Glossary of Common Political Terms, Commonly Used in Multiple Ways

Congress: When used as a proper noun, the United States legislative branch of government.

Current Congress (also referred to as a Congress or the present Congress): the serving body during a given congressional term. Congresses last two years – so the group of representatives after each election and once they have been formally called to order.

congress: A collection of people organized for a common task; most commonly a group of people involved in legislation, usually as a representative body. When used in this meaning, the word is not capitalized.

Conservative: a collection of political positions that share the principle of maintaining the best of existing systems, values and principles; commonly includes reducing or not increasing the influence of government domestically; fiscal responsibility; traditional social values.

Conservative: a person who holds a conservative viewpoint. Note that no individual is likely to hold all of the positions of a broad category like ‘conservative’ but will generally agree with most or all of the major principles.

Conservatism: the political philosophy that defines and espouses conservative principles.