Conservative think tank AEI endorses Furman

WASHINGTON, June 11 (UPI) -- Economists from a conservative think tank in Washington said they endorsed Jason Furman's nomination to lead the White House Council of Economic Advisers.

President Barack Obama, who has been met with stonewalling Republicans in several economic battles during his presidency, nominated Furman Monday to replace the outgoing council Chairman Alan Krueger.

Furman is currently the council's deputy director and one of the original members of the Obama administration's economic team.

The council's role is primarily to advise the president on economic strategy.

The American Enterprise Institute posted an online message from the think tank's 11 economists saying though "we often disagree with a the administration's policies and differ with Jason on a number of issues, we respect him as a superb analytical economist."

"If the Senate confirms his nomination to be the president's chief economic adviser, we are confident that he will serve the president and the nation with distinction," they said.

"We have considerable disagreements with President Obama's economic policies and no doubt will have differences with his future economic agenda," the economists wrote. 

"We are confident, however, that Jason Furman, if confirmed as CEA chair, will provide President Obama with advice that presents both the advantages and disadvantages of the policy proposals under consideration," the think tank said.