Gypsy moth Republican
Encyclopedia
A Gypsy moth Republican, informally, is a politically pejorative
term used by conservative
Republicans
to describe a moderate Republican serving in the U.S. House of Representatives who happens to represent a northeastern
or midwestern
urban area
of the U.S. (an area that is also the habitat
for the invasive Gypsy moth
, an insect
that damages tree
s and agriculture
). Congressman Carl Pursell
of Michigan was often described as the quintessential Gypsy Moth Republican in the 1980s.
The implication is that the Gypsy moth Republicans do damage to the Republican Party by siding occasionally with the more liberal Democratic Party
.
Contrast this term with Boll Weevil Democrats
(or Blue Dog Democrats), who are characterized as more moderate or conservative Democrats who occasionally side with the Republicans.
Pejorative
Pejoratives , including name slurs, are words or grammatical forms that connote negativity and express contempt or distaste. A term can be regarded as pejorative in some social groups but not in others, e.g., hacker is a term used for computer criminals as well as quick and clever computer experts...
term used by conservative
American conservatism
Conservatism in the United States has played an important role in American politics since the 1950s. Historian Gregory Schneider identifies several constants in American conservatism: respect for tradition, support of republicanism, preservation of "the rule of law and the Christian religion", and...
Republicans
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
to describe a moderate Republican serving in the U.S. House of Representatives who happens to represent a northeastern
Northeastern United States
The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States as defined by the United States Census Bureau.-Composition:The region comprises nine states: the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont; and the Mid-Atlantic states of New...
or midwestern
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
urban area
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
of the U.S. (an area that is also the habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
for the invasive Gypsy moth
Gypsy moth
The gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar, is a moth in the family Lymantriidae of Eurasian origin. Originally ranging from Europe to Asia, it was introduced to North America in the late 1860s and has been expanding its range ever since...
, an insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
that damages tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
s and agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
). Congressman Carl Pursell
Carl Pursell
Carl Duane Pursell was a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan.Pursell was born in Imlay City, Michigan and graduated from Plymouth High School, Plymouth, Michigan, in 1951. He worked in his father's business and served in the United States Army from 1957 to 1959...
of Michigan was often described as the quintessential Gypsy Moth Republican in the 1980s.
The implication is that the Gypsy moth Republicans do damage to the Republican Party by siding occasionally with the more liberal Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
.
Contrast this term with Boll Weevil Democrats
Boll weevil (politics)
Boll weevils was an American political term used in the mid- and late-20th century to describe conservative Southern Democrats.During and after the administration of Franklin D...
(or Blue Dog Democrats), who are characterized as more moderate or conservative Democrats who occasionally side with the Republicans.
See also
- Republican In Name OnlyRepublican In Name OnlyRepublican In Name Only is a pejorative term that refers to a member of the Republican Party of the United States whose political views or actions are considered insufficiently conservative or otherwise not conforming to party positions...
- Rockefeller RepublicanRockefeller RepublicanRockefeller Republican refers to a faction of the United States Republican Party who held moderate to liberal views similar to those of Nelson Rockefeller...
- Gypsy mothGypsy mothThe gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar, is a moth in the family Lymantriidae of Eurasian origin. Originally ranging from Europe to Asia, it was introduced to North America in the late 1860s and has been expanding its range ever since...
- Boll Weevil DemocratsBoll weevil (politics)Boll weevils was an American political term used in the mid- and late-20th century to describe conservative Southern Democrats.During and after the administration of Franklin D...
- Blue Dog DemocratBlue Dog DemocratThe Blue Dog Coalition, commonly known as the Blue Dogs, is a group of United States Congressional Representatives from the Democratic Party who identify themselves as moderates....
s