“Feeding at the public trough” is using government funds to enrich oneself.
Feeding at the public trough refers to activities which are, strictly speaking, legal, but which are generally considered to be morally reprehensible. Someone who feeds at the public …
Political patronage is the system of rewarding political allies with government jobs, especially prestigious positions which pay well and demand little in the way of work. Political patronage is sometimes also referred to as “spoils.”
The political patronage system is …
“Machine politics” is a phenomenon sometimes seen in an urban political context, especially in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Political machines are characterized by tight organization and a strong centralized leadership, typically in the form of a “boss.” …
A “boodle” refers to a large sum of bribe money or graft money.
Boodle can also be used to mean a large collection of something. In fact, some linguists believe that the phrase “the whole kit and kaboodle” is a …
The “deduct box” was the locked box where legendary Louisiana Gov. Huey Long kept “deducts” from state employee salaries to fund his political operation.
Estimates suggest Long collected between $50,000 to $75,000 each election cycle from government workers.
Long’s “deduct …
A “boondoggle” is a wasteful or extravagant project with no practical value. Usually, a boondoggle makes use of public funds and carries at least a whiff of corruption.
The word boondoggle dates back at least to the 1920s, when it …
Honest graft refers to the money-making opportunities that might arise while holding public office. The activities are, strictly speaking, legal, although they might raise eyebrows or provoke criticism.
The term “honest graft” was coined by George Washington Plunkitt, a Tammany …
A “grifter” is a con artist, someone who obtains money by swindling or tricking others. In politics, the word refers to people who use the political process as a way to enrich themselves.
Merriam Webster notes that the word first …