Conservative Think Tank scholar:Palin "not qualified to participate in discussion" of economy

Financial Times ^ | 10/8/2009 | FT

[Jack Black]

In a full page article about the falling value of the Dollar in Financial Times the article notes that Sarah Palin posted a comment on her Facebook page on the issue.

The opening paragraphs of the article contained her quote:

The falling US dollar is giving ammunition to the critics of the Obama administration and fuelling broader concerns about the potential erosion of America’s reserve currency status.

Republican politicians have highlighted the dollar’s slide as evidence of waning US power.

Sarah Palin, the former vice-presidential Republican candidate, on Wednesday sought to link the dollar decline to rising US indebtedness and dependence on foreign oil. “We can see the effect of this in the price of gold, which hit a record high today in response to fears about the weakened dollar,” she wrote on her Facebook page.

So far so good, but then we move to the expert analysis and Norman Ornstein of the American Enterprise Institute, a supposedly conservative think-tank drops this nicely executed character assassination of Palin:

“The dollar has always been a testosterone issue among America’s political classes,” said Norm Ornstein, a veteran analyst at the conservative American Enterprise Institute.

“This time there may be a legitimate debate to be had over the dollar’s reserve status, but Sarah Palin is not qualified to participate in it.”

While the article on the dollar in interesting I find Ornstein's comments far more interesting. Palin is really threatening, not just to Obama, Democrats and liberals, but to the entire East Coast establishment.

So here we have a nominal conservative institute 'scholar' going out of his way to tear down one of the leading Conservative figures in America. Why? Perhaps Norman and his fellow travelers understand how truely useless they are to Palin.

Her baptism by fire in the 2008 election seems to have produced a much needed scepticism on her part of the inside-the-beltway experts, right and left.

[Jack Black]

I think it would be worthwhile to let Norman Ornstein know how we grassroots conservatives feel about Washington thinktanks that claim to be conservative tearing down Palin.

If you are so inclinded, here is his contact information.

E-mail: nornstein@aei.org

Phone: 202-862-5893

Fax: 202-862-5821

Assistant: Jennifer Marsico

Assistant E-mail: jennifer.marsico@aei.org

Assistant Phone: 202-862-5899

Norman Ornstein

[Falcon4.0]

I guess that goes for the rest of us peons as well.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

No doubt Ornstein would've looked down his nose at the Gipper. What counts is; Sarah has the right instincts.

[cowboyusa]

I despise Hamiltonian Neo-Con elitists ripping Jacksonain Right Wingers in there snot nosed elitist way.

[wk4bush2004]

The RINOs/Beltway Republicans make me sick! They are totally out-of-touch with the people. They just don’t get it!

Sarah Palin has been saying brilliant things on her Facebook page and it is exploding, it terms of members. Sooner or later, the GOP is going to have to realize that they have NO RIGHT to pre-ordain our candidates and that WE NEED SARAH PALIN!!!!!!

PALIN / BACHMANN, 2012!

[SueRae]

He looks like HE lacks testosterone. Just another good old boy.

[mmichaels1970]

“This time there may be a legitimate debate to be had over the dollar’s reserve status, but Sarah Palin is not qualified to participate in it.”

The new America, I suppose. Some are more equal than others.

[chippewaman]

This is just more rhetoric from the Northeast, Ivy League, country-club Republicans telling us who our nominee should be. We’re not listening to you anymore. Palin is qualified, no doubt about it. End of debate.

[BGHater]

Don’t worry Sarah, when ‘people’ talked about the decline of the dollar, etc.

Under Pres. Bush they were deemed Anti-American, Cowards, etc.

[KarlInOhio]

Did he have any comment on a certain Chicago politician with even less experience both in elected office, executive elected office and in running a business?

[GeronL]

We can’t talk about the economy, only the elites are qualified to talk about the economy.

They have done such a smashing job of it lately after all.

[dirtboy]

Ornstein was a shill for TARP:

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/july-dec08/senatevote_10-01.html

MARGARET WARNER: Norm, after the failure of the vote on Monday and the markets went south, there was a lot of commentary about the failure of leadership in Washington. Not to lead you to one conclusion, but what do you think is at stake tonight in the Senate actually passing this?

NORMAN ORNSTEIN: Well, I think, you know, if we do not get a package done, then I think we're going to see not just a stock market problem, but we will see that credit crunch hit.

[GeronL]

I use to think the AEI was a conservative-leaning organization. I guess not.

[bahblahbah]

Norman Ornstein is roommates with Al Franken... and he’s not particularly conservative... he mostly hangs out at brookings...

“Mr. Ornstein led a working group of scholars and practitioners that helped shape the law, known as McCain-Feingold, that reformed the campaign financing system.”

http://www.aei.org/scholar/48

[DManA]

Norman, why don’t you give us an exhaustive list of people not qualified. Including all the members of Congress who might be unqualified.

[Crim]

“He looks like HE lacks testosterone. Just another good old boy.”

Palin Has more testosterone in her trigger finger than this asshat has in his whole neighborhood.

[Logical me]

Getting real tired of these so call think tanks. Most are plain BS and try to look like they are intelligent but come off as pure a@@es.

[chippewaman]

“PALIN / BACHMANN, 2012!”

Hey, I would support that. I would love to put that sign in my yard and donate to that ticket. Two REAL conservatives and two women ... I wonder what women’s groups would say about this ticket?

[DManA]

What qualifies a (bad)comic to VOTE on economic issues?

[george123]

Sent to old Norm today:

If Sarah Palin is "not qualified to participate in (a legitimate debate to be had over the dollar’s reserve status)", then you sir, are not qualified to participate in a discussion of politics.