‘Kitchen-Table’ Is a Type of Politics

And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English.

On this program we explore words and expressions in the English language. We give examples and notes on usage.

Today we talk about different kinds of politics.

We start with kitchen-table politics. The kitchen is often considered the hub, or center, of the home. It is where we gather to not only share a meal but to talk about the events of the day. We often discuss issues of importance with our family and friends around the dining room table.

So, kitchen-table issues are those that affect individuals and their families daily. A family might discuss these issues at the kitchen table during mealtimes.

Rising gas and food prices are two good examples of kitchen-table politics. These issues affect decisions we make day to day. They are sometimes also called dinner-table politics. Or we could describe them as bread-and-butter issues.

Merriam Webster dictionary defines bread-and-butter issues as “being as basic as the earning of one's livelihood.” The online Cambridge Dictionary defines a bread-and-butter issue as “a subject or problem that relates directly to most people's needs and interests.”

For example, affordable food prices and availability of good healthcare are the kinds of bread-and-butter political issues that people vote on.

The noun bread and butter means a way of making a living. For example, for a creative writer, her ideas are her bread and butter.

So, bread-and-butter political issues deal with our ability to provide for the needs of ourselves and our families.

Next, let’s talk about green politics. These political issues deal with caring for the natural environment. Green politics can cover ideas such as environmental sustainability, recycling, and threats to wildlife. The natural world is central to green politics.

Identity politics is more personal. This term means that a person’s political views are formed by their experiences and understanding of themselves. Things like gender, age, social and economic position, and religious belief can inform identity politics.

Finally, we come to gotcha politics. This type of politics is centered on damaging opponents through public accusations of wrongdoing or misbehavior. Gotcha politics often involves investigation into the private lives, past and present, of politicians in search of negative information.

In gotcha politics, “Gotcha” is short for “I got you,” meaning, “I caught you!”

And that's the end of this Words and Their Stories.

Until next time, I’m Anna Matteo.

Anna Matteo wrote this story for VOA Learning English.

dine -v. to eat dinner

dinner -n. the main meal of the day

basic -adj. of, relating to, or forming the base or essence

livelihood -n. means of support

affordable -adj. having a cost that is not too high

sustainability -n. of, relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged

recycling -n. to process (something, such as liquid body waste, glass, or cans) in order to regain material for human use

gender -n. the behavioral, cultural, or psychological traits typically associated with one sex

negative -adj. not positive or helpful

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