Schmear (Schmeer; Shmear; Shmeer)
Jewish New Yorkers sometimes order a "bagel with schmear" (or "bagel mit schmear"). The Yiddish word "schmear" (other spellings include "schmeer,"…
Archive for 09/2010
Grand Old Tea Party (GOTP)
The TEA (Taxed Enough Already) party movement of 2009-2010 changed the Republican Party. The "Grand Old Party" acquired the nickname "Grand Old Tea Party," with "GOP"…
“The public ignores a presidential election until after the World Series”
"The public ignores a presidential (or general) election until after the World Series" has been a political axiom since at least the 1920s. The World Series used to end in early October,…
“Get the U.S. out of the U.N. and the U.N. out of the U.S.”
The United Nations was formed in 1945; its headquarters at Turtle Bay in Manhattan was completed in 1952. "Take US out of UN, then push UN out of US" was cited in 1951, before the…
Bedwetting Liberal
A "bedwetting liberal" (or "bed wetting liberal") is a derogatory term, similar to "liberal pansy," to describe a person weak in the bladder and (presumably) the…
Buckley Rule (vote for most conservative primary candidate likely to win general election)
Conservative author and commentator William F. Buckley (1925-2008) was asked, in 1967, whom he would support in 1968 for U.S. president. Buckley responded with what would late be called the…
Limbaugh Rule (vote for most conservative candidate in primary)
Conservative radio talk show host Ruch Limbaugh announced, on September 14, 2010, a new "Limbaugh Rule" about primary voting. The older "Buckley Rule" (after William F. Buckley)…
El Chuco or Chucotown (El Paso nickname)
El Paso is infrequently called "El Chuco" or "Chuco Town"/"Chucotown." The term comes from the word "pachuco," a Mexican Spanish Caló dialect word of…
“The answer to 1984 is 1776”
'The answer to 1984 is 1776" is a popular line from conservative radio talk show host and filmmaker Alex Jones. The saying appears in his film, Endgame: Blueprint for Global Enslavement…
“Words mean things”
"Words mean things" has been the catchphrase of conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh since at least 1993. Limbaugh often uses "words mean things" to describe the…
Liberal Elite
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Liberal eliteIn the United States the term liberal elite is a political phrase to describe affluent, politically liberal-leaning people. It is commonly used…
“When you hear hoofbeats, think of horses, not zebras”
"When you hear hoofbeats, think of horses, not zebras" has been a popular medical proverb since about the 1950s. The saying means that one (such as a doctor) should look for the expected…
“Question Authority”
"Question Authority" buttons and bumper stickers appeared by January 1979, sold by Kate Donnelly (now Donnelly/Colt Progressive Resources). The "Question Authority" saying…
“Everything I really need to know about Islam, I learned on September 11th, 2001”
"Everything I really need to know about Islam, I learned on September 11th, 2001" (or, "All I really need to know about Islam, I learned on September 11th, 2001") refers to the…
WorldNutDaily (WorldNetDaily or WND nickname)
World Net Daily (WND) is a conservative website that began in May 1997. The site was nicknamed "WorldNutDaily" (or "World Nut Daily") by at least June 2000. The "nut"…
“Got Tea?” (tea party variant of “Got Milk?”)
"Got Milk?" is a popular milk advertising campaign that began in 1993. At a TEA (Taxed Enough Already) party in Cincinnati (OH) on March 15, 2009, "Got Tea?" shirts (using a…
“Jesus saves, but the Mongol hordes” (“Jesus saves, but the Mongol hoards”)
"Jesus saves" is a popular saying and by 1965 there appeared the graffito "Jesus saves; Moses invests." A popular addition has been "Jesus saves, Moses invests, but the…
“I wasn’t born Republican, Democrat, or yesterday”
"I wasn't born yesterday" means that the speaker is not so naive as to believe certain faulty arguments or proposals. "I wasn't born Republican, Democrat, or…
“Traders drive Chevrolets, investors drive Cadillacs”
"Traders drive Chevrolets, investors drive Cadillacs" means that frequent trading results in a Chevrolet (a common car, or an average reward), but that long-term investing results in a…
“Good night, sleep tight, don’t let the bedbugs bite”
Bedbugs were a problem in the 19th century, almost disappeared by the 1940s, but re-appeared from about 1995. Many New York City homes and stores became infested with bedbugs, as it grew to become…