I learned it in Student Congress: part III

Yesterday's round was largely smooth and ineffectual--as all Congress should be--at least until the last fifteen minutes when everything turned stupid. (This is a function of time, hunger, a stuffy room, impatience, and the 2nd law of thermodynamics.)

Along the way, though, several "aha moments" arose, and I was truly enlightened.

Pravda means truth, or something about the United States I did not know
"When we left Afghanistan at the end of the cold war, we left it in chaos."

not all states are created equal
"Who likes Tennessee? Country singers?"

be sure to cover all the bases
"As many of you might or might not know..."

a picturesque metaphor is worth a thousand words
"That would be 1000 pounds... a couple of you big guys."

neologism is the spice of life
"Sexism is a form of discriminization."

"...gives it a higher awesomeness above nuclear power."

"It would take more energy than the giveoff it would make for energy."

I have a thicker skin than I thought
"Isn't it offensive to our hardworking teachers to call school a 'daycare?'"
--"It may be, but that doesn't change the fact."

I thought it was the prom
"Drinking is a fundamental part of being a teenager... Should we take away something that is a part of so many kids' lives?"