The Silent Majority

One of the most dishonest things any journalist or 'commentator' can do is to call upon 'the silent majority' for support. You know the sort of thing:

'the silent majority recognises the need to address our budget defecit'

or

'the silent majority resents the savage cuts to public spending'.

No it doesn't, in either case. We don't know what the silent majority is thinking. The thing about 'the silent majority' is that it's silent. As some of those who seek to enlist it to their cause should be.