take a walk v. phr.— «These scores include votes cast and non-votes by members present at the time the vote was cast. This practice, known as “taking a walk” is a ploy some lawmakers use to avoid a recorded vote while actually...
antihomonuptial adj.— «I have actually considered that laws against (or implicitly disallowing) gay marriage are, actually, sexist. For example, suppose I lived somewhere with antihomonuptial legislation.» —“Gay marriage: the...
magic-wand bill n.— «This is the kind of bill that is often called a magic-wand bill—something that’s one thing, is something else just because we say it is.…Any kind of laws that disregard the reality of the situation is worrisome...
prebate n.— «Because poorer people tend to spend a greater share of their income than the wealthy, economists generally consider sales taxes as regressive. The proposal would buffer that burden by pairing the new tax with a system of...
parate execution n.— «Parate execution is a term that defaulting customers of banks fear most. “Parate” is a Dutch term which means “immediate” and “parate execution” basically means a debt recovery process outside the normal...
lock box n.—Gloss: a government account or fund which is protected from reappropriation to other government programs. «The current casinos bill under consideration puts about $300 million in an account, which legislators refer to as a...