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Statement grade
The average of Signal, Relevance, Reasoning and Clarity. Average 84 / 100
Signal
79 / 100
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Relevance
67 / 100
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Reasoning
88 / 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 38% Procedure 2% Positioning 17% The ask 6% Reasoning 36%
Structure · 18 steps
Claims · 5
This view breaks the statement into its steps and names what each one does.
Mr. Speaker, Claims · 9 words I rise in support of Mr. Biggs’ constitutional amendment. Procedure · 8 words As Congressman Jordan mentioned, this is serious business. Procedure Claims · 27 words Just like it is serious business about what the other party did on letting 20 to who knows illegals in this country to create a power base. Positioning · 13 words That is who you are going to have to answer to, the public. Positioning Claims · 19 words That is who this country is paying for now. The 20 to 30, who knows, illegals in this country. The ask · 20 words Why don’t you pass the SAVE Act, which is just a verification that you are an American citizen to vote?1 Positioning · 6 words This is following a dangerous path, Positioning Claims · 38 words and I am glad the citizens are finally showing up to recognize the problem that we have with this. Off point Just the other day, my Democratic colleague Jim Clyburn said he wants to pack the Court with 13 Justices.2 Positioning · 29 words I couldn’t disagree more. South Carolina doesn’t need a baker’s dozen of Supreme Court Justices. We need politicians to respect the independence of the nine that we already have. Positioning Claims · 12 words Court packing was a bad idea when FDR tried it in 1937.3 Positioning · 6 words It is a bad idea today. Positioning Claims · 27 words Even members of his own party pushed back against this scheme.4 FDR wanted to reshape the Supreme Court that was standing in the way of his agenda.5 Reasoning · 39 words The same principle is at work here today: Logical leap When you don’t like the ruling, change the Court. The Constitution does not guarantee either party the Supreme Court decisions it wants. Losing a case is not justification for adding Justices. Positioning · 6 words Thirteen is not some magic number. Positioning Reasoning · 44 words Once politicians start changing the size of the Court to get favorable rulings, there is no logical stopping point. Today it is 13. Tomorrow it could be 17 and then 21. That would turn the Supreme Court into just another political arm of Congress. Mr. Speaker, Reasoning · 43 words you don’t protect democracy by changing the rules every time you lose. You protect it by respecting our institutions, even when you disagree with the outcomes. The answer is to take Court packing off the table permanently, which is why I support this.
At a glance
Lost points for Off point ×8 Positioning ×7 Procedure Logical leap
Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.
What the tags mean →
Signal · 79
8 of 17 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 → “As Congressman Jordan mentioned, this is serious business.” 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 → “That is who you are going to have to answer to, 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 → “This is following a dangerous path,” 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 couldn’t disagree more.” 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 → “South Carolina doesn’t need a baker’s dozen of Supreme Court Justices.” 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 need politicians to respect the independence of the nine that we already have.” 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 is a bad idea today.” 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 → “Thirteen is not some magic number.” Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Relevance · 67
8 of 17 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 → “Just like it is serious business about what the other party did on letting 20 to who knows illegals in this country to create a power base.” Turns to illegal immigration and the other party’s motives, not the size of the Court.
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 → “That is who you are going to have to answer to, the public.” Addresses opponents about answering to the public, continuing the immigration aside rather than 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 → “That is who this country is paying for now.” Speaks of who the country is paying for, continuing the immigration aside.
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 20 to 30, who knows, illegals in this country.” Returns to the number of undocumented immigrants, unrelated to the amendment.
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 don’t you pass the SAVE Act,” Calls for passage of the SAVE Act, a different measure entirely.
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 → “which is just a verification that you are an American citizen to vote?” Explains the SAVE Act’s voter-verification content, 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 → “This is following a dangerous path,” A general warning about a dangerous path tied to the immigration aside, not the amendment.
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 I am glad the citizens are finally showing up to recognize the problem that we have with this.” Praises citizens recognizing the immigration problem, still not the bill.
Reasoning · 88
1 of 17 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 → “The same principle is at work here today:” Equating today’s proposal with FDR’s motives in c19-c21 assumes the same intent from a single historical parallel.
Conclusions found · 4
Conclusion “I couldn’t disagree more.”
Because “We need politicians to respect the independence of the nine that we already have.”
“Court packing was a bad idea when FDR tried it in 1937.”
“The Constitution does not guarantee either party the Supreme Court decisions it wants.”
“Losing a case is not justification for adding Justices.”
Conclusion “It is a bad idea today.”
Because “FDR wanted to reshape the Supreme Court that was standing in the way of his agenda.”
“The same principle is at work here today:”
“When you don’t like the ruling, change the Court.”
Conclusion “Losing a case is not justification for adding Justices.”
Because “When you don’t like the ruling, change the Court.”
“The Constitution does not guarantee either party the Supreme Court decisions it wants.”
“Once politicians start changing the size of the Court to get favorable rulings, there is no logical stopping point.”
Conclusion “The answer is to take Court packing off the table permanently,”
Because “We need politicians to respect the independence of the nine that we already have.”
“Losing a case is not justification for adding Justices.”
“Once politicians start changing the size of the Court to get favorable rulings, there is no logical stopping point.”
“That would turn the Supreme Court into just another political arm of Congress.”
“you don’t protect democracy by changing the rules every time you lose.”
“You protect it by respecting our institutions, even when you disagree with the outcomes.”
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 17 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 · 5
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 “which is just a verification that you are an American citizen to vote” search 2 “my Democratic colleague Jim Clyburn said he wants to pack the Court with 13 Justices” search 3 “Court packing was a bad idea when FDR tried it in 1937” search 4 “members of his own party pushed back against this scheme” search 5 “FDR wanted to reshape the Supreme Court that was standing in the way of his agenda” search
