Political opportunism Political opportunism Political opportunism refers to the attempt to maintain political support, or increase political influence, in a way which disregards relevant ethical or political principles. The political philosophy of Niccolò Machiavelli as described in "The Prince" is often regarded as a classic manual of opportunist scheming, and indeed a "Machiavellian" is nowadays defined as "a cunning, amoral, and opportunist person, especially a politician". Political opportunism is interpreted in different ways, but usually refers to one or more of the following: Typically, opportunist political behavior is criticized for being short-sighted or narrow-minded. That is, in the urge to make short-term
Mayberry Machiavelli senior staffers who reduced every issue to a simplistic black and white, us vs them narrative. The phrase invokes the infamous Machiavellian-style power politics coupled with the simplistic mindset of rural small town, as exemplified by the fictional town of Mayberry in the television shows "The Andy Griffith Show" and "Mayberry R.F.D.", which ran on the American television network, CBS, from 1960 to 1971. Mayberry Machiavelli Mayberry Machiavelli is a satirically pejorative phrase coined by John J. DiIulio Jr., a former George W. Bush administration staffer who ran the President's Faith-Based Initiative. After DiIulio resigned from his White House post