What is mandation?

Answer:

Sarah Palin used the word "mandation" when discussing President Obama's State of the Union address. Palin said Obama was calling for a "mandation" on health care. The problem is that it is unclear if "mandation" is even a word. It cannot be found in any dictionaries. Some websites claim "mandation" is another form of involuntary servitude.

According to the OED, a mandation means something committed to memory as a sermon. In use since 1867.