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Statement grade
The average of Signal, Relevance, Reasoning and Clarity.
Average 71 / 100
Signal
44 / 100
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Relevance
60 / 100
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Reasoning
83 / 100
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Respect
–
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Clarity
98 / 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.
Procedure 8% Claims 26% Reasoning 5% Positioning 46% The ask 15%
Structure · 18 steps
Claims · 6
This view breaks the statement into its steps and names what each one does.
Mr. Speaker, Procedure · 13 words I yield myself such time as I may consume. Let me be clear: Procedure Unearned certainty Claims · 33 words Dodd-Frank has not led to bank consolidation.1 That trend began when Congress repealed Glass-Steagall almost 30 years ago.2 What Dodd-Frank has done is ensure the longest stretch of economic growth in a generation.3 Reasoning · 30 words The threat to community banks is not Dodd- Frank, but it is to repeal it and return to their needless days, reckless days that led to the 2008 financial crisis. Claims · 56 words Just last week, we passed my bill as part of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act.4 My bill eased the requirements on new banks.5 H.R. Off point 6955, however, would set new banks up for failure. In fact, the bill undermines much of what we were trying to accomplish when we worked together in a bipartisan way. Procedure · 22 words What we have to do at this point in time is understand a provision of the housing bill that was carefully negotiated. Procedure Off point Mr. Speaker, Positioning · 14 words I thought we all were supposed to be in support of the housing bill. Positioning Claims · 54 words Everybody raved about the greatness of it. Unearned certainty Now, 10 days after it became law, now some on the opposite side of the aisle are already trying to undo the bill.6 Off point Now, this bill will actually make it easier for more, not less consolidation. No reason given The bill is bad for new banks but great for megabanks. Procedure · 5 words Let me just say this: Procedure Positioning · 223 words We all talk about loving community banks. I want you to know it is not the talk about loving community banks, it is action and what we do for or against them. I want you to know the big megabanks don’t even want them in their doors. They don’t even want to have those working behind the counter serving us. They have you serving from outside the bank. When you can get in touch with them, I want you to know, you have got to go through a hell of a menu to try to talk with someone that maybe in a community bank you can talk to. Do you know why we love community banks? It is because they understand the community. They know the people in the community. They work with you when you have a problem. The megabanks don’t know you, don’t care about you, don’t do anything to assist you, and hope you can’t get through their menus in order to speak with anybody. Off point I say, it is not a lot of talk about loving community banks. It is action and what you do. Now, then you come in here talking about how much you love the community banks, yet you know that you can’t get the deregulation that you are doing unless you hid behind the community banks. Positioning The ask · 54 words If you love the community banks, all you have got to do is work with us to separate the regulations in a way that it does not undermine the community banks. If you want to be fair, charge all your big friends and all the big banks everything they should be charged with regulation. Positioning · 40 words This is about whether or not you are going to use your power to literally undo what we have worked so hard to do to give the average person a decent chance with a bank, and that is community banks. Positioning Mr. Speaker, The ask · 31 words I am asking for a ``no’’ vote on this bill because, in the final analysis, I know that if you get away with these deregulations, we are going to have consolidation. Claims · 17 words It will only be five banks, almost only five big banks in the country that control everything. The ask · 7 words I am asking for a ``no’’ vote, Procedure · 8 words and I reserve the balance of my time. Procedure
At a glance
Lost points for Positioning ×19 Off point ×17 Procedure ×5 Unearned certainty ×2 No reason given
Little substance Much of this statement went to praise, blame, greetings, routine procedure or general stories rather than reasons, requests or specific points.
Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.
What the tags mean →
Signal · 44
24 of 44 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.
Procedure Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business. What the tags mean → “Let me be clear:” 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 → “What we have to do at this point in time is understand a provision of the housing bill that was carefully negotiated.” 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 thought we all were supposed to be in support of the housing bill.” 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 me just say this:” 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 → “We all talk about loving community banks.” 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 want you to know it is not the talk about loving community banks, it is action and what we do for or against them.” 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 want you to know the big megabanks don’t even want them in their doors.” 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 → “They don’t even want to have those working behind the counter serving us.” 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 → “They have you serving from outside the bank.” 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 you can get in touch with them, I want you to know, you have got to go through a hell of a menu to try to talk with someone that maybe in a community bank you can talk to.” 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 → “Do you know why we love community banks?” 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 because they understand the community.” 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 → “They know the people in the community.” 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 → “They work with you when you have a problem.” 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 → “The megabanks don’t know you, don’t care about you, don’t do anything to assist you,” 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 → “and hope you can’t get through their menus in order to speak with anybody.” 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 say, it is not a lot of talk about loving community banks.” 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 action and what you do.” 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 → “Now, then you come in here talking about how much you love the community banks,” 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 → “yet you know that you can’t get the deregulation that you are doing unless you hid behind the community banks.” 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 about whether or not you are going to use your power to literally undo what we have worked so hard to do to give the average person a decent chance with a bank,” 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 → “and that is community banks.” 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 → “and I reserve the balance of my time.” Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Relevance · 60
17 of 44 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 last week, we passed my bill as part of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act.” Pivots to a different bill, the speaker’s housing legislation, rather than the Main Street 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 → “My bill eased the requirements on new banks.” Describes the housing bill’s provisions, not the measure 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 → “H.R.” Begins a citation to the bill under debate but is only a fragment.
