Where everything is bipartisan until it is not.
A group of expert advisors who counsel political leaders on policy, theoretically chosen for expertise rather than loyalty. The smart people hired to make politicians sound smarter.
The political gymnastics of trying to pander to two completely incompatible voter bases simultaneously without anyone noticing you're talking out of both sides of your mouth. It's having your cake, eating it too, and claiming you never liked cake anyway.
A rank-and-file legislator without a leadership position, literally sitting in the back rows of parliament and metaphorically sitting in the back rows of power. They vote as told and dream of the frontbench.
The insular world of Washington D.C. politics and federal government, referring to the Interstate 495 loop surrounding the capital. It's where policy gets made by people who've lost touch with reality.
A fortified stronghold or an unshakeable defender of a principle—basically the last line of defense when everything else crumbles. Whether it's a physical fortress or a company's last remaining profitable division, a bastion is where things refuse to fall apart.
Unofficial diplomatic negotiations conducted secretly, bypassing formal government channels.