limousine liberal

English

Etymology

First appeared c. 1969. Coined by Mario Procaccino in reference to New York mayor John Lindsay.

Noun

limousine liberal (plural limousine liberals)

1. (US, derogatory) A wealthy person, liberal in politics but insulated from any adverse consequences of the policies they support. [from 1969]

   Synonyms: champagne socialist, chardonnay socialist, latte liberal

   • 1970 June 8, Tom Wolfe, “Radical Chic: That Party at Lenny's”, in New York Magazine‎^[1]:

     As soon as the word comes out of your mouth […] your own servant is going to size you up as one of those limousine liberals, or whatever epithet they use, who are busy pouring white soul all over the black movement, and would you do as much for the white lower class, for the domestics of the East Side, for example, fat chance, sahib.

Further reading

• limousine liberal on Wikipedia.Wikipedia