Governing

The term “permanent campaign” was first coined by Sidney Blumenthal in his 1980 book, The Permanent Campaign.

The book explained how the breakdown in …

A “honeymoon period” is a period of popularity enjoyed by a new leader.

Usually, the term refers to an incoming president but it can refer …

In politics, gridlock is a situation in which the government is unable to pass new legislation, often because the presidency and the Congress are controlled …

The term “goo goo” is short for “good government guys,” referring to people who would fight for government reform.

This was used during the 1970s …

The Hastert rule is an informal guiding principle for leaders in the House of Representatives that dictates a majority of the majority party support any …

A “heck of a job” is a complete and total screw-up.

It’s used, ironically, to show when one’s view of a situation is in contradiction …