I find many unfamiliar phrases that I can’t tell whether it is received (American) English or not in the reader’s comments on the statements of political figures and articles on politics these days. Comment poster could be a native English speaker, and sometimes a non-native speaker, which I cannot judge, and is frustrating.

In Washington Post’s “Comment of Today” (May 13), I came across the phrase “He is a proven commodity in terms of raising funds and knowing the ropes of running for president.” in the following comment posted by the moniker, mpaulfl, on Chris Cillizza's "The most eventful week of the 2012 Republican primary race" story.

I understand “a proven commodity” is a metaphor. But, can a person be called “a commodity”? Is the expression, ‘He is a proven commodity’ normal American English that I can describe any of my friends so in conversation with my peers over the drink?

“Put the pieces together and Ron Paul has a very good chance of winning the Republican nomination. The GOP is suffering from an enthusiasm gap with the rest of their 2012 possibilities. No one excites the base like Ron Paul. And he is a proven commodity in terms of raising funds and knowing the ropes of running for president.”