limousine liberal
2
9.4
- noun
- /ˈlɪməˌzin ˈlɪbərəl/
- Offensive
:
liberal de limusina
- And yet it's Kennedy who typifies to many swing voters the very "limousine liberal" wing of the party that has for so long repelled voters from throwing in with the Dems.
Examples
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The documentary examined the lifestyle of limousine liberals and how their political views often clash with the realities faced by average citizens.
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Secondly, they need to find out how many limousine liberals live in the Northeast but own vacation homes in the town.
Blog text (25) -
Typical limousine-liberal malarkey and no surprises.
Blog text (3) -
Obama still has overwhelming support from the limousine liberals in Hollywood.
Blog text (34) -
Well, they do, and the only people that are not going to be hurt by it in the coming years are the limousine liberals and the political class.
Blog text (30) -
Most are limousine liberals who want to live among middle and working-class whites.
Blog text (1) -
This is a big piece of why, for all the denigration of limousine liberals, Ted Kennedy kept getting re-elected.
Blog text (22) -
The city legislators resented these "limousine liberals" in the suburbs who, it appeared, were forcing their views on the cities.
Academic text (2001) -
Many people criticize him as a limousine liberal because he supports policies that don't align with his wealthy lifestyle.
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Despite their good intentions, limousine liberals are often seen as disconnected from the struggles of lower-income families.
Synonyms
A person who supports equality but lives a rich life
How Hypocritical
- Offensive
- Offensive
2
9.4
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound combines 'limousine' (a symbol of wealth/luxury) with 'liberal' (a political supporter), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer it refers to a wealthy person with liberal views. However, the critical/pejorative sense (hypocritical or out-of-touch supporter) is an added pragmatic nuance that learners may not fully predict without exposure, so it is not fully transparent.
Etymology
Limousine liberal comes from the image of a rich person riding in a limousine while saying they are a liberal. Critics use it to say someone 'supports' liberal ideas but is 'out of touch' with the problems of ordinary people.