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Statement grade
The average of Signal, Relevance, Reasoning and Clarity. Reasoning rests on 2 conclusions, too few to hold the grade down. Average 77 / 100
Signal
71 / 100
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Relevance
100 / 100
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Reasoning
60 / 100
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Respect
–
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Clarity
78 / 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.
Positioning 27% Reasoning 24% Claims 47% Procedure 2%
Structure · 12 steps
Claims · 1
This view breaks the statement into its steps and names what each one does.
Mr. Chairman, Positioning · 30 words America’s strength in the world has never been that we are perfect. It is that, unlike our adversaries, we have consistently aspired to lead by example and with our values. Positioning Reasoning · 32 words Building the capacity of a local community abroad to combat deadly diseases like malaria, Ebola, tuberculosis, and HIV is not just the right and just thing to do. It serves American interests. Claims · 15 words Disease outbreaks do not respect borders, and investments in global health protect Americans at home. Reasoning · 10 words That is why the dismantling of USAID is so dangerous.1 Claims · 22 words USAID isn’t a charity. It was boots on the ground, a force multiplier for the CDC and our broader national security efforts. Procedure · 3 words Let’s be honest. Procedure Unearned certainty Claims · 35 words Slashing foreign aid will not balance the Federal budget. Anyone with a calculator knows you are not going to address the skyrocketing deficit by cutting programs that amount to a rounding error in Federal spending. Unearned certainty Positioning · 8 words This is about American values and American security. Positioning Mr. Chairman, Positioning · 8 words that is why I cannot support this bill. Positioning No reason given Claims · 10 words It ignores the reality of what has already been lost. Unearned certainty
At a glance
Lost points for Positioning ×4 Unearned certainty ×3 Procedure No reason given
Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.
What the tags mean →
Signal · 71
5 of 9 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 → “America’s strength in the world has never been that we are perfect.” 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 that, unlike our adversaries, we have consistently aspired to lead by example and with our values.” 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 → “Let’s be honest.” 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 → “This is about American values and American security.” 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 why I cannot support this bill.” Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Relevance · 100
0 of 9 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.
Nothing lost points.
Reasoning · 60
1 of 9 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.
No reason given A conclusion stated with no reason given for it. What the tags mean → “that is why I cannot support this bill.” No clause states that this bill cuts foreign aid; c18 refers only to what has already been lost, not to cuts in the bill itself.
Conclusions found · 2
Conclusion “That is why the dismantling of USAID is so dangerous.”
Because “Disease outbreaks do not respect borders,”
“and investments in global health protect Americans at home.”
“It was boots on the ground, a force multiplier for the CDC and our broader national security efforts.”
Conclusion “that is why I cannot support this bill.”
Because No reason given
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 · 78
3 of 9 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.
Unearned certainty Something stated as certain with nothing to back it. What the tags mean → “Let’s be honest” A rhetorical opener that asserts the following claim as plainly true without a source.
Unearned certainty Something stated as certain with nothing to back it. What the tags mean → “Anyone with a calculator knows” Claims universal, self-evident agreement in place of citing a budget figure or analysis.
Unearned certainty Something stated as certain with nothing to back it. What the tags mean → “the reality of” Asserts a framing as objective reality rather than stating a checkable fact.
Claims · 1
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 dismantling of USAID” USAID, the United States Agency for International Development, has been dismantled. search