third rail (politics)

File:WMATA third rail at West Falls Church.jpg

The third rail of a nation's politics is a metaphor for any issue so controversial that it is "charged" and "untouchable" to the extent that any politician or public official who dares to broach the subject will invariably suffer politically. The metaphor comes from the high-voltage third rail in some electric railway systems.

Touching a third rail can result in electrocution, so usage of the metaphor in political situations relates to the risk of "political suicide" that a person would face by raising certain taboo subjects or having points of view that are either censored, shunned or considered highly controversial or offensive to advocate or even mention.

It is most commonly used in North America. Though commonly attributed to Tip O'Neill,{{cite web|url=http://historynewsnetwork.org/article/10522|title=When Did Social Security Become the Third Rail of American Politics?|author=Rick Shenkman|publisher=George Mason University|accessdate=October 21, 2014}} Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1977 to 1987, it seems to have been coined by O'Neill aide Kirk O'Donnell in 1982 in reference to Social Security.{{cite news|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/18/magazine/18wwlnsafire.t.html?_r=0|title=On Language: Third Rail|date=February 8, 2007|author=William Safire|accessdate=October 21, 2014}}{{Cite web |title=Macroeconomics: Policy and Practice |url=https://www.pearson.com/en-us/subject-catalog/p/macroeconomics-policy-and-practice/P200000005991/9780133424386 |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=www.pearson.com}}

American examples of usage

A wide range of issues might be claimed detrimental to politicians tackling them, but those below have all been explicitly described using the "third rail" metaphor:

Withdrawal of Social Security and Medicare benefits{{cite journal|title=The Nuclear Third Rail: Can Fuel Cycle Capabilities Be Limited?|author=Wolfsthal, Jon B.|page=11|journal=Arms Control Today|volume=34|number=10|date=December 2004}}{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2010/09/27/third-rail-politics/|title=Third rail politics|publisher=}}{{cite web|url=http://seniorliving.about.com/od/socialsecurity101/a/socialsecurity.htm|title="Why is Social Security Called the Third Rail of American Politics?" by Senior Living |website=About.com|publisher=}}[https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/medicare-the-new-third-rail-of-american-politics/2011/05/25/AGzWLuBH_blog.html "Medicare: the new Third Rail of American politics?"], The Washington Post
Debate of race issues[http://press.princeton.edu/titles/9548.html Still a House Divided: Race and Politics in Obama's America], Desmond S. King, Rogers M. Smith, Reprint edition December 8, 2013, Princeton University Press, [https://books.google.com/books?id=nM-BWArJcAwC&dq=%22Third+rail+%22+race&pg=PT129 books.google.com]: "Sociologist John David Skrentny exaggerates only slightly when he says that at this point, advocacy of racial preferences was a 'third rail' in American politics: 'touch it and you die.'"{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-koehler/going-deep-race-and-the-t_b_5556945.html|title=Going Deep: Race and the Third Rail|first=Robert|last=Koehler|website=HuffPost|date=July 4, 2014|publisher=}}[http://www.newsweek.com/daring-touch-third-rail-86729?piano_d=1 Daring to Touch the Third Rail], Robert Koehler, Newsweek, 01/19/08, "Obama has avoided being pigeonholed as the "black candidate" and has mostly steered clear of talking about race on the campaign trail (at least until his recent fracas with Hillary Clinton over whether she besmirched King's legacy by noting President Lyndon Johnson's role in the Civil Rights Act). But Michelle hasn't backed away from discussing her experiences of race and prejudice."[http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2012/07/20/short-circuiting_the_new_third_rail_in_politics_114854.html Short-Circuiting the New Third Rail in Politics], July 20, 2012, Suzanne Fields, RealClearPolitics, "Race has become the third rail of American politics. Touch it, and you die. It's the rail some of our angriest Democrats want to ride Mitt Romney and the Republicans out of town on."
Antidumping and countervailing duty withdrawal{{cite journal|url=https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/united-states/2005-07-01/antidumping-third-rail-trade-policy|title=Antidumping: The Third Rail of Trade Policy|first1=N. Gregory|last1=Mankiw|first2=Phillip L.|last2=Swagel|journal=Foreign Affairs |date=July 1, 2005|issue=July/August 2005|doi=10.2307/20034424 |jstor=20034424 |via=www.foreignaffairs.com}}
Opposition to abortion for rape victims{{cite web|url=http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/christine_flowers/20120824_Christine_M__Flowers__Searching_for_light_and_truth_in_the_Todd_Akin_controversy.html|title=Searching for light and truth in the Todd Akin controversy|author=Christine M. Flowers|publisher=The Philadelphia Inquirer|date=August 24, 2012|accessdate=August 27, 2012}}
Resuming the draft{{cite web |url=http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2005/0503.carter.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050303053425/http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2005/0503.carter.html |archive-date=March 3, 2005 |title="The Case for the Draft" by Phillip Carter and Paul Glastris}}
National content policy in export finance[https://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-294] U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) Actions Needed to Promote Competitiveness and International Cooperation February 7, 2012

