GOP, the wacky world of politics, and all that jazz

I’m trying to become more “aware” and follow Obama’s Affordable Care Act, after all a major crisis has only just been averted with Congress getting the go ahead to keep on . . . congressing.

See?

My knowledge is thin and weedy.

The very first article I looked at had me stumped:

Here’s how GOP Obamacare hypocrisy backfires

First I had to figure out who or what GOP was, OK, easy fixed. Thanks google. They’re the Republicans, also called the Grand Old Party. Apparently this was an ironic title bestowed upon them, which started out life as the Gallant Old Party.

Huh, and I thought it was some official acronym.

So, then I started reading:

Why Obamacare Grandfathered Plans are Going Extinct

And was stumped again.

Grandfathered?

So what, are they taken down to the park, given sweeties, and pushed on the swings?

Still I persevered:

Kludgeocracy: The American Way of Policy

And what in the sweet green grass is  kludgeocracy?

I might just stop calling myself an English teacher since I am following none of that.

I guess the only positive  thing – the only thing –  to be said about Australian politics is their use of plain English. Or should that be Australianisms?

In an interview with The Washington Post our newest Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, explains the previous government’s policies thus:

''Welcome to the wonderful, wacko world of the former government.'' 

Mr Fernandes, an associate professor of international and political studies at the University of New South Wales, offers this observation:

“Generally speaking the convention is that you don’t go to a foreign country and attack your political opponents at home.

“Their commentators will be privately thinking that this is extremely uncouth.”

Fantastic- I don’t understand American politics, and we’re the country with an uncouth PM.