Where everything is bipartisan until it is not.
A single position or policy proposal within a party's platform, theoretically forming the foundation of their governing philosophy. In practice, they're promises that may or may not survive contact with reality.
A political win achieved at such devastating cost that it might as well be a loss. It's succeeding so hard you destroy yourself in the process—the legislative equivalent of winning the battle but losing the war.
The practice of government spending for localized projects primarily to bring money to a representative's district and secure votes, named after the literal distribution of salt pork to slaves. Modern democracy's 'you scratch my back, I'll appropriate funds for your district's convention center' system.
The degree to which party members vote according to party leadership's wishes rather than their own judgment or constituents' interests. Strong in parliamentary systems, theoretical in American politics.
The preliminary elections where political party members select their candidate for the general election, essentially a brutal pre-game tournament before the actual championship. These democratic bloodbaths force candidates to campaign extensively, spend ridiculous amounts of money, and occasionally say things they'll later regret when trying to appeal to the broader electorate. It's democracy's way of making sure politicians are thoroughly exhausted before they even get to the real race.
Relating to a system of government where the executive branch emerges from the legislative body, as opposed to the American system where we elect people to fight each other across branches. In this setup, the Prime Minister can actually lose their job mid-term if Parliament gets cranky, which Americans find either admirably efficient or terrifyingly unstable. Also describes procedures so formal and rule-bound that it takes 20 minutes to ask a simple question.
The mathematical relationship where things increase or decrease at a constant ratio—basically fair distribution based on size or quantity. In politics, it refers to representation or voting systems where parties get seats based on their percentage of votes rather than winner-take-all chaos. The grown-up version of making sure everyone gets cake proportional to how many people they brought to the party.
A professional promise-maker whose job involves kissing babies, shaking hands, and crafting carefully worded statements that somehow simultaneously appeal to everyone and offend no one. These career electables have mastered the delicate dance of appearing relatable while being funded by entities most voters will never meet. The term has evolved from neutral descriptor to mild insult, probably because politicians themselves ruined it.
A speech prepared but never delivered, kept in one's pocket for posterity and the Congressional Record. It's how legislators take credit for things they said without the inconvenience of actually saying them to anyone.
The internal power struggles, backstabbing, and maneuvering within an administration or political organization. It's Game of Thrones but with worse outfits and more leaked emails.
A formal agreement between parties, usually nations or organizations, though it sounds way more dramatic than 'contract' or 'treaty.' It's what world leaders sign when they want their agreement to sound historically significant rather than just legally binding. The difference between a business deal and a DEAL that history books might mention.
The act of a committee chair refusing to schedule consideration of a bill, letting it die through strategic neglect in a metaphorical filing cubby. It's assassination by bureaucratic inaction.
In parliamentary law, a motion concerning the rights and privileges of the assembly or its members, taking precedence over regular business. Not to be confused with checking one's privilege, though some politicians could benefit from both.
Political matters that directly affect voters' personal finances—jobs, taxes, healthcare costs. The issues that actually determine elections, despite what pundits discuss on cable news.
A meeting where all members of a legislative body are present and authorized to conduct business, as opposed to committee meetings. The whole gang shows up, which happens about as often as it sounds like it should.
The political philosophy that celebrates diversity by allowing multiple groups, beliefs, and power centers to coexist within one society without anyone getting crushed. It's democracy's group project approach—acknowledging that different ethnic, religious, and cultural communities can maintain their identities while sharing the sandbox. The opposite of "my way or the highway" governance.
The art of securing taxpayer dollars for pet projects in your district that nobody else wants or needs. Think of it as professional favor-trading disguised as fiscal policy, where representatives slide special-interest funding into bills like a kid hiding vegetables under mashed potatoes. The term comes from the old practice of distributing barrels of salt pork to constituents—modern pork just comes with better PR.
Political Action Committee: a legal entity that bundled campaign contributions for candidates, because corporations are people with free speech rights.
The systematic process of surveying a representative sample of voters or population to gauge opinions, predict election outcomes, or validate policy support. Politicians obsess over it; statisticians argue about its accuracy.
A brief legislative meeting with no real business conducted, held solely to prevent the chamber from officially adjourning and thus blocking recess appointments or pocket vetoes. It's political theater where everyone admits they're just going through the motions.
The margin between what polls predicted and what actually happened—usually blamed on pollsters rather than on the people who commissioned the polls or acted on them.
A person obsessed with policy details, numbers, and substantive governance—the only type of person actually interested in reading the omnibus bill.
The presidential power to kill legislation by simply doing nothing when Congress adjourns within ten days of passing it, weaponizing procrastination like a college student discovering the syllabus doesn't require actual attendance. The bill dies without a formal rejection.
Government funding allocated to projects that benefit a specific constituency primarily to boost a politician's re-election chances—because nothing says 'I care about you' like a bridge to nowhere.