primary an election of candidates for an upcoming general election.
progressive tax a tax based on a citizen's ability to pay. See regressive tax.
protectionist one who advocates protecting American jobs and products by charging steep tariffs on competing imports.
psephology the study of elections and voting patterns.
pump priming using federal money to provide momentum for a sagging economy.
pundit a columnist or broadcaster educated in politics and serving as an analyst or observer.
puppet a politician controlled or manipulated by others.
puppet government a nation controlled by the government of another nation.
purge to eliminate, either through violent or nonviolent means, opposition in a party or government.
quorum the minimum number of members of a legislative body who must be in attendance before official business can be conducted.
radical one who strongly advocates change in government.
radicalism the belief in, advocacy for, or acting out of any extreme or revolutionary ideals.
reactionary one who favors returning to the politics and policies of the past.
Reaganomics economic policies promoted by former president Ronald Reagan. They included a reduction of government spending and taxes, reduced regulations for business, and a limiting of inflation by the control of the money supply.
recession a period of prolonged economic downturn, usually lasting from one to two years and marked by falling manufacturing, employment, and sales of goods. Recessions are handled in different ways by politicians, often with tax cuts by Republicans and increased government spending to stimulate employment by the Democrats. Not as severe or prolonged as a depression.
red herring an issue used to distract the public from a more important issue, such as inflation.
referendum a submission to the public of an act, amendment, or statute for a vote.
regressive tax a tax that affects the poor more than the rich.
Republican Party created in 1854, with Abraham Lincoln serving as the first Republican president, the right-leaning major political party of the United States, symbolized by the elephant mascot and most often characterized as pro-business, with ideas such as a loosening of regulations that limit the free market, private charity programs to replace government services, and the shrinking of government with the goal of lower taxes. Republicans also tend to oppose abortion, minimum wages, affirmative action, gay marriage, and any additional gun controls. Also known as the GOP, or Grand Old Party.
rhetoric persuasive debate, argument, speech, or B.S., widely used by politicians.
right wing the part of a political organization opposed to progress and favoring a return to the politics of the past.
roll call vote a vote in which the name of each member of a legislative body is called out and answered with either a "yea" or a "nay."
rubber chicken circuit election campaign touring and speaking at public luncheons and dinners in which the menu offerings are the least important part of the program.
rubber-stamp to give routine approval to a bill or measure.
sacred cow any institution or subject that is considered taboo to criticize or tear down, such as Social Security.
sanctions punitive measures such as restrictions on trade, taken to alter another nation's behavior.
secretary of state the chief foreign policy adviser to the president.
Security Council the U.N. council responsible for maintaining peace and preventing war.
sedition the inciting of a rebellion against the government.
senator a member of the U.S. Senate.
separation of powers in a democracy, a system of checks and balances in which power is divided into branches. In the United States, power is split between the executive branch, the legislative branch, and the judiciary.
sergeant at arms the legislative officer who controls access and maintains order in a legislative chamber.
shoo-in a candidate who is a sure winner in an election.
shuttle diplomacy the shuttling back and forth between capital cities of a diplomat involved in negotiations.
sleeper legislation that has more than the expected effect after being passed. Also, an amendment tacked onto a bill to soften or alter its meaning.
smear campaign an election campaign in which politicians slander one another.
sobriquets affectionate nicknames given to politicians, such as the Father of Our Country, Rough Rider, the Chief.
sovereignty a nation's authority over its own affairs; self-government; independence.
Speaker of the House the Speaker of the House of Representatives, second in the line of succession after the vice president.
spin control the manipulation of the public's perception of a controversy or scandal, through omitting, twisting, or softening of facts.
spin doctor a politician's representative who manipulates the public's perception of a controversy or scandal by omitting, twisting, or softening facts; one who puts something negative in a positive light.
splinter group a dissenting group that splits off from a larger organization.
split ticket a ballot voting for candidates of more than one party.
stagflation a period of economic stagnation with high inflation and unemployment.
statesman a skillful politician who is perceived as exceptionally wise, diplomatic, and above partisan politics.
steering committee an organizing group of legislators who facilitate the passage of bills.
stemwinder a crowd-rousing speaker or speech.
stimulus package a very large spending package legislated by Congress to help revive a flagging economy, by creating work, funding various infrastructure projects, and sometimes also cutting taxes.
straw man a weak opponent or weak argument set up intentionally to be easily vanquished.
straw vote a sample or informal vote or poll taken before an election. Also known as a straw poll.
stump to make speeches in an election campaign.
suffrage the right to vote.
sunset clause a provision in a regulation that expires after a set amount of time and must be voted on to maintain it after the termination date.
supply side economics an economic engine through which growth is spurred by boosting profit motive and by cutting income and capital gains taxes, for the wealthy and big businesses.
swing vote the population of people who vote for a candidate and not necessarily for the candidate's party affiliation.
swing voter one who has the power to decide an election one way or the other.
table a bill to kill a bill or to remove it from consideration.
teller vote a House vote characterized by members passing by tellers who count them as either "for" or "against."
totalitarian authoritarian, highly controlling of the people.
trickle-down economics an economic strategy in which taxes are cut for businesses and the wealthy, thereby, in theory, providing heightened profit incentive, which in turn results in expansion of new business and the creation of more jobs for the middle and lower classes.