[rlmorel]

"...They can sail against the wind but they are going to have to tack soon or be caught in irons along with their socialist allies..."

Heh, that was a great way to put it...:)

[tet68]

Coming about and going in irons means you didn’t complete
the tack and the boat ends up going backwards.
This can be hazardous to boat and crew as the boom
slams to one side or the other.

Yes, it can have another meaning which I hope to see
some coup plotters shackled.