blue-slipping n.— «I knew that judicial nominees could be blocked by a senator from their home state (a procedure called blue-slipping), but I had no idea a bill could be blocked from a floor vote by an anonymous hold.» —“Open...
stairs-chair n.— «The sheriff’s office has a list of handicapped individuals who work in the courthouse and deputies made sure all of those folks were safety evacuated. Firefighters used what’s called a “stairs-chair,” similar...
snuse n.— «As historians of the game know, sunflower seeds merely took over where smokeless tobacco, snuff—or “snuse” as it was called in the tiny Swede-dominated Iowa hamlet where I originated—left off. In those days, the boards on the...
Australian ballot n.— «An Australian ballot/closed vote followed and the tally was 50-20 in favor of tabling the articles.…While many lawmakers, and other interested parties, are paying close attention to whether school budgets are...
hog housing attrib.— «That wasn’t what Sen. Joel Heitkamp, D-Hankinson, prime sponsor of the bill, originally wrote when it was introduced. He proposed converting the WSI board to an advisory body and returning authority to the governor...
floor general n.— «The point guard is often referred to as the floor general as a good one will act as the coach on the floor, directing the troops during the heat of the battle.» —“Getting to grips with the floor general...