American politicians are using the ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ sign when words just won't do

There’s a proud history of politicians attempting to reference pop culture to make a point and falling a little on the wayside of cutting edge.

One such chapter in that history was added to this week, when a Senator Sheldon Whitehouse summed up Republican climate change plans as follows:

Massachusetts Democrat Senator Ed Markey also spoke from the Senate floor, suggesting that Republicans didn't have a plan to combat climate change.

And yes, he also had a flip chart - which also had a shruggie :

He added that:

shruggie says 'I'm not happy. I'm sad.'

We’re not sure that needed clarification, Mr Markey.

The shruggie appears to be a party favourite. It was used earlier this year by Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy during a speech to suggest that Republicans were bereft of strategy if the Supreme Court struck down subsidies under the Affordable Care Act.

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