Language: en
Meaning: (idiomatic)Of, related to, or involvinglocalinfluentialfigures.Antonym:grassroots1998, Dan Clawson, Alan Neustadtl, Mark Weller,Dollars and Votes: How Business Campaign Contributions Subvert Democracy, Philadelphia, Pa.:Temple University Press,→ISBN, page12:Along with the ads, industry worked to mobilize local politicians and business executives in what business groups called a "grass tops" campaign.2003November 6, Cara Gardner, “Prepping for surgery”, inThe Pacific Northwest Inlander[1], archived fromthe originalon26 September 2015:"Some of the work is grassroots," he said, "and some of it isgrass-tops– like this summit."2007November 12,Carla Marinucci, “Obama’s team oozes optimism”, inSan Francisco Chronicle[2], archived fromthe originalon4 August 2016:[Mitchell] Schwartz said[Hillary] Clinton's campaign in California – which has been heavy on endorsements and organization – is more "grasstops" than "grassroots," while the Illinois senator [Barack Obama] has "a campaign of inspiration and not obligation."2015, James E. Anderson, “The Policy-makers and Their Environment”, inPublic Policymaking: An Introduction, 8th edition, Stamford, Ct.:Cengage Learning,→ISBN, page64:In recent years, groups have made considerable use of "outside lobbying" techniques, which try to persuade ordinary citizens to serve as their frontline advocates. Prominent here are "grass-roots" and "grass-tops" lobbying.[…]Grass-topslobbying strives to favorably energize an elite rather than the masses.
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