car czar n.— «The loan program calls for the installation of a government official to monitor the money, and to keep track of whether GM, Chrysler and Ford—if Ford does need to tap into it—stay on track to restructure their business not just for...
check the boxes v. phr.— «In lobbying parlance, this is known as “checking the boxes”—meticulously informing powerful congressmen and senators about a transaction they might want to weigh in on down the road. Lobbyists live by the rule that when it...
if-by-whiskey other.— «Government officials appeared to be content with the “if-by-whiskey” message, which in political parlance is an argument that affirms both sides of an issue and agrees with whichever side the questioner supports.» —“Digital...