Free-market-oriented donors to the American Enterprise Institute recently relieved themselves of David Frum. But they are still employing Norman Ornstein, who has an op-ed piece in this morning's Washington Post attacking his AEI colleague Newt Gingrich.
Mr. Ornstein writes that "charges of radicalism, socialism, retreat and surrender" leveled at the Obama administration by Mr. Gingrich and others "are, frankly, bizarre."
More: "The stimulus was anything but radical -- indeed, many mainstream observers, me included, thought it was too timid in size and scope given the enormity of the problems."
More: "Looking at the range of Obama domestic and foreign policies, and his agency and diplomatic appointments, my conclusion is clear: This president is a mainstream, pragmatic moderate, operating in the center of American politics; center-left, perhaps, but not left of center."
I actually think it's a well-crafted contrarian op-ed piece by Mr. Ornstein, but I draw a different conclusion that he does from the list of Republicans -- Richard Lugar, James Baker, John Chafee -- who have supported Mr. Obama's policy ideas. The conclusion I'd draw is that both parties often abandon free-market principles or prefer a foreign policy that is excessively concessionary toward our enemies and excessively demanding toward our friends.
