Mistakes Were Made

The “old guard” is the more conservative, often older, branch of any political grouping.

The old guard of a party might not be politically more …

In 2017, President Donald Trump announced plans for an “Infrastructure Week,” a series of high-profile events which were aimed at building support for the president’s …

“The torch has been passed” is one of the most famous lines of John F. Kennedy’s presidency.

In 1961, in his inaugural speech, Kennedy …

“Hizzoner” is a nickname used by journalists to refer to big city mayors, especially in New York City.

Hizzoner is a contraction of “his honor,” …

“Evil empire” was President Ronald Reagan’s name for the Soviet Union.

Reagan often portrayed the struggle between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. as a moral …

“Wilderness years” are a period of time in a politician’s career when he or she is not holding a position of power. This may happen …

The Byrd rule is a parliamentary tripwire that prevents tangential material from being included in a budget reconciliation bill in the Senate.

Reconciliation legislation is …

A quorum call is a procedure used in both houses of Congress to bring to the floor the number of members who must be present …

The “lunatic fringe” is the wing of a political or social group that holds more extreme views than the rest of that group. 

The lunatic …

“Salami tactics” refers to a divide and conquer approach, which aims to split up the opposition.

The expression evokes the idea of slicing up one’s …

“Trickle down theory” is a derisive term for the idea that giving benefits to large, powerful people and companies can yield benefits for society as …

A “power broker” is someone who wields indirect political power, either by influencing the outcomes of elections or by exercising influence over key decision …

In June of 1934, Adolph Hitler ordered his troops to carry out a large-scale purge of suspected dissidents within the Nazi party.

It actually took …

Earth Day is an annual event celebrated on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection.

First celebrated in 1970, it now includes events …

“Nobody drowned at Watergate” was a phrase used, especially by supporters of President Richard Nixon, to minimize the impact of the Watergate scandal and to …

“Little group of willful men” is a reference to President Woodrow Wilson’s dispute with a group of anti-war congressmen in the lead-up to America’s entry …

“Grass will grow in the streets” is a gloom-and-doom phrase sometimes used by politicians to imply that the country will go to economic ruin if …

An “off-year election” is one which takes place in a year when a presidential or midterm election does not also take place.

It’s typically when …

“Little old ladies in tennis shoes” is a derisive reference to members of the John Birch society.

In 1961, the California Attorney General’s offices …

Throwing one’s “hat in the ring” means announcing one’s intention to compete in a contest.

In politics, it means running for political office in an …

“It’s the economy stupid” was a phrase coined by James Carville in 1992, when he was advising Bill Clinton in his successful run …

“Samizdat” was a form of underground press commonly available in eastern European countries with state-owned media sources.

It is a Russian term that translates to …

“Red meat” is a term used in politics to refer to statements or policies that are designed to appeal to a political party’s base or …

In politics, a phrase invoking the average American citizen.

The implication is usually that the forgotten man has suffered some major economic hardship and has …

The Dixiecrats were a group of Southern Democrats who broke away from their party in 1948 because they objected to the Democratic Party’s stance on …

The “madman theory” is a political theory commonly associated with President Richard Nixon’s foreign policy during the Cold War.

Nixon tried to make the leaders …

A beauty contest refers to a unique, non-traditional form of primary where the focus is more on gauging candidate popularity and less on the direct …

The term “magic minute” refers to a procedural rule that allows leaders in the House of Representatives, typically the Speaker, unlimited speaking time, despite the …

The domino theory was critical in shaping U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War.

Domino theory argued that if one nation became communist, its neighboring …

“Greenwashing” is an attempt by a company to create the impression that a consumer product has benefits to the environment, even when it does not …

Hustings are the speeches and campaign events associated with an election cycle.

“On the hustings” is a synonym for being out campaigning, but …

“The cover-up is worse than the crime” refers to the idea that attempts to conceal or obscure wrongdoing can lead to more severe consequences than …

The “eunuch rule” is a reference to the provisions in many state constitutions which prevented state governors from running for a second consecutive term in …

In 1948, when President Truman was running for re-election, he frequently attacked the Republican-controlled Congress as the “do-nothing Congress.”

In fact, the 80th Congress passed …

A “cabal” is a group of people involved in a secret plot or conspiracy.

The term can also refer to the plot itself, or to …

A “gutter flyer” is a political attack ad, traditionally distributed in paper form. It is also typically anonymous, so that nobody can be held accountable …

A Bircher is an adherent to the teachings and philosophies of the John Birch Society, an anti-communist organization founded in 1958.

The heyday of the …

“Go fight City Hall” is a phrase expressing the futility of trying to battle government bureaucracy.

The phrase sounds like a call to action but …

“Loose lips sink ships” is a phrase that originated from a wartime propaganda poster during World War II, and it was used to …