Speaker Ryan and His Deep Think Tank Connections

For years Think Tank Watch has written about how Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) has been the darling of conservative think tanks, including the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) and to the Heritage Foundation.  In fact, AEI's annual dinner in 2013 was solely meant to honor Rep. Ryan.

He is also close to scholars at the Hudson Institute and has had dinner with the head of American Action Forum.  He has also spoken at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) as well as the center-left think tank Brookings Institution.

Ryan has also spoken at state-level think tanks, including the Center of the American Experiment (in Minnesota).  And he has embraced other think tanks outside of the beltway, such as the Manhattan Institute, which was reportedly advising some of his staff.

His think tanking is so prolific that during the 2012 vice presidential debates, Ryan was described as "Think Tank Ryan."  Even David Hoppe, Ryan's new chief of staff, reportedly has connections with think tanks.

But Ryan's deep relationship with think tanks has not been all friendly.  And his relationship with the Heritage Foundation is actually quite nuanced.  For example, in 2013, Heritage Action, the lobbying arm of Heritage Foundation, came out against Ryan's budget plan.

As you may remember, former House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) was often attacked by Heritage, and the think tank may have even helped destroy his career in Congress.

So the big question going forward is will Heritage play naughty or nice with Ryan.  Heritage Action has recently said that it is time for "moving away from the US Chamber of Commerce's preferred agenda," and it will surely be watching Ryan closely.

Does the Heritage Foundation Control the Republican Party?

The Heritage Foundation helped force House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) to step down from his post, and now it appears that they are providing a platform for ultra-conservative groups like the Tea Party Caucus and Freedom Caucus to plan their next moves.  Here is more from The Washington Post:

Defaulting on the federal debt?  Not a problem.  Shutting the government to defund Planned Parenthood.  So be it.

These were a couple of the take-aways from Wednesday's installment of "Conversations with Conservatives," a monthly luncheon sponsored by the Heritage Foundation (parent company of the House GOP caucus) and catered by Chick-Fil-A, the fast-food chain owned by religious conservatives.  The 10 men on this dais, members of the Freedom Caucus, the Republican Study Committee, the Tea Party Caucus and other conservative factions, might be considered the politburo of the new conservative order in the House.

And while on the topic of the Heritage Foundation, Think Tank Watch should note that Dickinson State's new Heritage Foundation has no relation to the Washington, DC think tank.

Did the Heritage Foundation Destroy Boehner's Career?

As Think Tank Watch has noted in the past, Heritage Action for America, the lobbying arm of the conservative think tank Heritage Foundation, has been trying to oust House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) for quite awhile.  Heritage finally got its way, with Boehner announcing his resignation today.

Heritage Action even issued a statement today saying that Boehner "has stood in the way of conservative policy solutions."

Rep. Boehner did not go quietly, however, having lashed out at the Heritage Foundation on several occasions.

In recent years, speaking Boehner found himself cozying up to the more middle-of-the road conservative outfit American Enterprise Institute (AEI), which is not as dominated by Tea Party operatives as the Heritage Foundation.

So, will Boehner join think tank land?  When former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) decided to leave Congress, he bypassed the think tank world and instead took a lucrative job at Moelis.

As a think tank figurehead, Boehner could pull in between $150,000 to $250,000 per year, but he would not be able to rake in the big bucks unless he becomes president of one of the major conservative think tanks.