yeas and nays
A recorded roll call vote of Members of the House or Senators. The U.S. Constitution directs that “the yeas and nays of the members of either house, on any question, shall, at the desire of one-fifth of those present, be entered on the journal.” The action does not necessarily bring debate to an end. It [...]
Yellow Dog Democrats
After Republican President Abraham Lincoln defeated the Confederacy, many Southern Democrats said they would rather “vote for a yellow dog before they would vote for any Republican.” Today, the term refers to loyal Democratic voters who vote the straight party line.
You’re No Jack Kennedy
A phrase used to deflate politicians who are perceived as thinking too highly of themselves. The words come from the 1988 vice presidential debate between Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D-TX) and Sen. Dan Quayle (R-IN). When Quayle compared his relative youth to that of former President John F. Kennedy, Bentsen shot back, “Senator, I served with [...]