By John F. Di Leo -
There is a short, pithy line that a lot of us find ourselves saying these days… one which merits reconsideration because it is only occasionally accurate.
“Mandates are not laws.”
It’s only four words long; therefore, it works well as a tweet or Facebook comment. It fits on a picket sign. People mutter it all the time, nowadays, especially in the context of masks, social distancing, and vaccines.
But is it true?
Frankly, it depends. Sometimes the statement is true -- some mandates are not legally binding at all -- but often, when legitimate, this is just a distinction without a difference.
