L

The term “lame duck” in politics refers to an elected official whose successor has already been elected or will be soon, and who is in …

A “lame duck session” is when the House or Senate reconvenes in an even-numbered year following the November general elections to consider various …

In a legislative context, to “lay on the table” refers to the action of temporarily postponing consideration of a motion or bill.

This is typically …

Leader time is the ten minute time allotted to Senate leaders at the start of the daily session.

It refers to a period set aside…

A leak in politics is the spread of secret, often unfavorable, news about a politician to the media by someone in his or her inner …

The term “left-wing loony” or “loony left” is a pejorative description primarily used in American politics to describe someone perceived as holding fringe leftist views.…

Lettermarking is when lawmakers send letters to government agencies in an attempt to direct money to projects in their home districts.

This practice allows legislators …

A “lid” is what White House press secretaries use to indicate that there will be no news coming out of the White House …

“Limousine liberal” is pejorative for wealthy liberals who do not want to bear the cost of the liberal policies they support.

It is typically used …

A “listening tour” is a strategic series of meetings, events, or visits conducted by a politician or candidate to gather input, concerns, and perspectives from …

“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 …

“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 …

“Little Tin Box” is the title of a song in the 1959 musical, “Fiorello,” which told the story of one of New York City’s most …

A “live pair” refers to a situation where two lawmakers have agreed to not vote on a particular matter.

This is typically done as a …

Logrolling refers to a quid pro quo exchange of favors.

In politics, it generally refers to vote-trading by lawmakers to ensure that each …

The “loneliest job in the world” is a reference to the presidency of the United States, supposedly a supremely lonely and isolating job because of …

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

“Low information voters” refers to individuals who participate in electoral processes without a comprehensive understanding of the issues or candidates.

Such voters may make decisions …

In the context of politics, “low propensity voters” refers to individuals who are eligible to vote but have a history of infrequent participation in elections, …

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 …