[Ads-l] congresscritter

Tue Jan 20 21:45:40 UTC 2026

 Since early uses seem to be primarily in SF sources, I thought the word might show up in fanzines as well, but the earliest I could find on fanac.org is from 1982. (And efanzines.com from the 00s.)
Jeff Prucher
    On Monday, January 19, 2026 at 09:00:57 AM PST, ADSGarson O'Toole <00001aa1be50b751-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:  

 Bill Mullins helpfully pointed out to me an intriguing citation in a
collection of articles by Jerry Pournelle published under the title "A
Step Farther Out". A chapter titled "Fusion Without Ex-Lax" contained
an instance of "Congresscritter". The table of contents indicated that
the chapter was originally published in "Galaxy Science Fiction"
magazine in October 1976. This is a very promising lead. Thanks Bill!

However, I am sharing details about this citation with fellow list
members because it provides a cautionary tale about reprints. The
October 1976 issue of "Galaxy" is available via the Internet Archive,
and it does contain Pournelle's article about fusion, but it does not
contain the word "Congresscritter". Instead, the original published
sentence employed the word "Congressman".

Lesson: Reprinted text is sometimes modified during the reprint
process. ADS list members know this, but this is a fun illustration.

Hypothesis One: Pournelle used the word "Congresscritter" in the
manuscript he submitted to "Galaxy" for 1976 publication; however, the
editor changed the word to "Congressman". When the 1979 compilation
was created, Pournelle used his original manuscript.

Hypothesis Two: Pournelle used the word "Congressman" in the 1976
manuscript he submitted to "Galaxy". When the 1979 compilation was
created, Pournelle revised his manuscript and changed "Congressman" to
"Congresscritter".

Bill Mullins observed that science fiction authors Spider Robinson, G.
Harry Stine, and others used the word congresscritter in addition to
Jerry Pournelle. Below are two citations.

Date: 1982 Copyright (1983 Reprint)
Book: Mindkiller: A Novel of the Near Future
Author: Spider Robinson
Chapter 4
Quote Page 84
Publisher: Berkley Books, New York

[Begin excerpt]
"Phone your congresscritter? Write a letter to The Village Voice?
Shoot every wire-surgeon in town?"
[End excerpt]

Date: July 1987
Periodical: Analog: Science Fiction & Science Fact
Article: The Alternate View: Overreaction
Author: G. Harry Stine
Start Page 128, Quote Page 129
Publisher: Davis Publications

[Begin excerpt]
And you can always react by voting against the congresscritter who did
something you don’t like the next time the system cycles.
[End excerpt]

Garson

On Mon, Jan 19, 2026 at 8:55 AM Jonathan Lighter
<00001aad181a2549-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
>
> Thanks, Garson.
>
> There are lots of newspaper exx. in recent years only.
>
> J
>
> On Sun, Jan 18, 2026 at 11:17 PM ADSGarson O'Toole <
> 00001aa1be50b751-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
>
> > Interesting topic, JL. Here is a match in 1976 within a piece by a
> > prominent science fiction author.
> >
> > Date: December 1976
> > Volume 37, Number 9
> > Periodical: Galaxy Science Fiction
> > Article: Science Fact: A Step Farther Out: That Buck Rogers Stuff
> > Author: Jerry Pournelle PhD
> > Start Page 44, Quote Page 45, Column 1
> > Publisher: UPD Publishing Corporation, New York
> > Database: Internet Archive
> >
> > [Begin excerpt]
> > I expect NASA has some nominal charge for SPINOFF 1976, but you could
> > probably get one free through your Congresscritter.
> > [End excerpt]
> >
> > A precursor appeared in 1945. The phrase "Congress Critter" was used
> > as a label for all of Congress instead of an individual
> > congressperson. Congress was depicted as a wild animal which was
> > difficult to halter.
> >
> > Date: February 6, 1945
> > Newspaper: The Morning Herald
> > Newspaper Location: Uniontown, Pennsylvania
> > Article: Washington Farm Reporter
> > Quote Page 4, Column 3
> > Database: Newspapers.com
> >
> > https://www.newspapers.com/image/63635524/?match=1&terms=%22congress%20critter%22
> >
> > [Begin excerpt]
> > Administration Fails To Halter Congress Critter
> > The month-old Congress is kicking up its heels and it doesn't give a
> > hoot who knows it is going to be mighty hard to handle. The first
> > Administration effort to get a halter on the critter last week proved
> > futile.
> > [End excerpt]
> >
> > Bary Popik also explored this topic, and Popik found that Jerry
> > Pournelle used the expression in 1979.
> > https://barrypopik.com/blog/congresscritter_congress_critter
> >
> > Garson
> >
> > On Sun, Jan 18, 2026 at 6:00 PM Jonathan Lighter
> > <00001aad181a2549-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
> > >
> > > Not in MW.  'A member of Congress.'
> > >
> > > 2026 Heather Cox Richardson, on _The Best People_ (MSNOW TV) (Jan. 18):
> > > People were supposed to have access to...speeches from their
> > > congresscritters.
> > >
> > > 1978 _Forks [Wash.] Forum-Peninsula Herald_ (Nov. 2) 1 [Newspapers.com]:
> > As
> > > more and more congresscritters get involved in administration through
> > > budgeting.
> > >
> > > J
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the
> > truth."
> > >
> > > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> >
>
>
> --
> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org