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 → “What we have to do at this point in time is understand a provision of the housing bill that was carefully negotiated.” Returns to the housing bill’s negotiated provision rather than the Main Street 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 → “I thought we all were supposed to be in support of the housing bill.” Talks about support for the housing bill, not the bill at hand.
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 → “Everybody raved about the greatness of it.” Rhetoric about the housing bill’s reception, not the measure 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 → “Now, 10 days after it became law, now some on the opposite side of the aisle are already trying to undo the bill.” Accuses the other side of undoing the housing bill, a different measure.
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 want you to know the big megabanks don’t even want them in their doors.” Departs into complaints about megabanks’ customer service.
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 → “They don’t even want to have those working behind the counter serving us.” Continues the digression on megabank staffing and service.
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 → “They have you serving from outside the bank.” Continues the customer-service digression unrelated to 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 → “When you can get in touch with them, I want you to know, you have got to go through a hell of a menu to try to talk with someone that maybe in a community bank you can talk to.” Continues the phone-menu complaint, not about the bill’s provisions.
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 → “Do you know why we love community banks?” Opens a general discussion of why community banks are liked, not 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 → “It is because they understand the community.” General praise of community banks unrelated to the bill’s terms.
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 → “They know the people in the community.” General praise of community banks unrelated to the bill’s terms.
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 → “They work with you when you have a problem.” General praise of community banks unrelated to the bill’s terms.
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 megabanks don’t know you, don’t care about you, don’t do anything to assist you,” General attack on megabanks unrelated to the bill’s terms.
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 hope you can’t get through their menus in order to speak with anybody.” Continues the attack on megabank phone menus, unrelated to the bill.
Reasoning · 83
1 of 44 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 → “Now, this bill will actually make it easier for more, not less consolidation.” The clause asserts consolidation without giving supporting reasons beyond her conclusion.
Conclusions found · 6
Conclusion “6955, however, would set new banks up for failure.”
Because “Just last week, we passed my bill as part of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act.”
“My bill eased the requirements on new banks.”
“In fact, the bill undermines much of what we were trying to accomplish when we worked together in a bipartisan way.”
Conclusion “Now, this bill will actually make it easier for more, not less consolidation.”
Because No reason given
No reason given The clause asserts consolidation without giving supporting reasons beyond her conclusion.
Conclusion “The bill is bad for new banks but great for megabanks.”
Because “6955, however, would set new banks up for failure.”
Conclusion “If you love the community banks, all you have got to do is work with us to separate the regulations in a way that it does not undermine the community banks.”
Because Given in the same sentence
Conclusion “I am asking for a ``no’’ vote on this bill because, in the final analysis, I know that if you get away with these deregulations, we are going to have consolidation.”
Because “It will only be five banks, almost only five big banks in the country that control everything.”
Conclusion “I am asking for a ``no’’ vote,”
Because “I am asking for a ``no’’ vote on this bill because, in the final analysis, I know that if you get away with these deregulations, we are going to have consolidation.”
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 · 98
2 of 44 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 me be clear:” It is a framing formula that asserts authority in place of a source before the claims that follow.
Unearned certainty Something stated as certain with nothing to back it. What the tags mean → “Everybody raved about the greatness of it” The universal ‘everybody’ asserts wide praise without naming who or citing anything.
Claims · 6
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 “Dodd-Frank has not led to bank consolidation” The Dodd-Frank Act has not led to bank consolidation. search
2 “That trend began when Congress repealed Glass-Steagall almost 30 years ago” Congress repealed the Glass-Steagall Act almost 30 years ago (the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999). search
3 “What Dodd-Frank has done is ensure the longest stretch of economic growth in a generation” The period after Dodd-Frank’s enactment included the longest stretch of economic growth in a generation. search
4 “Just last week, we passed my bill as part of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act” The House passed Maxine Waters’ bill easing requirements on new banks as part of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act in the week before this speech. search
5 “My bill eased the requirements on new banks” Waters’ bill included in the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act eased requirements on new banks. search
6 “10 days after it became law” The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act became law roughly 10 days before this speech. search