attention away from Republicans' unprecedented and corrosive obstruction.  But there was one eye-catching section – wherein Speaker Ryan complains about a problem that he has complete control over.  Here's what the document says about the "Power of the Purse" and the appropriations process:

"…over time, Congressional control over federal spending has eroded… Congress has routinely ceded control over spending to the executive branch or has failed to act in a timely manner to enact spending bills…Congress must return to passing annual appropriations bills. Writing appropriations bills, considering them in the committee process, amending them on the House and Senate floors, and reconciling the differences in a conference committee assure that all Members have a say."

Is Speaker Ryan forgetting that it was his Republican Congress that completely failed to pass a budget and establish its spending priorities?  That it was his Republican Congress that derailed its own appropriations bill because it was insufficiently discriminatory to LGBT Americans?

The fact is that Speaker Ryan has no right to act sanctimonious on the appropriations process given the spectacular dysfunction on spending within his own Conference.  But all the Speaker does is deflect responsibility and attempt to distract from the House Republican record of failure.

Speaker Ryan on Twitter: The presidency, under both parties, keeps breaking the rules, but also Congress keeps forfeiting the game.

"Congress keeps forfeiting the game?"  Is Paul Ryan forgetting that he is the Speaker?