In a presidential election year, when a president is selected by the number of electoral votes, many of those who supported the successful candidate say, "The people decided…"
Wait a minute! Electoral votes do not always coincide with actual votes. A candidate may win based on electoral votes, but not have gained a majority, or even a plurality of the actual votes. The people who voted for the other candidate are not "people"?
In a presidential election year, the party of the winning presidential candidate generally gets majorities in both the House and the Senate. But the other party always gets a large number of votes. The people who voted for the other party are not "people"?
Then two years later, supporters of the party that was less successful start saying the President and members of Congress are not listening to "the people". But the President and Congress are listening to "the people" that elected them.
Unfortunately, too often more people didn't bother to vote than voted for either candidate in far too many races. Does this mean "the people" don't give a damn about either party?
It would be great if "people" would use more precise words in their discussions and writings, but it ain't going to happen. "People" want to use imprecise words so that they can prevent both their supporters and the opposition from thinking clearly.
