Hot Tub (Washington, D.C. nickname)
M. Stanton Evans wrote in the late 1980s about the Reagan Republicans who came to Washington: "Most conservatives know when they come to Washington that it is a sewer; the trouble is, too many…
Archive for 08/2011
Fauxsterity (faux + austerity)
"Fauxsterity" (faux + austerity) is a term to describe a "fake' austerity. In a federal budget deal signed into law in August 2011, cuts in the federal budget were claimed, but…
Pointy Boots
Texas Governor Rick Perry was frequently called "Pointy Boots" in June-July 2011, when Perry flirted with running for president. KLBJ-AM 590 (Austin) radio personality Jeff Ward used the…
Yentervention (Yen + intervention)
"Yentervention" (Yen + Intervention) is when a bank (such as the Bank of Japan) intervenes in the financial markets to support the Yen (Japan's official currency). The intervention…
“The economy is too important to be left to economists”
"War is too important to be left to the generals" is a famous quote, attributed to Georges Clemenceau (1841-1929). The quotation has also become famous in an economics version.…
Tearrorist (tea party participant + terrorist)
A "tearrorist" or "TEArrorist" (tea party participant + terrorist) is a participant in the TEA (Taxed Enough Already) party who some people believe holds extremist views. The…
Debt Man Walking
"Debt man walking" (a pun on the title of the 1995 film Dead Man Walking) refers to someone in a lot of debt. The moniker was the title of a book, Debt Man Walking: a 10-step investment…
Super Congress
The term "Super Congress" was introduced on July 24, 2011, and became part of the deal to increase the debt ceiling. A special committee or "Super Congress" of 13 persons…
Can Do Shipyard (Brooklyn Navy Yard)
The New York Naval Shipyard (commonly called the Brooklyn Navy Yard) dates to 1801 and was especially active during World War II. "Can Do" was a popular WWII slogan and the Brooklyn Navy…
“Get while the gettin’s good”
"Get (in/out) while the gettin(g)'s good" means to take advantage of market conditions, getting in or getting out at just the right time to make or save the maximum amount of money.…
Shit Sandwich
"Shit sandwich" can literally mean a sandwich of excrement between two slices of bread. The term "shit sandwich" is usually used as an idiom for being forced to take something…
Satan Sandwich
Congressman Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) called a July 2011 budget deal that he didn't like “a sugar-coated Satan sandwich.” There had been infrequent previous printed citations for "Satan…