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Third Rail

Posted by Ward on October 15, 2004

In Reply to: Third Rail posted by Bookworm on October 15, 2004

: : Any ideas on the origin of this one? Our morning newscaster used it again today and while its meaning is clear, its origin is not.

: While we are at it, when did certain issues become the "third rail"?

In US politics, the 'third rail' issues became those that were so politically charged that touching them could cause instant electrocution and political suicide. It was said for a long while that the issue of Social Security was one of these....no solution, and whatever you suggested would lose votes from large blocks of voters.

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