ChanteSez … Congratulations, Mr. President!

Since we’re fresh off the re-election of President Barak Obama, today’s ChanteSez Tip of the Day highlights a few political terms.

• President is always capitalized before a name, as in the sentence above. Don’t ever abbreviate it (pres., prez, etc.).
• Unless there would be confusion, it’s OK to omit the president’s first name on first reference. For example, “President Kennedy was one of the country’s most beloved leaders.”
• But don’t put “former” or “ex” in caps. “History will show that former President Reagan was one of the country’s most divisive heads of state.”
• Election Day may not be an official holiday, but it is capitalized.
• Political parties are capitalized, but political ideas (democracy, communism, etc.) are not. For example, “Rep. John Lewis is a longstanding member of the Democratic Party, and he is a firm supporter of the democratic process. He considers himself to be a strong and unapologetic liberal.”