Where everything is bipartisan until it is not.
Mentally compromised or brainwashed by consuming biased, propagandistic media—particularly Fox News. A clever play on words suggesting someone's thought process has been corrupted by misinformation.
A person who opposes the established social, political, or religious order and its institutions, or the ideology supporting such opposition. The term encompasses those who reject the status quo and advocate for fundamental systemic change.
A promise by politicians to limit the influence of money in politics, never actually implemented because the money currently controls who makes the promises.
Unofficial term for a legislature dominated by elderly members, leading to policy debates that sound like someone's grandpa yelling about the internet.
Temporary barriers erected by the U.S. government during the 2013 shutdown to restrict access to national parks and monuments, supposedly costing more to install than to simply leave them open. A symbolic power move that became a political flashpoint.
A 1980s anti-drug campaign slogan and public health initiative championed by First Lady Nancy Reagan, emphasizing that individuals should simply refuse to use drugs. It became the catchphrase of a broader drug-awareness movement targeting youth.
A policy provision attached to an unrelated bill, usually a spending measure, used to bypass normal legislative review by forcing an all-or-nothing vote.
A public protest or rally organized in direct opposition to another demonstration, typically expressing disagreement with the message or goals of the original protest.
The act of using evasive or ambiguous language to avoid committing to a position; deliberate avoidance of a direct answer through equivocation or contradiction. It often involves changing one's stated position or evasively backing away from a claim.
The informal measure of how long a senator can continue speaking, constrained by bladder capacity and the tolerance of C-SPAN viewers.
The practice of collecting completed absentee ballots from voters, either legitimately or as a vector for fraudulent ballots. It's controversial because both sides use it and both sides claim the other side is committing election fraud.
A legislator's voting district or the people they represent. It's also what they pretend to care about during election season before ignoring your emails.
Political regret mixed with future resolve—the feeling of clear-eyed hindsight about a past voting decision that you now recognize was a mistake. Like 20/20 vision but for recognizing poor judgment.
A severe environmental and economic crisis in the American Great Plains during the 1930s, caused by prolonged drought combined with poor agricultural practices that left topsoil exposed to wind erosion. Massive dust storms devastated farming communities and forced widespread migration.
When a politician retreats from a previous statement, usually using euphemisms like 'misspoke' or 'was taken out of context.' It's controlled deletion with plausible deniability.
To inject partisan considerations into something that was previously viewed as non-partisan, like the Supreme Court, scientific research, or emergency management.
A provincial city in northwest Spain in the autonomous community of Castile and León, known for its Romanesque architecture and medieval fortifications. The term may also refer to specific regional products or dialects associated with the region.
A district that is vastly overrepresented compared to its population, often rural and reliably conservative. Democracy's losers.
A provision quietly inserted into a bill at the last minute, often unrelated to the bill's main purpose and designed to avoid public scrutiny. It's legislative jaywalking on a massive scale.
When different branches or chambers are controlled by different parties, generally producing legislative gridlock and mutual recrimination. It's democracy's version of a dysfunctional marriage counseling into permanent separation.
A government fine so small it barely registers as a business expense, basically a license to break the law if you're rich enough.
The policy of releasing people from long-term institutional care (such as psychiatric hospitals or prisons) into community-based settings. It began in the 1950s as a mental health reform but often resulted in inadequate community support.
An intense or irrational fear and hatred of foreign people, cultures, or anything perceived as foreign or different. Often manifests as discriminatory attitudes or hostile behavior toward immigrants and international groups.
Someone who believes workers should collectively own and control the means of production rather than enriching distant owners. The basic idea: the people doing the work should benefit from what they produce, not just their bosses.