A rule that would allow someone to de-facto raise without being subjected to a re-raise is seriously flawed and should be taken to task.

I've never played in a room where that was the norm but there are places where the rules make you scratch your head in wonder.

Generally the rule is that a raise must double the previous bet or raise. If 50% or more of the raise is put in then it must be adjusted to the minimum raise. If less than 50% of the raise is put in then it must be reduced to the original bet or raise.

Almost every room I've played has a cad who likes to say "make it...(whatever the bet is)."

I've encountered this too.
Gave them a warning for angle shooting.

At first I was...wut?!?

I see. You're saying that some joker, facing a $5 bet, says, "Make it $5 - yuk yuk."

If push comes to shove, "make it" is is yet another in a long line of words that means "raise" at a poker table. There's all sorts of ways that people denote their intention to raise without saying the word, "RAISE!" I don't mean to suggest that it's the best idea, but...

"Make it look like..."
"Take it up to..."
"...on top"
"Yours and..."
etc. etc.

It may be where you play, but I can say that in my many years dealing to these people, not once has it even been suggested they be held to a raise. People are by and large pretty good about waiting their turn before reacting to something that's not even close to a bet.