Safire's Political DictionaryWhen it comes to the vagaries of language in American politics, its uses and abuses, its absurdities and ever-shifting nuances, its power to confound, obscure, and occasionally to inspire, William Safire is the language maven we most readily turn to for clarity, guidance, and penetrating, sometimes lacerating, wit. Safire's Political Dictionary is a stem-to-stern updating and expansion of the Language of Politics, which was first published in 1968 and last revised in 1993, long before such terms as Hanging Chads, 9/11 and the War on Terror became part of our everyday vocabulary. Nearly every entry in that renowned work has been revised and updated and scores of completely new entries have been added to produce an indispensable guide to the political language being used and abused in America today. Safire's definitions--discursive, historically aware, and often anecdotal--bring a savvy perspective to our colorful political lingo. Indeed, a Safire definition often reads like a mini-essay in political history, and readers will come away not only with a fuller understanding of particular words but also a richer knowledge of how politics works, and fails to work, in America. From Axis of Evil, Blame Game, Bridge to Nowhere, Triangulation, and Compassionate Conservatism to Islamofascism, Netroots, Earmark, Wingnuts and Moonbats, Slam Dunk, Doughnut Hole, and many others, this language maven explains the origin of each term, how and by whom and for what purposes it has been used or twisted, as well as its perceived and real significance. For anyone who wants to cut through the verbal haze that surrounds so much of American political discourse, Safire's Political Dictionary offers a work of scholarship, wit, insiderhood and resolute bipartisanship. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 83
Page 17
... sense of the word is current, though occasional. Association of Manufacturers, wrote a book in 1965 about the “private sector” called Reclaiming the American Dream. His central point: “For a long time it seemed that the free society and ...
... sense of the word is current, though occasional. Association of Manufacturers, wrote a book in 1965 about the “private sector” called Reclaiming the American Dream. His central point: “For a long time it seemed that the free society and ...
Page 18
... sense—to urge assimilation of immigrants into the U.S. social system. The issue of immigra- tion—one side calling for a protective fence along the Mexican-U.S. border and the other side urging the earning of amnesty for the more than 12 ...
... sense—to urge assimilation of immigrants into the U.S. social system. The issue of immigra- tion—one side calling for a protective fence along the Mexican-U.S. border and the other side urging the earning of amnesty for the more than 12 ...
Page 21
... sense of humour but low on wit, a general intellectual nihilism, hon- esty, a neurotic discontent and a defeated, reconciled acquiescence that is the last flimsy shelter against complete despon- dency—a wildly ill-assorted agglomera ...
... sense of humour but low on wit, a general intellectual nihilism, hon- esty, a neurotic discontent and a defeated, reconciled acquiescence that is the last flimsy shelter against complete despon- dency—a wildly ill-assorted agglomera ...
Page 25
... sense, that of a battleground that would mean the end of civilization: “Military alliances, balances of power, leagues of nations, all in turn failed, leaving the only path to be by way of the crucible of war. The utter destructiveThe ...
... sense, that of a battleground that would mean the end of civilization: “Military alliances, balances of power, leagues of nations, all in turn failed, leaving the only path to be by way of the crucible of war. The utter destructiveThe ...
Page 27
... sense of a group of nations with mutual interests can be traced to 1888, when English statesman Henry Molyneux Herbert, Earl of Carnarvon, made the prophetic observation: “We are part of the community of Europe, and we must do our duty ...
... sense of a group of nations with mutual interests can be traced to 1888, when English statesman Henry Molyneux Herbert, Earl of Carnarvon, made the prophetic observation: “We are part of the community of Europe, and we must do our duty ...
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Common terms and phrases
action Administration aide American appeared applied asked attack became become began bill Bush called campaign candidate century charge City civil columnist Communist Congress conservative convention criticism deal defense Democratic described early economic Eisenhower election expression forces foreign former George give Governor head House idea included interest issue John Johnson Kennedy known later leader liberal major meaning ment metaphor military never Nixon nomination noted original party peace person phrase play political politicians popular position Post President presidential referred reported Republican Robert Roosevelt rule Secretary Senator sense speech talk term thing tion told took turn United usage usually Vice vote voters Washington White House word writer wrote York