Washington Monument ploy
n.— «Cynics suggest the proposed park closings are merely a bargaining tactic, a way to gain leverage in getting the budget passed. There’s even a name for it in political circles: the “Washington Monument ploy.” Politicians announce highly unpopular cuts, and then relent in exchange for other concessions.» —“Closing of parks undermines state’s eco-tourism industry” by Michele S. Byers Asbury Park Press (New Jersey) Apr. 9, 2008. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Katie in Everett, Washington, is curious about the expression If ifs and ands were pots and pans, there’d be no need for tinkers. What is a tinker? She heard this phrase on the television series The Gilded Age, in response to a character who...