The role that gifted education plays in modern public school segregation[https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/26/nyregion/gifted-programs-nyc-desegregation.html] New York Times. Desegregation Plan: Eliminate All Gifted Programs in New York. August 26, 2019.
Debate about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and U.S. support for Israel[https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2006/07/grabbing-third-rail/] Mother Jones. Grabbing the Third Rail. July 18, 2006.[https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2006/07/grabbing-third-rail "Grabbing the Third Rail"], 2006, Paige Austin, Mother Jones[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jonathan-tasini/touching-the-third-rail-i_b_25859.html "Touching The Third Rail: Israel and New York Politics"], Jonathan Tasini, Huffington Post
Debate about mass immigration{{Cite news|title=Democrats call for 'big, bold' action on immigration as Biden's bill is introduced|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/democrats-introduce-biden-citizenship-bill/2021/02/18/e843bb22-7179-11eb-b8a9-b9467510f0fe_story.html}}
Diverting water from the Great Lakes to the Southwest{{Cite web|last=Wilson|first=Gary|title=Third Rail Proposal: Selling Great Lakes water proposed to lower lake levels|url=https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/02/selling-water-west-great-lakes-diversions/|access-date=July 20, 2021|website=Great Lakes Now|date=February 18, 2020 |language=en-US}}
Guns, including semi-automatic weapons and child safety locks.{{cite news |last1=Taub |first1=Amanda |title=In the U.S., Backlash to Civil Rights Era Made Guns a Political Third Rail |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/25/world/americas/2nd-amendment-gun-laws.html |access-date=December 1, 2022 |work=The New York Times |date=May 25, 2022}}{{cite news |last1=Khalid |first1=Asma |title=A Third Rail No More: Incoming House Democrats Embrace Gun Control |url=https://www.npr.org/2018/11/13/666595118/a-third-rail-no-more-incoming-house-democrats-embrace-gun-control |access-date=December 1, 2022 |work=NPR |date=November 13, 2018 |language=en}}{{cite news |title=Parkland anniversary highlights how Democrats have shifted on guns |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/parkland-anniversary-highlights-how-democrats-have-shifted-on-guns |access-date=December 1, 2022 |work=PBS NewsHour |agency=Associated Press |date=February 12, 2019 |language=en-us}}
California's Proposition 13 on property tax{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/local/politics/la-me-pol-jerry-brown-20141019-story.html|title=An experienced Jerry Brown vows to build on what he's already done|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=October 19, 2014|access-date=October 21, 2014}}
The impact of meat consumption on climate change{{cite web|url=https://thebreakthrough.org/journal/no-15-winter-2022/meat-vortex-alternative-protein|title=The Coming "Meat Vortex" |first=Alex |last=Smith |work=Breakthrough Institute |date=November 30, 2021 |accessdate=January 24, 2023 |quote=Meat, in short, may well be the third rail of climate politics.}}
The transfer of Federal lands over to states.{{cite web | url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/tim-sheehy-montana-republican-public-lands_n_6530076ae4b03b213b084d09 | title=Montana GOP Senate Candidate Embraces a Seriously Toxic Position | date=October 18, 2023 }}

Outside the U.S.

