Updating the New Political Lexicon

This was posted by Steve Benen as part of an ongoing update of our current political dictionaries. Fell free to add your own entries:

Obstructionism, for example, only refers to Democratic minorities opposing Republican proposals.

Tyranny is found when an elected Democratic majority passes legislation that Republicans don't like.

Reconciliation describes a Senate process that Republicans are allowed to use to overcome Democratic “obstructionism.”

Terrorism refers to acts of political violence committed by people who aren't white guys.

Bipartisanship is found when Democrats agree to pass Republican legislation.

Big government describes a dangerous phenomenon to be avoided, except in cases relating to reproductive rights or gays.

Treason refers to Democrats criticizing a Republican administration during a war.

Patriotism refers to Republicans criticizing a Democratic administration during a war.

Fiscal responsibility is a national priority related to keeping our deficit in check, which only applies when Republicans are in the minority.

Parliamentarian is a seemingly independent official on the Hill who Senate Republicans are allowed to fire when the GOP disapproves of his/her rulings.

Government-run healthcare doesn't refer to popular government-run health care programs like Medicare.

The heartland is the most wonderful place in America, even if no conservative pundit would be caught dead living there.

Serving your country is honorable if you're a Republican, but a subject of derision when Democrats do it.

My contributions:

Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is a seemingly independent agency that is called "god" by Republicans when it scores their bills favorably and "partisan" when it says Democratic bills will reduce the deficit.

Start over means scrapping the healthcare bills passed by the House and Senate, including Republican obstruction of any efforts to restart healthcare reform before, and after, the 2010 elections.

Medicare is government-run healthcare for angry white seniors at town hall meetings and Tea Party rallies, and no one else.

Socialist is any Democrat who supports healthcare reform and regulation of the worst abuses of insurance companies, including a ban on preexisting conditions and lifetime benefit caps, requiring insurers to spend at least 80 cents on the dollar delivering healthcare, and covering 31 million instead of 3 million uninsured Americans.

Al Quaeda terrorist is any one of seven Justice Department attorneys who have in the past provided legal representation for individuals accused of terrorism.

Fear is what Republicans sow when they want to kill bills or raise money.

Reactionary is what the RNC calls a member of its donor base who contributes less than $30,000.

The Evil Empire is a term Republicans use for President Obama’s Democratic Party, a.k.a “democrat party” within GOP leadership circles.

Nuclear option is what a Republican minority calls democratic majority rule.

Limited government means exploding the debt with tax cuts for the super-rich, privatizing Social Security to the devices of Wall Street, killing Medicare and throwing seniors under the bus with a token voucher, and doubling the Pentagon budget while waging perpetual wars (three) that are unpaid for.

George Orwell is author of the Republican political manifesto, "1984."

Now you!