Analysis · Speech on a bill · beta

Joseph D. Morelle

Democrat on Providing for the Condemnation and Denouncement of Socialism in All Its Forms, and for Other Purposes 2026-09-01

381 words · 19 sentences · 26 clauses

Statement grade

Average 78 / 100

A score under 50 is red. Choose a measurement to see where it lost points and why; choose it again to clear.

Procedure 6%Greeting 4%Claims 86%Positioning 5%

This view breaks the statement into its steps and names what each one does.

Mr. Speaker, Procedure · 9 wordsI yield myself such time as I may consume.Procedure Mr. Speaker, Greeting · 15 wordsI share with Chairman Steil many things we agree on. He is a good friend, GreetingClaims · 124 wordsbut his suggestion that this is about the concentration of power--concentration of power? What we have seen in the last 2 years is the concentration of power at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue and a Congress that has done little to nothing about establishing our Article I prerogatives. When it comes to appropriations, when it comes to the impoundment of money, when it comes to the illegal activities in Iran, which has put hundreds of billions of dollars of American money spent over there, ¹which has made us less secure, cost the lives of 18 Americans, that is a concentration of power.² We ought to talk about that. We should be having that conversation about Article I powers and reestablishing Congress’ rightful role.Off point Mr. Speaker, Claims · 202 wordsif you want to talk about concentration of power, Republican Members, including my friend, have made clear the SAVE America Act would take effect immediately upon passage.³ With just 63 days before this election, this bill would upend elections in every State across this country.⁴ Regarding concentration of power, Members of this body know that States begin mailing millions of ballots just 3 weeks from now, ⁵and yet, we would pass this concentration of power to put further power concentrated in the hands of one individual at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue. How are these election administrators supposed to comply with this new Federal law should it take effect? It is election malpractice, frankly. The committee heard months ago from an election director on the ground who called this effective date unworkable.⁶ The purpose of this change, which is in this resolution, is clearly to throw election administration into disarray, Unearned certaintybecause elections in chaos are easier to disrupt and subvert. That is why President Trump unleashed an angry mob on the building on January 6, 2021, to create chaos, undermine confidence in our election system, ⁷and literally create a dangerous situation, all in service of overturning an election that he lost.Off point Positioning · 18 wordsThis change is irresponsible. It is the ultimate move to concentrate power in the hands of one individual.Positioning Mr. Speaker, Procedure · 13 wordsI yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Ramirez), my friend.Procedure

At a glance

Lost points for

Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.

What the tags mean

Signal · 84

7 of 16 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.

Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “I yield myself such time as I may consume.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Greetings and pleasantries.What the tags mean “I share with Chairman Steil many things we agree on.”A greeting: no claim, reason or ask.
Greetings and pleasantries.What the tags mean “He is a good friend,”A greeting: no claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “This change is irresponsible.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “It is the ultimate move to concentrate power in the hands of one individual.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “Ramirez), my friend.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.

Relevance · 54

8 of 16 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.

Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “What we have seen in the last 2 years is the concentration of power at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue and a Congress that has done little to nothing about establishing our Article I prerogatives.”Shifts to executive overreach and Congress’s Article I failures rather than the resolution’s condemnation of socialism or its election provisions.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “When it comes to appropriations, when it comes to the impoundment of money, when it comes to the illegal activities in Iran,”Discusses appropriations, impoundment, and Iran, none of which the resolution addresses.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “which has put hundreds of billions of dollars of American money spent over there,”Continues the Iran spending discussion, unrelated to the bill under debate.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “which has made us less secure, cost the lives of 18 Americans, that is a concentration of power.”Details costs and casualties of the Iran activity, a different subject from the resolution.
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 ought to talk about that.”Calls for a conversation about Article I powers, not the bill before the House.
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 should be having that conversation about Article I powers and reestablishing Congress’ rightful role.”Urges restoring Congress’s role generally rather than addressing the resolution’s provisions.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “That is why President Trump unleashed an angry mob on the building on January 6, 2021, to create chaos, undermine confidence in our election system,”Accuses the President over January 6, a subject outside the resolution’s content.
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 literally create a dangerous situation, all in service of overturning an election that he lost.”Continues the January 6 allegation, not a response to the bill under debate.

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 · 96

1 of 16 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.

Something stated as certain with nothing to back it.What the tags mean “is clearly to”The word ‘clearly’ asserts intent as obvious without offering a source for the purpose claimed.

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“hundreds of billions of dollars of American money spent over there”search
2“cost the lives of 18 Americans”search
3“the SAVE America Act would take effect immediately upon passage”search
4“just 63 days before this election”search
5“States begin mailing millions of ballots just 3 weeks from now”search
6“The committee heard months ago from an election director on the ground who called this effective date unworkable”search
7“an angry mob on the building on January 6, 2021”search

Analyzed on 2026-09-14