Become a fan of the Political Gabfest on Facebook. We post to the Facebook page throughout the week, so keep the conversation going by joining us there. Or follow us @SlateGabfest!

To listen to the discussion, use the player below:

Subscribe in iTunes ∙ RSS feed ∙ Download ∙ Play in another tab

For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, the hosts discuss their Oscar predictions. Slate Plus members get an ad-free version of this podcast with bonus segments. Visit slate.com/gabfestplus and try it free for two weeks.

On this week’s Slate Political Gabfest, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss a Texas federal judge’s decision to halt President Obama’s immigration plan, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s decision to cut $300 million from his state’s higher education budget, and the assault on President Obama’s foreign policy by Jeb Bush and Rudy Giuliani.

Here are some of the links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• A Texas federal judge stops President Obama’s immigration plan in its tracks. What happens now?
• Is the president’s immigration plan even constitutional, or is it an(other) example of executive overreach?
• Cass Sunstein argues for its constitutionality.
• Does the ruling impact the Homeland Security shutdown showdown?
• Is Scott Walker’s budget battle over higher education and the Wisconsin Idea simply partisan politics?
• Catherine Rampell explores why Americans decide to go to college.
• Jeb Bush lays out his vision of American foreign policy. Was he successful? Is he any different from his brother? Does this impact Hillary Clinton’s foreign policy agenda?
• John Dickerson critiques Jeb Bush’s speech.
• Does President Obama love America? Is it racist to suggest he doesn’t? What does Scott Walker think about Rudy Giuliani’s accusations?
• Slate’s Jamelle Bouie discusses why President Obama isn’t like his predecessors.

Emily chatters about the New York Times Magazine’s The Ethicists and the launch of its weekly half-hour podcast.

John chatters about how the “doorway effect” can help improve your memory and how a pleasure paradox can improve your writing.

David Plotz chatters about Nicola Griffith’s novel Hild.

Topic ideas for next week? You can tweet suggestions, links, and questions to @SlateGabfest.

Join the discussion of this episode on Facebook.

The email address for the Political Gabfest is gabfest@slate.com. (Email may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Podcast production by Mike Vuolo. Links compiled by Tarik Barrett.