=Argentina=

The Falkland Islands sovereignty dispute{{cite news|url=https://theconversation.com/argentinas-president-makes-the-ultimate-diplomatic-mistake-talking-about-the-falkland-islands-66465|title=Argentina's president makes the ultimate diplomatic mistake – talking about the Falkland Islands|first=Alejandro Milcíades|last=Peña|work=The Conversation |date=October 6, 2016 |access-date=June 12, 2020}}

=Australia=

Policies to address climate change{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/nov/17/turnbull-says-climate-change-has-become-a-third-rail-for-liberal-party |author= |title=Turnbull says climate change has become a third rail for the Liberal Party |work=The Guardian |date=November 17, 2018}}
Introducing Constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, Makarrata Commission and Indigenous treaties{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/aug/13/guardian-essential-poll-only-one-third-of-voters-want-a-treaty-truth-telling-commission-or-indigenous-voice |author= |title=Guardian Essential poll: only one-third of voters want a treaty, truth-telling commission or Indigenous voice |work=The Guardian |date=August 13, 2024}}{{cite news |url=https://nit.com.au/20-11-2023/8692/new-poll-shows-decline-in-support-for-treaty-and-truth-telling-despite-victoria-moving-forward-with-the-process|author= |title=New poll shows decline in support for Treaty and truth-telling, despite Victoria moving forward with the process |work=National Indigenious Times|date=November 20, 2023}}{{cite news |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-15/why-bob-hawke-failed-on-treaty-barunga-1988-indigenous-voice/102847356|author= |title=At Barunga Festival in 1988, then prime minister Bob Hawke promised a treaty with Aboriginal Australians. Why did it fail? |work=ABC|date=September 15, 2023}}
Removing or reforming Negative Gearing{{cite news |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/why-negative-gearing-has-ground-down-every-politician-who-tries-it-20240925-p5kdir.html |author= |title=Why negative gearing has ground down every politician who tries it |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=September 27, 2024}}
Referendum to amend the Constitution of Australia

=Canada=

Reforming or privatizing public health care{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/26/international/americas/26canada.html |title=As Canada's Slow-Motion Public Health System Falters... |work=The New York Times |first=Clifford |last=Krauss |date=February 26, 2006}}
Reforming or privatizing the Canada Pension Plan{{cite book |first1=J. |last1=Leech |first2=J. |last2=McNish |title=The Third Rail |publisher=McClelland & Stewart |year=2013}}
Amending the Constitution of Canada
Re-criminalization of abortion
Repeal of same-sex marriage

= Germany =

Introducing a speed limit on Autobahns{{Cite web|title=Autobahn unlimited: Saying speed limit to a German is like talking gun control in the US|url=https://www.handelsblatt.com/english/politics/autobahn-unlimited-saying-speed-limit-to-a-german-is-like-talking-gun-control-in-the-us/23899714.html|access-date=February 15, 2022|website=www.handelsblatt.com|language=en}}{{Cite news|last=Landler|first=Mark|date=March 16, 2007|title=Call for Speed Limit Has German Blood at 178 M.P.H. Boil|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/16/world/europe/16autobahn.html|access-date=February 15, 2022|issn=0362-4331}}

=India=

The introduction of income tax for agricultural income{{cite web|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/wealth/tax/should-agricultural-income-be-taxed/articleshow/60804911.cms|title=Should agricultural income be taxed?|first=Rajul |last=Awasthi |date=September 25, 2017|work=The Economic Times |access-date=June 12, 2020}}
Changes to the reservation system
Kashmir

