← Back to the statement
Statement grade
The average of Signal, Relevance, Reasoning and Clarity is 74. The grade is held to 73, 30 above Signal. Reasoning rests on 2 conclusions, too few to hold the grade down. 73 / 100, held down by Signal
Signal
43 / 100
View details Viewing ↓
Relevance
70 / 100
View details Viewing ↓
Reasoning
93 / 100
View details Viewing ↓
Respect
–
Not scored Viewing ↓
Clarity
92 / 100
View details Viewing ↓
A score under 50 is red. Choose a measurement to see where it lost points and why; choose it again to clear.
Procedure 5% Claims 37% Positioning 51% The ask 7%
Structure · 13 steps
Claims · 3
This view breaks the statement into its steps and names what each one does.
Mr. Speaker, Procedure · 8 words I rise today in strong support of H.R. Procedure Claims · 14 words 7008, the Stop Insider Trading Act, to end stock trading by Members of Congress, 1 Positioning · 19 words because trust in our democracy cannot be a luxury item. It must be the everyday expectation of every American. Positioning Claims · 35 words For too long, the public has watched the headlines that read like a civic lesson gone wrong: elected officials buying and selling stocks in industries they regulate, profiting from information the public will never see. Positioning · 111 words That is not merely unseemly, it is corrosive. It eats away at confidence in this institution, and confidence once lost is not easily rebuilt. Banning congressional stock trading is a simple proposition. If someone serves the public, they serve only the public. They don’t get to play the market with one hand while writing the rules with the other. They don’t get to benefit from the power the people have loaned them. This reform is about fairness--for the teacher saving for retirement, the nurse investing in her future, the small business owner trying to build something that lasts. They play by the rules. They deserve a Congress that does the same. Positioning Mr. Speaker, Procedure · 7 words this is our chance to say clearly: Procedure Positioning · 10 words Public service is a public trust. Let us honor it. Positioning Claims · 64 words The fact is this bill bans stock trading. Unearned certainty And, yes, it requires photo ID, something 80 percent of Americans agree with.2 Unearned certainty People just saw what came out yesterday by one of our former colleagues, the Governor of New Jersey, Mikie Sherrill, announcing that 6,600 non-U.S. citizens were added to the voter rolls in New Jersey and nearly 400 of them voted in the election.3 Positioning · 18 words Voter ID ensures the sanctity of our elections and ensures confidence by the American people in our elections. Positioning Off point Mr. Speaker, The ask · 22 words it is imperative that we pass this legislation, and the American people should watch how every single Member votes on this bill.
At a glance
Lost points for Positioning ×15 Off point ×4 Procedure ×2 Unearned certainty ×2 Little substance Much of this statement went to praise, blame, greetings, routine procedure or general stories rather than reasons, requests or specific points.
Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.
What the tags mean →
Signal · 43
17 of 23 deductions are Signal
Signal checks whether every part makes a point, gives a reason, or asks for action. A low score means the speaker filled time with fluff, pleasantries, or attacks.
Procedure Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business. What the tags mean → “I rise today in strong support of H.R.” Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Positioning Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it. What the tags mean → “because trust in our democracy cannot be a luxury item.” Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Positioning Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it. What the tags mean → “It must be the everyday expectation of every American.” Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Positioning Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it. What the tags mean → “That is not merely unseemly, it is corrosive.” Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Positioning Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it. What the tags mean → “It eats away at confidence in this institution,” Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Positioning Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it. What the tags mean → “and confidence once lost is not easily rebuilt.” Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Positioning Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it. What the tags mean → “Banning congressional stock trading is a simple proposition.” Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Positioning Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it. What the tags mean → “If someone serves the public, they serve only the public.” Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Positioning Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it. What the tags mean → “They don’t get to play the market with one hand while writing the rules with the other.” Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Positioning Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it. What the tags mean → “They don’t get to benefit from the power the people have loaned them.” Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Positioning Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it. What the tags mean → “This reform is about fairness--for the teacher saving for retirement, the nurse investing in her future, the small business owner trying to build something that lasts.” Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Positioning Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it. What the tags mean → “They play by the rules.” Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Positioning Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it. What the tags mean → “They deserve a Congress that does the same.” Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Procedure Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business. What the tags mean → “this is our chance to say clearly:” Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Positioning Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it. What the tags mean → “Public service is a public trust.” Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Positioning Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it. What the tags mean → “Let us honor it.” Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Positioning Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it. What the tags mean → “Voter ID ensures the sanctity of our elections and ensures confidence by the American people in our elections.” Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Relevance · 70
4 of 23 deductions are Relevance
Relevance checks whether the speaker stays on topic and answers the question asked. A low score means the speaker dodged the issue. Measured against the bill under debate.
