Political football

Political football

A political football is a political topic or issue that is continually debated but left unresolved. The term is used often during a political election campaign to highlight issues that have not been completely addressed, such as the natural environment and abortion.

There are many reasons that an issue may be left unresolved. Examples are:
* The issue may be highly controversial with the populace rather evenly split on both sides. In this case, a government has no clear positive action to take.
* A government may want the opposite of what the majority of the people want. By not making a decision, the government creates time to attempt to convert the public opinion.
* Government may be split on a decision and neither side is willing to give in to the other.
* A minority group in government may be opposed to a decision and will use a method to delay a decision, such as a filibuster.
* Politicians may be attempting to draw the issue into public debate in order to gain their own popularity at the polls.

With the use of the word "football", many other football terms are in common use. Once a topic or issue has presented itself, the opposition will take the issue and "run with it" and "try to score points". There may be many parties in opposition to take up the topic, and sometimes run it into the ground, which at times can "backfire" and end up hurting the opposing faction. This can happen to the point of that party being seen as "fumbling" the issue. When a party or candidate ends up ignoring or putting off the issue, they are said to be "punting" it. In addition to the opponents of the politician or party using the subject as political fuel, the media may also "run with it". Sometimes these matters become larger, like during an election, than anyone would have thought possible during the event itself.

The phrase in modern usage is most likely derived from American football rather than association football ("football" to most of the world). However, the Oxford English Dictionary has examples of use as early as the 1600s (long before the creation of American Football). All early examples from the OED originated in the United States. It is possible that the term originated from one definition of "football" and evolved later to be strongly tied to the modern definition of "American football".

The term is now being used around the world including even places where most people do not know much about American football or the relation to the term.


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • political football — an issue that politicians argue about and try to use for their advantage This issue is too important to be treated as a political football. • • • Main Entry: ↑football political football see ↑football • • • Main Entry: ↑political …   Useful english dictionary

  • political football — a program or issue used by politicians to get votes, play political games    A day care program is a political football. Politicians use it to get the votes of parents with babies …   English idioms

  • political football — /pəˌlɪtɪkəl ˈfʊtbɔl/ (say puh.litikuhl footbawl) noun Colloquial an issue or project of social importance used as a means to gain a political advantage, especially by opposing political parties …  

  • political football — noun A political topic that is continually debated but left unresolved …   Wiktionary

  • (a) political football — a problem that politicians from different parties argue about and try to use in order to get an advantage for themselves. We don t want the immigration issue to become a political football …   New idioms dictionary

  • football — foot ball , n. An inflated ball to be kicked in sport, usually made in India rubber, or a bladder incased in Leather. Waller. [1913 Webster] Note: The American football is an oblate spheroid, with pointed ends. In other countries, the football is …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • football — [foot′bôl΄] n. [ME foteballe] 1. a) Brit. SOCCER b) Brit. RUGBY1 (sense 2) c) in the U.S., a game played on a field that is 100 yards long, with 2 teams of 11 players and a goal at each end: the players may attempt to score a touchdown by running …   English World dictionary

  • football — /foot bawl /, n. 1. a game in which two opposing teams of 11 players each defend goals at opposite ends of a field having goal posts at each end, with points being scored chiefly by carrying the ball across the opponent s goal line and by place… …   Universalium

  • football — foot|ball W2S1 [ˈfutbo:l US bo:l] n 1.) [U] BrE a game played by two teams of eleven players who try to kick a round ball into the other team s ↑goal = ↑soccer ▪ Which football team do you support? ▪ kids playing football in the street ▪ My Dad… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • political — po|lit|i|cal W1S3 [pəˈlıtıkəl] adj [Date: 1500 1600; : Latin; Origin: politicus; POLITIC] 1.) relating to the government, politics, and public affairs of a country →↑politically ▪ Education is now a major political issue. ▪ a time of political… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

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