Norman Ornstein facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Norm Ornstein
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| Born |
Norman Jay Ornstein
October 14, 1948 Grand Rapids, Minnesota, U.S.
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| Education | University of Minnesota (BA) University of Michigan (MA, PhD) |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Judith Harris |
| Children | 2 |
Norman Jay Ornstein (born October 14, 1948) is an American expert on politics. He is known for studying how the United States government works. He was a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), which is a research group in Washington, D.C. He also wrote a book with Thomas E. Mann called It's Even Worse Than It Looks: How the American Constitutional System Collided With the New Politics of Extremism.
Contents
Who is Norm Ornstein?
Early Life and Education
Norman Jay Ornstein was born in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, on October 14, 1948. His father was a traveling salesman. Because of his father's job, Norm spent a lot of his childhood in Canada.
He was a very smart student from a young age. He finished high school when he was only 14 years old. He then graduated from college at 18. He earned his first degree from the University of Minnesota. Later, he received a higher degree (a PhD) in political science from the University of Michigan in 1974.
By the mid-1970s, he became a professor. He taught political science at Catholic University in Washington, D.C. He quickly became known as an expert on the United States Congress.
A Voice in American Politics
Norm Ornstein studies how American politics works. He often shares his ideas in newspapers and magazines. You might have seen his writings in The Washington Post or The Atlantic.
For many years, he wrote a weekly column for a newspaper called Roll Call. He also worked with Thomas E. Mann on a project about election reform. This project was a partnership between AEI and the Brookings Institution.
Helping Shape Laws
Norm Ornstein helped write important parts of a law passed in 2002. This law was called the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act. It is also known as the McCain-Feingold Act. This law aimed to change how money is used in political campaigns.
Even though he is a registered Democrat, he sees himself as a "centrist." This means he often holds views that are in the middle, not strongly on one side. He has voted for people from both major political parties.
Views on American Politics
Mr. Ornstein has been watching the U.S. Congress for over 30 years. He is known for sharing strong opinions about how Congress works. He has often pointed out problems he sees in the political system.
He has also spoken about the United States Electoral College. This is the system used to elect the U.S. President. He believes that when presidents are elected without winning the popular vote, it can make people feel like their vote doesn't matter as much.
His Family and Legacy
Norm Ornstein is married to Judith L. Harris. She is a lawyer who works on legal disputes and rules. He is also a long-time friend of Al Franken, who was a U.S. Senator and a comedian.
Norm and Judith, along with their younger son Danny, started a foundation. It is called the Matthew Harris Ornstein Memorial Foundation. They created it to honor their older son, Matthew, who passed away in 2015.
