Marginalization:  An oversized word describing an irritating stupid politician trick.

Here’s the plain English version.  Marginalization is when you try to discredit your opponents by portraying them as so far out of the mainstream that they can’t see the mainstream.  Usually, this is done in an angry, condescending, or mocking way.  You push them to the margins, hence the word.

In reality, people like me have heard so much of it that it’s irritating.  If you ever hear someone call someone else an extremist, they’re using marginalization.  Nowadays, both parties use it, though with Republicans it’s more like “shut up so I can be loved at the cocktail parties of the beautiful liberal people”.

A couple of related stupid politician tricks:

1. Ad hominem attacks:  You have no counter-argument, so you just call people names.  Basically, it’s “You’re so wrong you big poopyhead.”
2. Political correctness:  Silencing people with the fear that they might be called names or accused of something specific.  The race card is the biggest example of this that I know.  This one has been around so long it has it’s own cautionary tale called The Emperor’s New Clothes.

Furthermore, the louder and more “righteously indignant” they sound, the weaker their position tends to be.  So the next time you hear a politician call you an extremist, a racist, or a snarfwaffle, remember that it’s probably marginalization or one of its variations.  It doesn’t mean anything except that a politician wants to win an argument with a stupid politician trick.