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Statement grade
The average of Signal, Relevance, Reasoning and Clarity is 64. The grade is held to 30, 30 above Relevance. 30 / 100, held down by Relevance
Signal
71 / 100
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Relevance
0 / 100
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Reasoning
83 / 100
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Respect
–
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Clarity
100 / 100
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A score under 50 is red. Choose a measurement to see where it lost points and why; choose it again to clear.
Claims 37% Positioning 22% Procedure 5% Reasoning 29% Promise 3% The ask 5%
Structure · 20 steps
Claims · 7
This view breaks the statement into its steps and names what each one does.
Mr. President, Claims · 62 words I am, frankly, astonished and appalled by the argument just made by my friend and colleague from Kansas, the chairman of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee.1 His argument essentially is: The VA is going to take away these benefits through rulemaking and, therefore, we should take advantage of the savings that the VA is going to make by action that is wrong, unconscionable, Positioning · 5 words and deeply hurtful to veterans. Positioning Procedure · 6 words Now, let’s be very blunt here. Procedure Claims · 15 words The Biden administration was considering a similar proposal.2 I fought it. We fought it successfully.3 Reasoning · 52 words The Biden administration backed down because they knew it was wrong.4 I predict that there will be this similar kind of outrage in the veterans community to taking away these disability benefits from well- deserving veterans and that the present Secretary of the VA will be forced to back down as well. Logical leap Positioning · 37 words Why are we doing his handiwork when he has not even yet proposed the rule?5 We are assuming he will do something that is wrong, shameful, and unconscionable--and we should take advantage of it? Count me out. Positioning Claims · 8 words I fought the Biden administration on this one. Promise · 12 words I will fight any rule that will inflict this harm on veterans. Reasoning · 30 words And even if he were to do it, why should we codify it, put it into statute so that it can’t be reversed at some later point without another statute? The ask · 21 words I am hopeful that we can reconsider this idea of depriving disabled veterans of benefits in order to help other veterans. Procedure · 7 words Now I want to be very clear. Procedure Claims · 69 words This is my eighth or ninth time here, asking for unanimous consent, 6 but it is an entirely new proposal that I am offering. In fact, it is the same proposal that the Senator from Kansas is offering, except it doesn’t take away benefits from veterans; 7 it pays for the measure in another way. The Senator from Kansas says it would be against the law for us to do it. Reasoning · 4 words Who makes laws here? Claims · 8 words The Senate and the Congress make the laws. Reasoning · 41 words If we made a law about how to pay for something, we can make an exception to that law. We are not bound inextricably and inevitably by other Congresses if we face an injustice under laws that other Congresses have passed. Positioning · 20 words I am unwilling to accept the idea that we have to deprive benefits--gouge them, in effect--of benefits they have earned. Positioning Procedure · 7 words And let me just conclude by saying: Procedure Positioning · 33 words All of the good things in this bill, count me in; but taking away benefits from veterans to pay for them, count me out. I think we can do better as a nation. Positioning Procedure · 4 words I yield the floor. Procedure Off point
At a glance
Lost points for Off point ×34 Positioning ×9 Procedure ×4 Logical leap Off topic None of this speech addressed the bill under debate and what it would change.
Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.
What the tags mean →
Signal · 71
13 of 48 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.
Positioning Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it. What the tags mean → “and deeply hurtful to veterans.” 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 → “Now, let’s be very blunt here.” 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 → “Why are we doing his handiwork when he has not even yet proposed the rule?” 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 → “We are assuming he will do something that is wrong, shameful,” 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 unconscionable--and we should take advantage of 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 → “Count me out.” 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 → “Now I want to be very clear.” 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 → “I am unwilling to accept the idea that we have to deprive benefits--gouge them, in effect--of benefits they have earned.” 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 → “And let me just conclude by saying:” 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 → “All of the good things in this bill, count me in;” 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 → “but taking away benefits from veterans to pay for them, count me out.” 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 → “I think we can do better as a nation.” 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 → “I yield the floor.” Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Relevance · 0
34 of 48 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 → “I am, frankly, astonished and appalled by the argument just made by my friend and colleague from Kansas, the chairman of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee.” Attacks a colleague’s argument about veterans benefits, nothing to do with the Maxwell clemency 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 → “His argument essentially is:” Sets up a veterans benefits argument unrelated to 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 VA is going to take away these benefits through rulemaking and, therefore, we should take advantage of the savings that the VA is going to make by action that is wrong, unconscionable,” Discusses VA rulemaking and savings, not the Maxwell measure.
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 deeply hurtful to veterans.” Continues the veterans benefits argument, not 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 → “Now, let’s be very blunt here.” Preamble to the veterans argument, unrelated to 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 → “The Biden administration was considering a similar proposal.” Biden administration proposal on veterans benefits is off the bill’s topic.
