Lexicon of Politics: Day 5 & Review

King-of-the-Hill, n. refers to a special rule for sequencing, debating and voting on competing amendments. If more than one version receives a majority of votes, the one with the largest margin prevails.

Click "full post" for a review of this week's words.


A recap of this weeks revelations of the lexicon of politics. All from the Oxford Dictionary of American Political Slang, ed. Grant Barrett.

boondoggle n. [claimed to have been coined as a name for an ornamental leather cord] an extravagant and useless project. Now colloq.

1935 Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune (Apr. 11) 4:
That New York relief investigation has cleared up one thing that has always bothered us. It seems that thingumabob that fits into the hootnnanny is called a boon doggle.

wheel-horse n. an instrumental or hard-working party member

1892 Fresno Weekly Republican (CA-May 2): Sheriff Grant was a wheel-horse, but he is a dead duck in the political puddle hereafter.

boodler n. a person, esp. a politician, who seeks or accepts bribes; grafter.

1984 P.J. Buchanan in New York Post (Aug. 31) 33:
But whether or not these boodlers are given "input" into spending $30 billion in social programs is our business.

red-headed Eskimo n. a precisely targeted bill, law, or piece of legislation.

2004 Balitmore Sun (Feb 18) 4B:
"The legislation is what those around Annapolis call a "red-headed Eskimo"--a bill designed to aid just one person, business, or interest."