A “back channel” is an unofficial means of communication between two nations or two political entities. “Backchanneling” is also used as a verb, to refer to the act of holding behind-the-scenes talks.
Back channels are often used when two governments …
A “backbencher” is a junior member in the British House of Commons who occupies the back benches of Parliament, sitting behind party leaders and top government officials.
This term is most commonly used to describe legislators in parliamentary systems from …
A “backgrounder” is an off-the-record briefing for members of the media. Reporters are free to report on what they learn at a background briefing but normally are restricted as to how they cite their sources. Merriam Webster says that the …
The term “bagman” is used to describe a person who acts as an intermediary or messenger, delivering or collecting money or other valuable items on behalf of others.
In many cases, a bagman may be involved in illegal or unethical …
The Baily memorandum was circulated among members of the Democratic party in 1956, arguing that Catholic voters were a key demographic that could be harnessed to win elections.
In 1956, Adlai Stevenson was the Democratic nominee for the presidency. John …
A balanced ticket is a paring of political party candidates designed to appeal to a broad swathe of the electorate. A balanced ticket normally includes candidates likely to be approved of by different racial, regional, and religious groups.
The term …
“Ballot box stuffing” is a term that refers to the practice of illegally submitting more than one vote in a ballot in which just one vote is actually permitted.
The goal is ballot box stuffing is to rig …
The term “ballyhoo” refers to a type of political propaganda that is designed to create a public spectacle or spectacle and attract attention to a particular cause or issue.
Ballyhoo often takes the form of sensational or exaggerated claims, emotional …
To be on the “bandwagon” is to follow a group that has a large and growing number of followers.
A bandwagon is literally a wagon which carries the band in a parade. The phrase “jump on the bandwagon” first appeared …
In politics, a “bargaining chip” refers to something that is used as leverage in a negotiation, an attempt to pass legislation, or an effort to get concessions from another party.
More often than not, the term is used cynically, or …
A barnstormer travels around the country or state making political appearances during a political campaign.
The phrase was first used when pilots would travel around the country to entertain with their flying skills.
The appearances are typically set up by …
The terms “battleground state” and “swing state” refer to states that have closely divided support for Democratic and Republican presidential candidates.
They are also sometimes called “purple states.”
Presidential campaigns are waged mainly in these battleground …
The term “bean counter” is a slang term used to refer to individuals who are perceived as overly focused on financial or budgetary concerns, often at the expense of other important considerations.
It is typically used to describe bureaucrats, government …
“Bed-wetting” refers to someone who expresses doubt or excessive worry about a political outcome.
David Plouffe, President Barack Obama’s former campaign manager and top political adviser, first coined the term in 2008 when Democrats began openly fretting about their political …
In politics, a “bellwether” refers to a geographic area whose political beliefs and voting preferences reflect that of a wider area.
For example, a county might be said to be a “bellwether county” if it consistently votes the same way …
“Beltway bandits” describes a private business or political entity that operates inside the Beltway, the interstate highway that encircles Washington, D.C.
More specifically, the term refers to government contractors, lobbyists, and other companies and organizations that have significant influence …
“Better Red Than Dead” is a phrase that reflects the belief that, despite the widespread perceived dangers of communism and the Soviet Union, it was preferable to the threat of nuclear war.
The phrase originated in the 1950s, during the …
Broadly speaking, “big government” is a political term that refers to how much influence the federal government has on the day-to-day lives of American citizens.
More granularly, as defined by the Brookings Institute, it refers how much government spends, …
A “big lie” is an extreme distortion of the truth, used for the purpose of spreading propaganda. It is often somewhat outrageous.
In theory, people will more easily believe a big lie than a smaller one, because most people assume …
In politics, a big tent refers to an inclusive party which encourages a wide swathe of people to become members. The opposite of “big tent” would be a party which is narrowly focused on only a few issues, or which …
A bill is a proposed law introduced in either the U.S. House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate.
A bill originating in the House is designated by the letters “H.R.” followed by a number and bills introduced in the Senate …
In politics, 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 Bircher movement was in the 1960s and early 1970s, when the organization had …
A blanket primary is a primary election whereby each voter can select one candidate per office regardless of party. This primary is different from open or closed primaries, which require each ballot to only feature votes for candidates from …
The term “bleeding hearts” refers to people who care deeply — so deeply that their hearts bleed — about the suffering of the needy. The term is almost always derogatory. It’s usually applied to those on the left, hence the …
The Blue Dog Democrats are a coalition of moderate House Democrats.
The group is dedicated to fiscally conservative legislation and a strong national defense. They present themselves as the “commonsense” alternative to political extremism.
When the blue dog coalition was …
A “blue state” is one whose voters elect primarily Democratic candidates.
It is the opposite of a red state, which elects primarily Republican candidates.
There are different levels of how ‘blue’ a state can be. If a Democratic candidate …
Blue-slipping is a term that originates from the United States Congress and refers to a procedural action taken by the House of Representatives to assert its constitutional prerogative on matters of revenue and appropriations.
Specifically, blue-slipping is the process through …
A “body man” is an assistant who follows a political figure around the clock, providing logistical assistance for daily tasks ranging from paperwork to meals.
This is different than the advance man who typically prepares solely for campaign events.
The …
A Boll weevil Democrat was a conservative southern Democrat in the mid 1900s, largely known for his opposition to civil rights.
They used the term because the boll weevil, a southern pest, could not be eliminated by pesticides …
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 …
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 …
“Borking” is attacking a person’s reputation and views.
The term was popularized by the Wall Street Journal editorial page after the Senate rejected the nomination of Robert Bork the U.S. Supreme Court in 1987.
Bork himself later discussed the origination …
The “Bradley effect” is a polling phenomenon involving high support for non-white and non-female candidates in opinion polls not reflected by election results.
This phenomenon was coined following Tom Bradley’s (D) run for California governor in 1982.
Bradley, …
A brokered convention takes place when no one candidate wins a majority delegates during the presidential primary to earn their party’s nomination in the first vote at the nominating conference.
When that happens, the nomination is “brokered,” or …
A bully pulpit is a public office or position of authority that provides the holder with an opportunity to speak out and be listened to on any matter.
In theory, the expression could refer to any position of authority. …
“Bundlers” refers to individuals or organizations that raise large sums of money from multiple donors to support a political campaign or cause.
These bundlers are typically well-connected and influential members of a political party or interest group, and they use …
“Bundling” refers to the practice of collecting contributions from multiple donors and submitting them to a political campaign or political action committee (PAC) as a single donation.
This allows individuals to aggregate their donations in order to make a larger …
“Bunk” is empty or nonsense talk.
In 1820, Rep. Felix Walker from Ashville, North Carolina justified his long-winded and somewhat irrelevant remarks about the Missouri Compromise by arguing that his constituents had elected him “to make a speech for …
A “by-election” is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections.
Typically, they occur when the incumbent has resigned or died, but it may also occur in the case of a recall…
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 developed in response to instructions included in a budget resolution.
The purpose of the reconciliation …