Establishment

The Establishment are the "powers that be," the cronies who hold power and use it primarily for their own benefit, opposing meritocracy and making it unjustifiably difficult for others.

In politics, the Establishment consists of the insiders in the Republican and Democratic Parties who do things behind the scenes to preserve their own position and thwart real competition. Nomination by endorsement is one way that the Establishment gets what it wants.

For nearly three decades, the Establishment in the Republican Party has been connected with the Bush family. In the Democratic Party, the Clinton family is part of the Establishment.

In the 2016 presidential election, the Establishment is represented by Jeb Bush on the Republican side, and Hillary Clinton on the Dem side.