Word: wield
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...judgments of the Orthodox Rabbinates rule, a hangover from the years when the British, following Ottoman Empire custom, left such powers in the hands of local religious leaders. Thus marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption-all are under the jurisdiction of the religious, not civil, courts. The 250,000 Orthodox Jews wield a political clout out of proportion to their numbers. Part of that influence is due to the swing-vote power of the National Religious Party. It has been enhanced in recent years by Begin's own sympathy for the traditionalists, which has helped
...example, after a year of intense activism on campus, the Student Assembly was formed. Though students realized it had no formal power, they reasoned a representative body for all undergraduates might wield some influence. But the victories of the assembly have been few and far between--it is to be credited with helping win free toilet paper for the River Houses, and last year it staged a rock concert and a poorly attended spring picnic. Of late the assembly has grown even more timid; last week it refused to endorse the candlelight march against aid to El Salvador--as positive...
...judgments on much of Begin's term in office have turned severe. For all his initially feisty style of governing, many observers feel that he has never really managed to wield effective control over his Cabinet. From the first, it had been a patchwork quilt of first four and then five different parties. Many of Begin's ministers were chosen not so much on the basis of capability as on patronage. Cabinet sessions became notorious for squabbling and name-calling. Hurvitz was the sixth Cabinet minister to resign, setting a new precedent even in a country used...
...friend says that Stockman, as Reagan's chief budget cutter, is resigned to being the "most unpopular man in Washington for the next few years." His manner is sometimes aloof and abrasive, but even critics admire his ability to marshal facts quickly and wield them to deadly effect during debates...
...conservative side of several divisive issues now before the Justice Department. Conservatives hope that he will go slow on prosecution of sex and racial discrimination cases, emphasize street crime over white-collar offenses and relax some of the department's trust-busting zeal. But he tends to wield a scalpel rather than an ax, and zealous conservatives may be disappointed at his deliberate pace. Says Los Angeles Lawyer Leonard Janofsky, a former American Bar Association president: "He will analyze the pros and cons. He won't do anything precipitously. And when he does something, it will be carefully...