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 → “I fought it.” Past advocacy on veterans benefits, not 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 → “We fought it successfully.” Past advocacy on veterans benefits, not 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 → “The Biden administration backed down because they knew it was wrong.” Biden administration on veterans benefits, not 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 → “I predict that there will be this similar kind of outrage in the veterans community to taking away these disability benefits from well- deserving veterans and that the present Secretary of the VA will be forced to back down as well.” Prediction about the VA Secretary, unrelated to 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 → “Why are we doing his handiwork when he has not even yet proposed the rule?” Questions a VA rule not yet proposed, not 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 → “We are assuming he will do something that is wrong, shameful,” Continues the VA rulemaking argument, not 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 → “and unconscionable--and we should take advantage of it?” Continues the VA rulemaking argument, not 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 → “Count me out.” Declines to support a veterans benefits proposal, not 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 → “I fought the Biden administration on this one.” Past fight with the Biden administration on veterans benefits, not 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 → “I will fight any rule that will inflict this harm on veterans.” Pledge to fight a VA rule, not 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 → “And even if he were to do it, why should we codify it, put it into statute so that it can’t be reversed at some later point without another statute?” Argues against codifying VA benefit cuts, not 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 → “I am hopeful that we can reconsider this idea of depriving disabled veterans of benefits in order to help other veterans.” Asks to reconsider a veterans benefits proposal, not 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 → “Now I want to be very clear.” Preamble to a unanimous consent request, unrelated to 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 → “This is my eighth or ninth time here, asking for unanimous consent,” Procedural note about a unanimous consent request, not 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 → “but it is an entirely new proposal that I am offering.” Describes his own proposal, not 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 → “In fact, it is the same proposal that the Senator from Kansas is offering, except it doesn’t take away benefits from veterans;” Compares his proposal to the Senator from Kansas’s, not 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 → “it pays for the measure in another way.” Explains his pay-for proposal, not 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 → “The Senator from Kansas says it would be against the law for us to do it.” Replies to the Senator from Kansas’s legal objection, not 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 → “Who makes laws here?” Rhetorical point on lawmaking, not 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 → “The Senate and the Congress make the laws.” Rhetorical point on lawmaking, not 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 → “If we made a law about how to pay for something, we can make an exception to that law.” Argument about legislative exceptions, not 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 → “We are not bound inextricably and inevitably by other Congresses if we face an injustice under laws that other Congresses have passed.” Argument about prior Congresses’ laws, not 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 → “I am unwilling to accept the idea that we have to deprive benefits--gouge them, in effect--of benefits they have earned.” Opposes cutting veterans benefits, not 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 → “And let me just conclude by saying:” Preamble to conclusion, not 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 → “All of the good things in this bill, count me in;” Summarizes his position on the veterans measure, not 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 → “but taking away benefits from veterans to pay for them, count me out.” Restates opposition to the veterans benefits cut, not 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 → “I think we can do better as a nation.” General closing remark, not 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 → “I yield the floor.” Procedural closing, neither on nor off but contains no bill content.
Reasoning · 83
1 of 48 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.
Logical leap A conclusion that does not follow from the reasons given for it. What the tags mean → “I predict that there will be this similar kind of outrage in the veterans community to taking away these disability benefits from well- deserving veterans and that the present Secretary of the VA will be forced to back down as well.” One episode with the Biden administration is used to predict the same outcome for a different Secretary.
Conclusions found · 3
Conclusion “I predict that there will be this similar kind of outrage in the veterans community to taking away these disability benefits from well- deserving veterans and that the present Secretary of the VA will be forced to back down as well.”
Because “The Biden administration was considering a similar proposal.”
“I fought it.”
“We fought it successfully.”
“The Biden administration backed down because they knew it was wrong.”
Reason flawed One episode with the Biden administration is used to predict the same outcome for a different Secretary.
Conclusion “I am hopeful that we can reconsider this idea of depriving disabled veterans of benefits in order to help other veterans.”
Because “We are assuming he will do something that is wrong, shameful,”
“and unconscionable--and we should take advantage of it?”
“I will fight any rule that will inflict this harm on veterans.”
“In fact, it is the same proposal that the Senator from Kansas is offering, except it doesn’t take away benefits from veterans;”
“it pays for the measure in another way.”
“I am unwilling to accept the idea that we have to deprive benefits--gouge them, in effect--of benefits they have earned.”
Conclusion “I think we can do better as a nation.”
Because “In fact, it is the same proposal that the Senator from Kansas is offering, except it doesn’t take away benefits from veterans;”
“it pays for the measure in another way.”
“If we made a law about how to pay for something, we can make an exception to that law.”
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 · 100
0 of 48 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.
Nothing lost points.
Claims · 7
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 “my friend and colleague from Kansas, the chairman of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee” The Senator from Kansas is the chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. search 2 “The Biden administration was considering a similar proposal” The Biden administration considered a proposal similar to the VA benefits rulemaking being debated. search 3 “We fought it successfully.” Blumenthal’s opposition to the Biden administration’s similar proposal succeeded in stopping it. search 4 “The Biden administration backed down” The Biden administration withdrew its similar VA benefits proposal. search 5 “he has not even yet proposed the rule” The current VA Secretary has not yet proposed the rule in question. search 6 “This is my eighth or ninth time here, asking for unanimous consent” Blumenthal has asked for unanimous consent on this matter roughly eight or nine times before this speech. search 7 “it is the same proposal that the Senator from Kansas is offering” The proposal Blumenthal is offering contains the same measure as the Senator from Kansas’s proposal. search
