party whips
Legislative discipline enforcers
Party whips are legislators responsible for enforcing discipline within their political party—ensuring members vote according to party leadership's wishes.
The term comes from fox hunting, where a "whipper-in" keeps hounds from straying.
Whips count votes, negotiate with reluctant members, and communicate between leadership and rank-and-file: The whip warned him there'd be consequences for breaking ranks.
Forceful influence tactics
- cajolingPersuading through flattery
- lobbyingAdvocating to decision-makers
- convincingAble to persuade
- negotiatingDiscussing to reach agreement
coaxing · urging · sweet-talking · wheedling · enticing · swaying · maneuvering · horse-trading
Trained self-control or specialty
- enforcementCompelling compliance with rules
- controlAuthority to direct
- commandAuthoritative instruction given
- hierarchyRanked authority structure
leadership · power · influence · oversight · management · direction · governance · regulation
Party's chief congressional tactician
- caucusParty selection meeting
- legislationOfficial enactment of statutes
- amendmentsFormal changes to documents
- parliamentary procedureRules governing deliberative assemblies
roll call · quorum · division · tellers · scheduling · agenda-setting · filibuster · cloture
Tendency to bind together
- solidarityUnity among allies
- loyaltyFaithful commitment to another
- consensusGeneral group agreement
- alignmentCorrect relative positioning
unanimity · conformity · bloc · discipline · harmony · fellowship · ranks · collective action
Connector between groups
- strategistExpert in planning campaigns
- parliamentarianRules of order specialist
arm-twisting
Forceful influence tactics
- cajolingPersuading through flattery
- lobbyingAdvocating to decision-makers
- convincingAble to persuade
negotiating · coaxing · urging · sweet-talking · wheedling · enticing · swaying · maneuvering · horse-trading · deal-making
discipline
Trained self-control or specialty
- enforcementCompelling compliance with rules
- controlAuthority to direct
- commandAuthoritative instruction given
hierarchy · leadership · power · influence · oversight · management · direction · governance · regulation · supervision
floor leader
Party's chief congressional tactician
- caucusParty selection meeting
- legislationOfficial enactment of statutes
- amendmentsFormal changes to documents
parliamentary procedure · roll call · quorum · division · tellers · scheduling · agenda-setting · filibuster · cloture · proxy voting
cohesion
Tendency to bind together
- solidarityUnity among allies
- loyaltyFaithful commitment to another
- consensusGeneral group agreement
alignment · unanimity · conformity · bloc · discipline · harmony · fellowship · ranks · collective action · unified front
liaison
Connector between groups
- strategistExpert in planning campaigns
- parliamentarianRules of order specialist
- parliamentparliament, bills, votes, vote, debate
- ToriesTory, Toryism, Thatcherism, Thatcherites, Margaret Thatcher
- political oppositionopposition leader, minority leader, loyal opposition, shadow cabinet, shadow government
party whipsfree vote
Uncoerced legislative ballot
conscience vote · mavericks · rebels · free agents · crossbenchers
party whipsbackbenchers
Ordinary members of parliament
party leaders · floor leaders · speaker of the house · majority leader · minority leader
party, whip, parties, partied, partying, whips, whipped, whipping, whipper