> > > > I am very frustrated by political arguments about desert > > > What does "desert" mean here > A deserving [...] merit Thanks. As a native speaker a

> > > > I am very frustrated by political arguments about desert > > > What does "desert" mean here > A deserving [...] merit Thanks. As a native speaker aware of "desert"'s multiple meanings and "just deserts", I think "merit", "deservedness", "appropriateness" would have been much clearer choices here. Perhaps the jarring note alone (of "desert" in this context) should have clued me in that an unusual usage was in play. Thanks again for the clarification.