Definition

A political movement that starts from ordinary people, as opposed to the usual method of starting from billionaires in mahogany-paneled rooms. It's democracy's version of a garage band, complete with more enthusiasm than funding.

Example Usage

"Our grassroots campaign raised three thousand dollars through bake sales, which in political terms is roughly enough to buy half a yard sign."

Related Terms

Beginner

senator

A member of the upper legislative chamber who represents an entire state or region, theoretically speaking for millions while practically answering to major donors and party leadership. These elected officials serve longer terms than their House counterparts, which means they can ignore angry constituents for six years instead of two. In the US system, every state gets exactly two senators, meaning Wyoming's 580,000 residents have the same Senate representation as California's 39 million—because democracy is more like guidelines than actual rules.

🏛️ Government / Politics
Advanced

nuclear option

A dramatic parliamentary maneuver where the majority party unilaterally changes Senate rules, typically to eliminate the filibuster for certain votes. Called 'nuclear' because it's theoretically devastating but both parties keep doing it anyway.

🏛️ Government / Politics
Beginner

maverick

A politician who bucked party orthodoxy and votes unpredictably, either from principle or attention-seeking depending on your perspective. They're either courageously independent or annoyingly unreliable, sometimes both simultaneously.

🏛️ Government / Politics
Beginner

charter school

Publicly funded but independently operated schools freed from many regulations, existing in the political crossfire between education reform and teachers' unions. Educational policy's perennial wedge issue where everyone claims to speak for the children.

🏛️ Government / Politics
Intermediate

debt ceiling

The legal limit on how much the federal government can borrow, which Congress periodically threatens not to raise in fiscal hostage negotiations. It's less a ceiling and more a regularly moved goalpost with apocalyptic consequences.

🏛️ Government / Politics
Beginner

democrats

Members or supporters of the Democratic Party in the United States, one of the two major political parties that have dominated American politics since the 1850s. These left-leaning politicos advocate for progressive policies, social programs, and regulations, while conservatives insist they're secretly socialists and moderates wish they'd just get along. The term also applies to democracy advocates generally, though American political discourse has made this its primary meaning.

🏛️ Government / Politics

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