4 ms·

Is there a reason you dislike us?

• jacquesm 10y ago
  Is there a reason you would mis-interpret that comment on purpose? Obviously not. But the way it gets bandied around as if every politician speaks for everybody is something fairly unique to America. I've never heard a European leader (at least, not in recent times) speak out loud like that. And if they did it would make me cringe just the same.
  • twic 10y ago
    Are you counting the UK as European? Because British prime ministers do this all the time. They get 55% of the house of commons on 40% of the vote and 25% of the electorate, and then proclaim "the people have spoken!".
    • jacquesm 10y ago
      Hm, never noticed that but I'll pay more attention. And yes, that is cringeworthy too. The people have only spoken if a > 50% portion of those eligible to vote actually vote and all of them agree. In that case you might make such a statement, and even then that leaves room for 49% (a) not to vote and (b) to disagree and whoever would make such a proclamation would have to qualify their statement to that effect. But it is of course so much easier to claim a mandate.