mlhiss's definitions
Irrational behavior by politicians who mischaracterize their behavior as a calculated change from the politics as usual. In practice the behavior is often inconsistent or bizarre and can be seen by many rational observers as a freak show. However, there are some people who want to believe there is substance despite being illogical and the evidence to the contrary.
Bush's compassionate conservativism was a new version of "politics as unusual" as it was neither compassionate nor conservative but instead was inconsistent with the core values of compassion and conservatism.
Sarah Palin has created a cliché of "politics as unusual" with her bizarre behavior, and unusual characteristics which she tries sell as a preferred moral and ethical alternative.
Sarah's ability to explain her foreign policy credentials ("you can see Russia from Alaska...", "Russian diplomats fly over Alaska on their way to the USA...") in a way that would be impressive to the average KMART shopper.
Sarah has made parents of minor unwed mothers who are still in high school the ideal candidate for family values.
Sarah said a Governor should resign when under fire to save the government cost providing information on ethic violations to the public becomes too high.
Sarah Palin has created a cliché of "politics as unusual" with her bizarre behavior, and unusual characteristics which she tries sell as a preferred moral and ethical alternative.
Sarah's ability to explain her foreign policy credentials ("you can see Russia from Alaska...", "Russian diplomats fly over Alaska on their way to the USA...") in a way that would be impressive to the average KMART shopper.
Sarah has made parents of minor unwed mothers who are still in high school the ideal candidate for family values.
Sarah said a Governor should resign when under fire to save the government cost providing information on ethic violations to the public becomes too high.
by mlhiss July 4, 2009
Get the Politics as unusualmug. There is a MEGA movement in Europe as America First begins ending it's subsidies of Europe defense and start new trade wars with Europe.
by mlhiss May 31, 2025
Get the MEGAmug. Symbolically the 99% of the population that does not include the super rich 1% (that controls a larger and larger proportion of the wealth, and extraordinary powers in influencing elections).
Since the 1% started to conserve the trickle of wealth downward, the bottom of the bottom 99% have had learn to live without housing, medical and food. Many of the 99% have been forced to live on the street. Wall Street has become the Skit Road of the Great Recession.
by mlhiss October 6, 2011
Get the 99%mug. When someone plants the idea that candidates that have no chance of winning, who are not very popular except as potential cult figures are the only legitimate choice to vote for. They really don't take into account the fact that these candidates are often narcissistic and only put in enough effort to spoil and election. The voter inseminaters often play to one's guilt and plant the idea that a person will be going against their better angels if they don't vote for these no chance of winning candidates.
Sadly the most popular presidential candidates have actually won the popular vote but lost the general election and were later considered to be losers because they did not win the electoral college. The cult candidate only getting enough votes to through the election is often considered a villain.
Sadly inseminated voters often slowly watch much of what they took for granted dismantled and things get worse - wars, broken economy, their jobs, environmental deterioration, human rights violations, justice system failure, pandemics, racism, homophobia.
Sadly the most popular presidential candidates have actually won the popular vote but lost the general election and were later considered to be losers because they did not win the electoral college. The cult candidate only getting enough votes to through the election is often considered a villain.
Sadly inseminated voters often slowly watch much of what they took for granted dismantled and things get worse - wars, broken economy, their jobs, environmental deterioration, human rights violations, justice system failure, pandemics, racism, homophobia.
In many cases very derisive candidates employ the practice of voter insemination to siphon a popular candidates votes off. Many times the voter inseminaters are able redirect the most extreme activist to volunteer tirelessly for some fringe extreme cult figure who they feel better represents their concept of utopia.
In extremely rare cases voter insemination has a positive benefit if people are inspired to actually vote in an election that they may not have otherwise bothered to do. While their vote of the non-viable candidate may be clearly wasted they may vote in other elections on the ballot for candidates that would not have occurred otherwise and so make a big difference in close elections that have candidates that are more closely aligned with their values.
In some cases voter insemination fails completely and the voter instead becomes overly apathetic and refuses to vote for any candidate because they don't want to participate in a corrupt system. This can have a really negative effect on all levels of government especially when good people don't participate.
In extremely rare cases voter insemination has a positive benefit if people are inspired to actually vote in an election that they may not have otherwise bothered to do. While their vote of the non-viable candidate may be clearly wasted they may vote in other elections on the ballot for candidates that would not have occurred otherwise and so make a big difference in close elections that have candidates that are more closely aligned with their values.
In some cases voter insemination fails completely and the voter instead becomes overly apathetic and refuses to vote for any candidate because they don't want to participate in a corrupt system. This can have a really negative effect on all levels of government especially when good people don't participate.
by mlhiss March 29, 2020
Get the voter inseminationmug. The intuitive path that is created by walkers/hikers or drivers vs a marked trail or road. Once established it can become an alternative or preferred route. Typically it is a short cut on a marked trail or road but it can also be a well-worn ribbon of exposed soil or rut in an open space where there are few trails to connect desired areas.
The desire line became so popular that the marked trail became overgrown and hard to follow from lack of use. However, over time the desire lines became so eroded they were unusable and abandoned in favor of the switch back trails.
by mlhiss May 14, 2020
Get the desire linemug. Where a politician is acting as an agent to do the heavy lifting for a person or special interest group, that could not possibly get support on it's own.
This is not to be confused with "leading from behind", where the leader does the actual leading from behind the scenes and the grass roots group does the heavy lifting for a leader who could not possibly get support on their own.
Being "lead from behind" is extremely common in the USA. In some cases a single politician is "lead from behind" by several different types of dominant individual and special interest groups that provide the best benefit packages to the leader, for help in specific areas.
This is not to be confused with "leading from behind", where the leader does the actual leading from behind the scenes and the grass roots group does the heavy lifting for a leader who could not possibly get support on their own.
Being "lead from behind" is extremely common in the USA. In some cases a single politician is "lead from behind" by several different types of dominant individual and special interest groups that provide the best benefit packages to the leader, for help in specific areas.
When Obama came to power he had the grassroots support of the majority of voters in the county. Now he is being "lead from behind" by a few of the biggest banker behinds (asses) on Wall Street. Instead of going to jail these Wall Street bankers are taking home millions of dollars in bonuses, that are made possible by government bailouts and by raising service fees to outrageously high levels. While much of the fuss is over protesters that Occupy Wall Street little mention is made of the Wall Street bankers who live in luxury and "Occupy the White House".
The tea party leaders are being "lead from behind" by the Koch Brothers, and Fox News (who carefully packages their message).
In America to understand politics you need to look at who is behind the leader. Sometimes it is hard to see who it is because it is often only through a small opening that they become visible and it is not always open.
The tea party leaders are being "lead from behind" by the Koch Brothers, and Fox News (who carefully packages their message).
In America to understand politics you need to look at who is behind the leader. Sometimes it is hard to see who it is because it is often only through a small opening that they become visible and it is not always open.
by mlhiss October 30, 2011
Get the lead from behindmug. 1, Low wage/sub-living wage job for which there is little potential for advancement in the job, accumulating wealth, or in one's life.
2. A job with high risk to health and welfare, lack of concern for the safety of the worker especially during a pandemic or times when labor and public health/environmental laws are not being enforced. The job has very limited benefits except to the employer.
2. A job with high risk to health and welfare, lack of concern for the safety of the worker especially during a pandemic or times when labor and public health/environmental laws are not being enforced. The job has very limited benefits except to the employer.
He was desperate when he took the dead end job during the pandemic, but he had no idea how quickly and badly it would end for so many of his co-workers.
by mlhiss July 9, 2020
Get the dead end jobmug.