Off point Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate. What the tags mean → “The fact is this bill bans stock trading.” Pivots to voter ID requirements, which the bill does not address.
Off point Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate. What the tags mean → “And, yes, it requires photo ID, something 80 percent of Americans agree with.” Discusses photo ID for voting, unrelated to congressional stock trading.
Off point Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate. What the tags mean → “People just saw what came out yesterday by one of our former colleagues, the Governor of New Jersey, Mikie Sherrill, announcing that 6,600 non-U.S. citizens were added to the voter rolls in New Jersey and nearly 400 of them voted in the election.” Raises claims about non-citizens on voter rolls, a topic outside the bill.
Off point Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate. What the tags mean → “Voter ID ensures the sanctity of our elections and ensures confidence by the American people in our elections.” Argues for voter ID laws rather than the insider trading bill.
Reasoning · 93
0 of 23 deductions are Reasoning
Reasoning checks for sound logic and solid support for any conclusion. A low score means the speaker made unsupported leaps or used weak arguments.
Nothing lost points.
Conclusions found · 2
Conclusion “That is not merely unseemly, it is corrosive.”
Because “elected officials buying and selling stocks in industries they regulate, profiting from information the public will never see.”
“It eats away at confidence in this institution,”
Conclusion “it is imperative that we pass this legislation,”
Because “7008, the Stop Insider Trading Act, to end stock trading by Members of Congress,”
“Banning congressional stock trading is a simple proposition.”
“This reform is about fairness--for the teacher saving for retirement, the nurse investing in her future, the small business owner trying to build something that lasts.”
Respect · no score
Not checked: graded before this measurement existed. Excluded from the average.
Respect checks whether the speaker argued with people’s positions and records rather than attacking the people: insults, mockery, or bad motives assigned to them. Criticism of what someone did, however strong, is not marked.
Clarity · 92
2 of 23 deductions are Clarity
Clarity checks for plain speaking, clear ownership of actions, and honest limits on certainty. A low score means vague promises or evasive language.
Unearned certainty Something stated as certain with nothing to back it. What the tags mean → “The fact is” The formula asserts certainty in place of a source for what the bill does.
Unearned certainty Something stated as certain with nothing to back it. What the tags mean → “something 80 percent of Americans agree with” A precise level of public support is asserted with no poll or source cited.
Claims · 3
This list shows the factual statements you can check for yourself: the words as said, and the claim restated to stand on its own.
1 “7008, the Stop Insider Trading Act, to end stock trading by Members of Congress, ” The Stop Insider Trading Act is H.R. 7008 in the House of Representatives. search 2 “it requires photo ID, something 80 percent of Americans agree with” The Stop Insider Trading Act requires photo ID, and 80 percent of Americans agree with requiring photo ID. search 3 “the Governor of New Jersey, Mikie Sherrill, announcing that 6,600 non-U.S. citizens were added to the voter rolls in New Jersey and nearly 400 of them voted in the election” New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill announced that 6,600 non-U.S. citizens were added to the voter rolls in New Jersey and nearly 400 of them voted in the election. search
