beltway

A 64-mile Interstate freeway surrounding Washington, D.C.

The expressway that surrounds another city.

The US federal government and policy and lobbying organizations, located in Washington, D.C., sometimes with a suggestion of their elitism or insularity

But given that it takes 60 votes to beat a filibuster and 66 to override a veto, and given that the GOP has since added four hard-right senators to its total, it’s safe to say that nothing will be happening inside the Beltway anytime soon.

While not the entirety of the reason why the Beltway struggles to shed its imperial hubris and adapt to the new multipolar world, (much of that is simply complacency) understanding democratism’s hold over the governing elite is vital for explaining the unique hostility found in so much of foreign policy commentary towards a soberer and more realistic appraisal of the world.

Of or relating to the culture of Washington, D.C., sometimes with a suggestion of its elitism or insularity; politicized.

Apparently wishing to go Beltway in a big way, the Gap reportedly solicited Clinton spokesman George Stephanopoulos and media adviser Mandy Grunwald to pose for ads, but were turned down.

In a typical indictment, one columnist recently called some piece of Washington policymaking "too secret, too expert, too Beltway."

A freeway that encircles a city.