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by **Paul** Mon 08 Jul 2024, 5:25 am

THE LANGUAGE OF POWER
White House Lingo: 10 Essential Political Terms Decoded

Published on July 7, 2024

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Credit: Harold Mendoza

Politics can sometimes feel like a maze of jargon and buzzwords (almost as if it were designed to obfuscate newcomers). The truth is that even seasoned journalists and experts can get confused sometimes , so feeling lost in this linguistic mess is nothing to be ashamed of!
To help navigate this complex landscape, we've decoded 10 essential political terms that will help you engage more meaningfully with the complex world of politics.

1

Caucus

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A caucus is a meeting of members of a political party or movement to discuss and deliberate on issues, select candidates, and determine policy positions. While the exact etymology of the word is not known, it is speculated that it could have been derived from the Algonquian word for "counsel."
Unlike primaries, caucuses involve open discussions and multiple rounds of voting , making them a more interactive and participatory form of democratic decision-making. In some special cases, voters aren’t even required to register with a political party to take part in the caucus.

2

Donkeys and Elephants

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Donkeys and elephants have been iconic symbols of the Democratic and Republican parties, respectively, at least since the 19th century.
The donkey was first associated with the Democrats during the presidency of Andrew Jackson , while the elephant became linked to the Republicans thanks to a political cartoon by Thomas Nast. Today, these two symbols are widely recognized and used to represent the two major political parties in the United States.

3

Gerrymandering

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Gerrymandering is the controversial practice of manipulating the boundaries of electoral districts to favor one party over another. By strategically redrawing district lines, politicians can dilute the voting power of certain communities or consolidate their own support base.
The term is a portmanteau of the word salamander and Elbridge Gerry , a politician who - during his tenure as governor of Massachusetts in 1812 - signed a bill that created a partisan district in the Boston area, at the time compared to the shape of a salamander.

4

Filibuster

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Another highly controversial figure, the filibuster is a tactic used in legislative bodies to delay or block a vote on a proposed bill. It involves a member of the assembly speaking for an extended period, often on unrelated topics, to prevent the bill from reaching a vote.
The stalling practice is as old as democracy, and one of its first recorded practitioners was the Roman senator Cato the Younger. Extensively used in the United States Senate, the only current way to effectively end a filibuster is a procedure called "cloture," though a minimum of 16 senators must sign the petition.

5

Lobbying

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Lobbying refers to the efforts of individuals or groups to influence government decisions , typically by advocating for specific policies or legislation. Lobbyists often work on behalf of corporations, interest groups, or nonprofits to sway lawmakers in their favor.
There are even professional lobbyists , hired by various organizations to aid their cause. Though the practice of lobbying is not illegal per se, it is often considered controversial as it can lead to elected officials failing to serve the public interest in favor of special interest groups.

6

Bipartisanship

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Bipartisanship is the cooperation or agreement between two opposing political parties. It often involves compromise and negotiation to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes, even in the face of ideological differences.
As a phenomenon, it mostly applies to countries with a strong two-party system, such as the United States , though it can rarely be applied to different political scenarios.

7

Grassroots

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Credit: Heather Mount

Grassroots movements are organized efforts by ordinary citizens to promote social or political change from the bottom up. These movements often mobilize local communities to advocate for specific causes or influence public policy.
Though the origins of the word are obscure, an early reference to the term was used by Senator Albert Jeremiah Beveridge of Indiana in 1912, who said of the Progressive Party that "(it) has come from the grass roots. It has grown from the soil of people's hard necessities."

8

Checks and Balances

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Checks and balances refer to the system of separate powers within a government that ensures one branch doesn't become too powerful. This principle, integral to many democracies, helps maintain accountability and prevent abuses of power.
The French philosopher Montesquieu is often attributed with one of the first proposals for the separation of powers through a tripartite system that provided mechanisms to fight the centralization of power in one branch of government.

9

Soft Power

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Soft power is the ability of a country to influence others through cultural, economic, or diplomatic means , rather than through coercion or force. It's about winning hearts and minds , fostering goodwill, and shaping global perceptions.
Political scientist Joseph Nye was the first to popularize the concept of "soft power" in the late 80s, arguing that - in contrast with "hard" or coercive power - it aims to get others to want the same outcomes one is looking for.

10

Bellwether State

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A bellwether state is one that can purportedly predict the outcome of a presidential election through its electoral results. This might happen due to its electorate closely matching the patterns of larger areas, for various demographic reasons.
These states are often seen as indicators of national trends and can play a pivotal role in predicting the outcome of elections. Ohio is often cited as a bellwether state due to its historical tendency to vote for the winning presidential candidate.