=Republic of Ireland=

Abortion was viewed as a third rail prior to the Thirty-sixth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland which legalised it in 2018{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishcentral.com/news/irishvoice/atlanta-peter-casey-ireland-presidential-election|title=Atlanta's Peter Casey at the bat during Ireland's presidential election|date=November 1, 2018|website=IrishCentral.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/opinion/ian-odoherty-the-referendum-will-be-bitter-but-we-need-to-lance-this-boil/36409419.html|title=Ian O'Doherty: The referendum will be bitter. But we need to lance this boil|date=December 17, 2017|website=Independent.ie}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishamerica.com/2022/06/abortion-legal-ireland/|title=How Abortion Became Legal in Ireland | Irish America|date=June 24, 2022}}
The provision of medical cards (which grant free or low-price healthcare to people on low incomes and the chronically ill){{Cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-20271034.html|title=Medical cards could badly burn Coalition|first=Mary|last=Regan|date=June 5, 2014|website=Irish Examiner}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/commentanalysis/arid-20246186.html|title=As Noonan looks to bailout exit many fear his 'good news' about budget|date=October 14, 2013|website=Irish Examiner}}

=United Kingdom=

Drug policy{{cite web|url=https://yougov.co.uk/news/2018/05/30/majority-now-support-liberalising-policy-towards-c/|title=A majority support liberalising policy towards cannabis |first=Chris |last=Curtis |work=YouGov |date=May 30, 2018 |accessdate=October 5, 2018 |quote=Drug policy has often been considered a 'third rail' issue in British politics.}}
Reform of the National Health Service{{cite web |last1=Massie |first1=Alex |date=February 1, 2011 |title=Bitter Medicine |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2011/02/01/bitter-medicine-2/ |website=Foreign Policy |accessdate=April 15, 2020}}
Social care{{cite web|url=http://www.nlgn.org.uk/public/2017/political-uncertainty-must-not-mean-backsliding-on-social-care-reform/|title=Political uncertainty must not mean backsliding on social care reform|first=Adam |last=Lent |work=New Local Government Network |date=June 9, 2017|accessdate=October 5, 2018|quote=The assumption could well emerge that social care has proved to be a 'third rail' in politics killing anyone who touches it.}}
West Lothian question{{cite web|url=https://www.fisherinvestments.com/en-us/marketminder/after-scotlands-no-the-uks-devolution-revolution|title=After Scotland's No, the UK's Devolution Revolution|work=Fisher Investments|date=September 22, 2014|accessdate=October 5, 2018|quote=The West Lothian question has been the third rail of UK politics for nearly 20 years}}
Rejoining the European Union{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/johnsons-exit-wont-change-brexit/|title=Johnson's exit won't change Brexit |first=Paul |last=Taylor |work=Politico |date=July 12, 2022 |accessdate=January 24, 2023 |quote=Relations with the EU will remain the third rail of U.K. politics.}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-11-22/sunak-s-britain-is-starting-to-have-second-thoughts-about-brexit|title=UK Is Starting to Have Second Thoughts About Brexit |first=Ellen |last=Milligan |work=Bloomberg News |date=November 21, 2022 |accessdate=January 24, 2023 |quote=The gloomy prognosis has re-opened the debate over Brexit, previously the deadly third rail of Conservative Party politics...}}

= China =

Advocating for Hong Kong independence{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamzagoria/2019/10/07/nba-takes-unprincipled-and-cowardly-stance-on-china-and-hong-kong/#11c35d6358f0|title=NBA Takes 'Unprincipled' And 'Cowardly' Stance On China And Hong Kong|last=Zagoria|first=Adam|work=Forbes|date=October 7, 2019|accessdate=October 7, 2019}}

=Singapore=

The term OB marker ("out of bounds marker", a golf term){{citation needed|date=June 2020}} is widely used in Singapore for forbidden topics, such as:

Corruption{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}
The Sedition Act makes it illegal to "promote feelings of ill-will or hostility between different races or classes of the population".{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}

=Serbia=

Recognition of Kosovo's independence{{cn|date=February 2025}}

References

Category:Political metaphors

Category:1982 neologisms