The Fair Deal was a package of economic and social reforms put forward by President Harry Truman, with the stated purpose of giving all Americans access to education, healthcare, and good jobs.
Truman began talking about reform almost as soon …
An annual picnic in Fancy Farm, Kentucky that has come to represent the traditional starting point of the fall campaign season in Kentucky. The gathering attracts statewide and occasionally national candidates and is held on the first Saturday in August.…
A “Farley file” is a log kept by politicians on people they have met previously.
It’s named for James A. Farley, who was Franklin Roosevelt’s campaign manager and later became chairman of the Democratic National Committee.
Farley kept a …
In politics, a “fat cat” is a rich and influential person, usually one who donates generously to political campaigns.
The expression suggests that the person is bloated and slightly grotesque, like a cat who’s been over-eating for years and has …
A “favorite son” candidate is one who draws their support from the home state or from the broader region. Sometimes the term is also used for someone with little to no support outside of their own region.
In the past, …
“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 …
In politics, fence mending means making an effort to repair a political relationship after it has been damaged.
The term was first used in 1879 by John Sherman. Sherman, the younger brother of the Civil War hero William Tecumseh …
A “fifth column” is a group which operates in secret, usually within enemy lines, in order to help further a cause which they secretly support.
The term originated with Emilio Mola Vidal, a Nationalist general who served under Franco during …
A filibuster is a tactic used in the United States Senate to block or delay action on a piece of legislation.
It is often associated with prolonged speeches, but can also take the form of other tactics such
“Filling the tree” is a procedure used by the Senate Majority Leader to offer a sufficient number of amendments on legislation to “fill the tree” so that no other senator can offer an amendment.
The term comes from the practice …
The Final Solution was a euphemistic name used by Nazi leaders for their plan to exterminate all of the Jews in Europe. The plan’s full name was the “final solution to the Jewish question.” The plan led to the murder …
The person who has his “finger on the button” has the power to launch a nuclear weapon. The expression is used to evoke the possibility of nuclear war and to imply that the president of the United States – or …
A firehouse primary is a candidate nominating contest funded and overseen by a local party organization rather than public election officials.
A standard primary is operated by county and state election officials who are not affiliated with any party. Firehouse …
A series of radio addresses which President Franklin Roosevelt carried out over the course of his presidency. Roosevelt delivered a total of 30 such addresses between 1933 and 1944. They were known as “fireside chats” because they were delivered in …
In politics, a fishing expedition is a pejorative phrase to describe an investigation that lacks a clear scope and defined purpose.
Fishing expeditions are usually carried out by members of one political party looking for damaging information about members of …
“Five o’clock follies” is a familiar and derogatory nickname for the daily press briefings that the U.S. military held for American reporters during the Vietnam War. In modern times, the phrase has been used to refer to any establishment effort …
“Flake rate” is a calculation of people who sign up to volunteer for political canvassing or events but do not participate.
This term is largely used by political operatives, nonprofit leaders, and other experts.
It’s presented as a percentage of …
A “flip-flop” is a sudden reversal of opinion or policy by a politician, usually running for office.
The term is often used pejoratively to suggest that the politician is being insincere or opportunistic, and that their change of stance is …
A floor fight is an argument that threatens to derail either a convention or a congressional proceeding.
Most of the time, floor fights are non-violent; the fighting is verbal. However, American history also includes some memorable incidents in …
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 been neglected by the federal government.
The phrase was first popularized in 1932 by Franklin …
“Forty acres and a mule” is a popular name for an order which promised freed slave that every family would be given a plot of land, measuring up to 40 acres. The land was to be seized from southern plantation …
The “Fourth Estate” refers to the news media, especially with regards to their role in the political process.
The phrase has its origins in the French Revolution, where the church, nobility and commoners comprised the first, second, and third estates. …
Franking privileges allow lawmakers to send mail to constituents without having to pay postage.
A copy of the member’s signature replaces the stamp on the envelope.
Authentic signatures of famous individuals are often valuable collectors’ items.
Franking privileges …
Freedom riders were northerners who took interstate buses down to the south in order to protest Jim Crow and segregation policies.
Most of the freedom riders were college students; about half of them were black and about half were white. …
Releasing bad news or documents on a Friday afternoon in an attempt to avoid media scrutiny is often called a “Friday news dump” by members of the media.
This timing is often chosen strategically, aiming to minimize media coverage, public …
A front-porch campaign is one in which the candidate stays close to home throughout the campaign. Instead of crisscrossing the country to woo voters, the candidate connects with supporters locally (by making speeches from his front porch, for example).
The …
“Frugging” is an unethical fundraising tactic where a telemarketer falsely claims to be a researcher conducting a poll, when in reality the “researcher” is attempting to solicit a donation.
Like using a push poll, it’s an unethical tactic used …
The “full Ginsburg” refers to an appearance by one person on all five major Sunday-morning interview shows on the same day:
Fusion voting allows a candidate’s name to appear on multiple parties’ ballot lines, and to combine his or her votes from those lines.
The practice was widespread in the 19th century, as Democrats benefited from fusion tickets with populist parties, …
To be “on the fence” is to be hesitant about taking a political stance.
Someone who is “on the fence” resists joining one side or the other of an argument, especially when taking a side could be politically risky.
On …