penny-ante

These attacks on schools and teachers aren't just penny ante culture war politics meant to rile up the base for the next election.

“It’s a good symbol of penny ante government intrusion, like being nickeled and dimed.”

The example of this article deals with lobsters - pretty penny ante stuff - but the principles apply to all trade.

The Watergate investigation took two years, and it was of a penny ante burglary down the street from the White House.

Why the penny ante murder of a barely there town’s city manager and a legendarily botched arrest would seem the right platforms from which to launch one’s gubernatorial bid is confusing.