Glittering generalities are undefined words or phrases that carry widely accepted positive connotations that can obscure serious areas of disagreement.  In politics, commonly used glittering generalities include freedom, honor, justice, human dignity, patriotic and democracy.  In the 2004, 2008 and 2012 presidential campaigns, both the Republican and Democratic nominees used “middle class” and “small business” as glittering generalities. Because the terms were undefined, voters had no good way of knowing what income levels constituted “middle class” or what size of company constituted the “small business” that would benefit from or be penalized by the candidate’s plans.