← Back to the statement
Statement grade
The average of Signal, Relevance and Clarity is 51. The grade is held to 30, 30 above Relevance. 30 / 100, held down by Relevance
Signal
53 / 100
View details Viewing ↓
Relevance
0 / 100
View details Viewing ↓
Respect
–
Not scored Viewing ↓
Clarity
100 / 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 12% Claims 49% Positioning 34% The ask 5%
Structure · 12 steps
Claims · 2
This view breaks the statement into its steps and names what each one does.
Mr. Speaker, Procedure · 9 words I yield myself such time as I may consume. Procedure Mr. Speaker, Claims · 36 words let me just respond to the gentleman by saying that whatever good is in this veterans bill is offset by the bad. Basically, they are saying we are providing veterans’ benefits by cutting other veterans’ benefits. Positioning · 7 words I mean, this is a shell game. Positioning Claims · 31 words That is why the VFW is furious, why they are pissed over this bill, why they have told their membership to contact Members of Congress, Democrats and Republicans, to oppose it.1 Positioning · 45 words If this were a tax cut for billionaires, my Republican friends don’t care about an offset. If it is an illegal war in Iran, they don’t care about offsets. When it comes to providing veterans’ benefits, all of a sudden, we have to find offsets. Positioning Claims · 16 words Those offsets that they have found to pay for this are by cutting other veterans’ benefits.2 Positioning · 6 words That is unconscionable. That is wrong, Positioning The ask · 8 words and everybody should vote ``no’’ on that bill. Off point Mr. Speaker, Procedure · 11 words I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Dean). Procedure
At a glance
Lost points for Off point ×11 Positioning ×6 Procedure ×3 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 · 53
9 of 20 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 yield myself such time as I may consume.” 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 mean, this is a shell game.” 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 this were a tax cut for billionaires, my Republican friends don’t care about an offset.” 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 it is an illegal war in Iran, they don’t care about offsets.” 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 → “When it comes to providing veterans’ benefits, all of a sudden, we have to find offsets.” 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 unconscionable.” 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 wrong,” 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 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms.” Procedure or throat-clearing: 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 → “Dean).” Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Relevance · 0
11 of 20 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 → “let me just respond to the gentleman by saying that whatever good is in this veterans bill is offset by the bad.” The clause discusses a separate veterans bill, not the Sunshine Protection Act 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 → “Basically, they are saying we are providing veterans’ benefits by cutting other veterans’ benefits.” The clause discusses how a veterans bill funds benefits, not the daylight saving time 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 mean, this is a shell game.” The clause criticizes a veterans bill as a shell game, 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 → “That is why the VFW is furious, why they are pissed over this bill, why they have told their membership to contact Members of Congress, Democrats and Republicans, to oppose it.” The clause discusses VFW opposition to a veterans bill, not the measure being considered.
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 this were a tax cut for billionaires, my Republican friends don’t care about an offset.” The clause makes a political point about Republican offsets regarding other legislation, not the Sunshine Protection Act.
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 it is an illegal war in Iran, they don’t care about offsets.” The clause refers to funding for a war in Iran, which is 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 → “When it comes to providing veterans’ benefits, all of a sudden, we have to find offsets.” The clause discusses pay-fors for veterans benefits, not the daylight saving time 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 → “Those offsets that they have found to pay for this are by cutting other veterans’ benefits.” The clause discusses offsets in a veterans bill, not the Sunshine Protection Act.
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 unconscionable.” The clause condemns the veterans bill’s funding mechanism, 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 → “That is wrong,” The clause condemns the veterans bill, not the Sunshine Protection Act.
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 everybody should vote ``no’’ on that bill.” The clause urges a no vote on the veterans bill, not the measure under consideration.
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 20 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 · 2
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 “they have told their membership to contact Members of Congress, Democrats and Republicans, to oppose it” The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) has told its membership to contact Members of Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, and urge them to oppose the veterans bill under consideration. search 2 “offsets that they have found to pay for this are by cutting other veterans’ benefits” The offsets used to pay for the veterans bill under consideration consist of cuts to other veterans’ benefits. search
