Pain Trade
The term "pain trade" was defined in a Barron's May 2008 article, "Rx for the 'Pain Trade.'" as "the market conditions that will cause the most discomfort…
“Money is gold, and nothing else” (“Gold and silver are money—everything else is credit”)
"Money is gold, and nothing else" was said by John Pierpont (J. P.) Morgan on December 19, 1912 at the Pujo Committee of the House of Representatives that was investigating the power of…
Firebagger (FireDogLake + teabagger)
"Firebagger" (FireDogLake blog + teabagger) is a name for someone from the "hard left" or "professional left" (as President Barack Obama's press secretary Robert…
“The Houston Astros/Texas Rangers have won the World Series!” (Texas weather joke)
The heat of Texas -- and the lack of World Series success of the Houston Astro sand the Texas Rangers --have resulted in a "Texan in Hell" joke. The joke has been told about other sports…
“So dry the Baptists are sprinkling, the Methodists are spitting…” (Texas heat joke)
The extremely hot Texas weather has been the subject of many jokes, such as this one (from 1953): "It is so dry that the Baptists are sprinkling and the Methodists are using just a damp…
Washington Monument Syndrome (Washington Monument Strategy)
The "Washington Monument syndrome" (or "Washinton Monument strategy") is when an agency, faced with budget cuts, decides to cut its most popular programs, making the cuts very…
“If (...) then the terrorists win”
"If (we change our behavior or sacrifice our freedoms), the terrorists have won" became a popular phrase after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.…
“I Love NY” (“I Love NY More Than Ever”)
"I Love New York" is a New York State promotional campaign, trademarked from July 15, 1977. The campaign includes the now-iconic "I (heart) NY" logo by Milton Glaser and Bobby…
“It’s so hot, the trees are whistling for dogs” (heat joke)
The extremely hot Texas weather has been the subject of many jokes, such as: . "It's so hot, the trees are whistling for dogs". "It's so hot there that the trees are…
Rose Garden Strategy
The White House Rose Garden borders the Oval Office and the West Wing. The term "Rose Garden strategy" (or "Rose Garden campaign") was popularized in September 1976, when…
Church of the Painful Truth
Libertarian radio talk show host Neal Boortz has called himself a "high priest of the Church of the Painful Truth" since at least July 2000. There is no official "Church of the…
Cartoon News Network (Cable News Network or CNN nickname)
CNN began in 1980, with the letters representing "Cable News Network." The disparaging nickname "Cartoon News Network" has been cited in print since at least October 2000, but…
Iron Triangle
A political "iron triangle" is when a special-interest lobby, the Congressional committee that the lobby appears before, and the bureaucracy that the committee reports to all affect each…
Flip-Flop (Flip-Flopper)
A politician is called a "flip-flopper" when he or she "flip-flops" (changes position) on an issue. The terms come from the 19th century; an older term is…
“In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act”
"In a time/state of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act" is a statement often attributed to author George Orwell (1903-1950). The saying doesn't appear in his…
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies”
"Truth is treason in the empire of lies" was written by Ron Paul, a candidate for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination, in his book, The Revolution: A Manifesto (2008). The saying…
Ponzimonium (Ponzi scheme + pandemonium)
The word "ponzimonium" (Ponzi scheme + pandemonium) was coined by Bart Chilton, a commissioner on the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), in March 2009. Chilton…
Timber (Political Timber; Gubernatorial Timber; Presidential Timber)
The word "timber" has meant "a personal quality or character" since at least 1612. Political "timber" has long been spoken of in American politics. The term…
Helicopter Drop or Helicopter Printing Press (“Helicopter Ben” Bernanke)
The economist Milton Friedman (1912-2006) wrote, in 1969, about dropping money from a helicopter to stimulate the economy. In November 2002, Ben Bernanke (then a member of the Board of Governors of…
A great place to hang your hat (Paris, Texas slogan)
The city of Paris, Texas constructed a 65-foot replica of the Eiffel Tower in 1993. A red cowboy hat rests at the top of the tower. Paris has used the slogan "A great place to hang your…