Public Policy Jargon

noun a regular journey of some distance to and from one's place of work

verb to travel some distance regularly between one's home and one's place of work

• The daily commute to work can be quite tiring and time-consuming.
• I hate my commute every morning, it's always so crowded on the train.
• I wish my commute wasn't such a drag, it takes forever to get to the office.
• The commute to success is often filled with obstacles and challenges.

noun the act of carefully considering or discussing something before making a decision

verb none

adjective none

adverb none

pronoun none

preposition none

conjunction none

interjection none

article none

• After much deliberation, the committee finally reached a decision.
• We spent hours deliberating over where to go for dinner.
• I'm done deliberating, let's just go with option A.
• His mind was a place of constant deliberation, weighing every option before making a choice.

verb to clear from accusation or blame; to free from guilt or responsibility

• The new evidence helped exonerate the wrongly accused man.
• They finally proved that he didn't do it and exonerated him.
• They cleared his name and exonerated him from all charges.
• The truth came out and exonerated him, washing away all doubts.

noun a person or group that has the authority to govern or control

verb to rule over or control a group of people or a country

• The laws govern how businesses operate within the country.
• Parents often govern what time their children need to be home.
• The cool kids govern the cafeteria at lunchtime.
• Emotions can sometimes govern our decision-making process.

noun the act or process of governing

verb control, direct, or influence the actions and behavior of others

adjective relating to the exercise of authority or control

• The governing body passed a new law to regulate online privacy.
• The governing officials are discussing the new budget proposal.
• The governing folks are really cracking down on partying in the neighborhood.
• His moral compass is like a governing force in his decision-making.

noun the state of being confined in prison; imprisonment

• The judge sentenced him to a year of incarceration for his crimes.
• He's going to jail for a year, that's his incarceration.
• He got locked up, facing some serious incarceration time.
• Her self-doubt was like a mental incarceration, holding her back from pursuing her dreams.

noun a sum of money that a government owes to others

• The government is working on a plan to reduce the national debt.
• Our country's national debt is getting out of hand.
• We're drowning in national debt.
• The national debt is like a weight dragging down our economy.

noun a strong supporter of a party, cause, or person, often to the point of being biased or prejudiced

• The issue of partisanism in politics continues to divide the nation.
• Partisanism is getting in the way of progress in government.
• I'm so over all this partisanism in politics, it's exhausting.
• The deep-rooted partisanism in society is like a wall that blocks compromise and unity.

verb to relapse into a previous behavior or condition, especially criminal behavior

• The rehabilitation program aims to reduce the likelihood of individuals recidivating after their release from prison.
• They're worried that he might recidivate and end up back in jail.
• If you keep hanging out with those troublemakers, you're gonna recidivate for sure.
• His tendency to recidivate in unhealthy habits is hindering his personal growth.

noun a pamphlet or leaflet containing information on a specific topic

verb to pull or drag something along a surface

• The government has designated a specific tract of land for conservation purposes.
• We're going to check out that new housing tract on the outskirts of town.
• I heard that new restaurant is in a prime shopping tract.
• His speech covered a wide tract of topics, ranging from politics to art.

noun a person or company that engages in hydraulic fracturing, a method of extracting natural gas or oil from underground rock formations

• The fracker drilled into the ground to extract natural gas.
• I heard that fracker is causing some environmental damage in the area.
• That fracker is always looking for new sources of oil.
• She's a real fracker when it comes to negotiating deals.

noun the act of denying the existence or reality of climate change

• Climate denial is a dangerous ideology that hinders progress in addressing environmental issues.
• Some people still engage in climate denial despite overwhelming evidence of global warming.
• I can't believe there are still climate deniers out there, it's ridiculous.
• Refusing to acknowledge the reality of climate change is like burying your head in the sand.

noun a person who benefits from something without paying for it

• The free rider problem occurs when individuals benefit from a public good without contributing to its costs.
• Don't be a free rider and make sure to pitch in for the group project.
• Stop being a free rider and start pulling your weight.
• In life, being a free rider will only get you so far before people catch on to your actions.

noun a consequence of an industrial or commercial activity which affects other parties without this being reflected in the cost of the goods or services involved

• The economic model takes into account the externalities associated with production.
• When discussing pollution, we need to consider the externalities it creates.
• Hey, did you think about the side effects of that decision? Those are the externalities.
• In life, every action we take has externalities that ripple out beyond ourselves.

noun A person or organization that advocates for the rights and interests of consumers

• The consumer champion fought for fair pricing and quality standards in the industry.
• The consumer champion always knows where to find the best deals.
• That guy is a total consumer champion, he knows all the tricks to save money.
• She was like a consumer champion, always looking out for the best interests of her friends and family.

noun Narrative is a spoken or written account of connected events; a story.

• The coroner delivered a narrative verdict at the end of the inquest.
• The coroner gave a detailed explanation in the narrative verdict.
• The verdict was like a story told by the coroner.
• The narrative verdict painted a clear picture of what happened.