Texas Governor Rick Perry is going to add some excitement to the 2012 Republican presidential candidate field.

Known as, in Texas terms, a guy who shoots from the hip, Perry has already created controversy over his attack on Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.

Perry argues this week that if Bernanke instituted QE3 (quantitative easing policy) it could constitute treason.

Further, if Bernanke ever came to Texas the Chairman might be treated “pretty ugly.”

That is pretty strong language…a personal threat and a charge of treason for the politically neutral Chair of the quietly operating Federal Reserve.

What exactly is Perry arguing justifies such treatment?

Well Perry’s implication was that if Bernanke acted to advance a third easing of interest to our banks, in an attempt to stimulate the economy, that might help President Obama, should the economy respond favorably.

Said differently, Perry already expects that Republican Party congressmen and women will do nothing to help American jobs this election year, so neither should any other agency act in ways that might diminish his chance at election. To do so would be “treasonous.”

But Perry implies even more with his attack. The Texas Governor is suggesting that Chairman Bernanke might actively seek to help President Obama win re-election with Federal Reserve policy. From a political perspective this reflects a serious lack of awareness about the Federal Reserve and how it actually functions.

Bernanke was originally appointed by President Bush, not President Obama.

Bernanke does not solely set Federal Reserve policy; he is the Chair of the 12 member board of governors, comprised of both Democrats and Republicans.

The Board sets policy, not the Chair.

And of course, by law, the Federal Reserve operates independently of the administration and the congress in establishing monetary policy, in order to protect the Federal Reserve from political pressure.

The Federal Reserve functions in a highly complex fiscal environment, with its decisions implicating US monetary policy and, because of the importance of our currency, International fiscal policy.

Now criticizing Federal Reserve policy is as American as complaining about the weather, but the basis of the criticisms has traditionally come from economists who have the education and experience to understand the function of the Federal Reserve and its import in national and International policy.

Does Governor Perry have such credentials?

He does not. In fact he is not even responsible for the annual Texas budget. Texas has a unique system where the Lieutenant Governor is the budgeting figure in the administration.

So we have Rick Perry threatening the Fed Chair and accusing the Chair of potential treason, based upon nothing more than Perry’s fear that the economy will improve before he can be elected President.

Mr. Perry, Americans want jobs a great deal more than they want to insure you are elected to any office.

We are just getting to know Governor Perry on the national level, so there will doubtlessly be more to learn about his views.

But so far at least we can see one comparison — Perry is a good deal like Sarah Palin, not always well informed, but always willing to speak first and think later.

Jim Crawford is retired educator and political enthusiast living here in the Tri-State.