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…
Sawdust Trail (Sawdust Circuit)
The "sawdust trail" (or "sawdust circuit") refers to the churches that preachers traveled to in the early 1900s. The trail to these tabernacles was usually covered with sawdust,…
Sayre’s Law: Mayors of NY come from nowhere and go nowhere
Rudy Giuliani is going to hate me for this one, but I didn't make it up. Autumn 1977, PS, vol. 10, no. 4, pg. 511:Perhaps this is the time to record publicly two more of Wallace Sayre's…
Scalpel vs. Machete (budget-cutting techniques)
There are two metaphorical tools that politicians claim to use in cutting a budget -- a scalpel (for small, surgical cuts, causing the least harm) and a machete (for massive cuts). Unless the…
Scamdemic (scam + pandemic)
"Scamdemic" (scam + pandemic) means a fake pandemic. The term was first used during the 2009 swine flu pandemic. "Wondering if #swineflu is really a pandemic, or is it a hamdemic or…
Scampaign (scam + campaign)
A "scampaign" (scam + campaign) is a campaign -- a political campaign or a campaign for a specific cause or business -- that contains fraud and can be called a "scam."…
Scandalpalooza (scandal + lollapalooza)
"Scandalpalooza" (scandal + lollapalooza) is when a government has several scandals (sometimes called "-gates," after the Watergate scandal). The word "scandalpalooza"…
Scaredemic (scare + pandemic)
"Scaredemic" (scare + pandemic) became a popular term during the 2020 COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, but it had appeared earlier. "Homespun Craft Show tomorrow, the Scaredemic will…
Scariant (scare/scary + variant)
The COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic had variants, called by some as "scariant" (scare/scary + variant). "So many variants of scary. Scariants" was posted on Twitter by Cal…
SCOAMF (Stuttering Clusterfuck Of A Miserable Failure)
Several conservative and libertarian blogs (especially Ace of Spades HQ) began, in August 2011, to call President Barack Obama a "Stuttering Clusterfuck Of A Miserable Failure" (SCOAMF or…
SCOTUS (Supreme Court Of The United States)
"SCROTUS" is an acronym for the "Supreme Court Of The United States." The term was used by 19th century telegraphers and appears in the book The Phillips Telegraphic Code (1879)…
SCROTUS (So Called Ruler Of The United States)
The acronym "POTUS" stands for "President Of The United States." "SCROTUS" can mean "Supreme Court Republicans Of The United States." Some people who do not…
SCROTUS (Supreme Court Republicans Of The United States)
"SCOTUS" is an acronym for the "Supreme Court Of The United States." An extra letter"R" is often added, making it "SCROTUS," similar to the word…
Seastead (sea + homestead); Seasteading
"Seasteading" (sea + homesteading) consists of establishing a permanent home (or "seastead") on the sea, outside of a nation's territory. The idea has appealed to…
Secret Circus (Secret Service nickname)
The United States Secret Service has a U.S. Treasury function and is also responsible for protecting national leaders and their families. In April 2012, in advance of President Obama's…
Secretary of Death (Secretary of Defense nickname)
The U.S. Secretary of Defense has infrequently been called the "Secretary of Death." "Ladd decided that the best way to reference the United States' Secretary of Defense was to…
Securitocracy (security + -ocracy)
A "securitocracy" (security + -ocracy) is a government where security runs the state; government officials are "securitocrats." The term "securitocracy" has been cited…
Security Mom
The name "security mom" was first used by Delaware Senator Joe Biden, cited in print since a least January 28, 2003. Biden had said that since the September 11, 2001 terror attacks in…
Seinfeld Session
When the Albany legislature appears to do nothing, legislators sometimes quote William Shakespeare and claim that the legislative session is all "much ado about nothing." The television…
Sequesteria (sequester + hysteria)
"Sequesteria" (sequester + hysteria) is a term that was popularized by conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh in February 2013. Budget sequestration in the Budget Control Act of…