Analysis · Speech on a bill · beta

Melanie A. Stansbury

Democrat on Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of the United States to Require That the Supreme Court of the United States Be Composed of Nine Justices 2026-09-02

227 words · 15 sentences · 21 clauses

Statement grade

D+

54 / 100, held down by Relevance

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

Claims 60%Positioning 40%

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

Mr. Speaker, Claims · 31 wordstoday, the GOP is proposing a constitutional amendment to lock in the current conservative Supreme Court.¹ In fact, it would take away the power of this Congress to reform the Court.²Unearned certainty Positioning · 29 wordsThe question is why? Who asked them to do this? Where did this proposal come from? Why are Republicans arguing that they have to protect the Court from reform?Positioning Claims · 28 wordsThis is a Court that has, under this conservative majority, undermined democracy, undermined our rights, and undermined the system of checks and balances that make this country great. Positioning · 11 wordsThese reforms would bring equity, fairness, and ethics to the Court.Positioning Claims · 52 wordsWhy are my colleagues across the aisle bringing this constitutional amendment? It is clear in the debate here on the floor itself that they don’t even know how many Justices are currently sitting. In fact, my colleague across the aisle just claimed that there are currently 13 Justices sitting on the Court.³ Positioning · 26 wordsWhat is this? Political theater? Is this what you plan to run on because you don’t actually have an agenda to run on this election cycle?Positioning Claims · 25 wordsBecause you have decimated the economy, because you have an unending war in the Middle East, and because Americans can’t afford their healthcare, their housing, Off pointPositioning · 25 wordsand putting food on the table and a roof over their head, I am a hell no on this resolution, and I will vote ``no.’’Positioning

At a glance

Lost points for

Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.

What the tags mean

Signal · 59

11 of 29 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.

Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “The question is why?”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 “Who asked them to do this?”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 “Where did this proposal come from?”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 “Why are Republicans arguing that they have to protect the Court from reform?”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 “These reforms would bring equity, fairness,”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 “and ethics to the Court.”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 “What is this?”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 “Political theater?”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 “Is this what you plan to run on because you don’t actually have an agenda to run on this election cycle?”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 “and putting food on the table and a roof over their head, I am a hell no on this resolution,”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 “and I will vote ``no.’’”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.

Relevance · 24

17 of 29 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 “The question is why?”A rhetorical question framing the bill as suspect rather than addressing the amendment itself.
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 asked them to do this?”Asks who requested the proposal, a question beside the bill’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 “Where did this proposal come from?”Asks about the origin of the proposal rather than the amendment 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 “Why are Republicans arguing that they have to protect the Court from reform?”Frames the other side’s motives instead of addressing 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 “This is a Court that has, under this conservative majority, undermined democracy, undermined our rights,”Broad attack on the Court’s record, not the nine-Justice amendment.
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 undermined the system of checks and balances that make this country great.”Continues the attack on the Court rather than the bill’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 “These reforms would bring equity, fairness,”Praises unspecified reforms instead of addressing the amendment proposed.
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 ethics to the Court.”Continues praise of reforms not 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 “Why are my colleagues across the aisle bringing this constitutional amendment?”Restates the rhetorical question about colleagues’ motives, not the bill.
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 is clear in the debate here on the floor itself that they don’t even know how many Justices are currently sitting.”Attack on other members’ debate remarks, not the resolution itself.
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, my colleague across the aisle just claimed that there are currently 13 Justices sitting on the Court.”Continues the attack on a colleague’s claim unrelated to the bill’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 “What is this?”Rhetorical jab, not engagement with the amendment.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “Political theater?”Labels the proposal political theater in place of addressing it.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “Is this what you plan to run on because you don’t actually have an agenda to run on this election cycle?”Questions the other party’s election strategy, not 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 “Because you have decimated the economy,”Attack on the economy unrelated to the bill.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “because you have an unending war in the Middle East,”Reference to foreign war unrelated to the bill.
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 because Americans can’t afford their healthcare, their housing,”Complaints about healthcare, housing and food costs unrelated to the bill.

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 · 93

1 of 29 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 “In fact”The phrase asserts the claim as established fact in place of any source for what the amendment would do.

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“the GOP is proposing a constitutional amendment”search
2“it would take away the power of this Congress to reform the Court”search
3“my colleague across the aisle just claimed that there are currently 13 Justices sitting on the Court”search

Analyzed on 2026-09-14