Procedure 11% Claims 55% Positioning 25% The ask 5% Aside 2% Thanks 2%
Structure · 35 steps
Claims · 1
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, Procedure · 19 words I will mention again one of the atrocities that I have been able to experience working on these issues. Procedure Claims · 30 words Again, Wells Fargo was fined $3.7 billion just a few years ago for widespread mismanagement of automobile loans and mortgages.1 Their actions included unlawful fees and even repossession of cars. Positioning · 25 words Now, someone would say, $3.7 billion, well, I want you to know they make so much money that is just a cost of doing business. Positioning Claims · 23 words They will keep doing it if we keep allowing them to get away with what they are trying to get away with today. The ask · 28 words If my friend wants a guarantee that this bill helps Wells Fargo, then he should support Ms. Garcia’s amendment that says that megabanks can’t benefit from this bill, Aside · 5 words but I guess he won’t. Aside Claims · 10 words After all, my friend knows that today is Dodd-Frank’s birthday, Aside · 8 words and he is the skunk at the party. Aside Positioning · 19 words There is so much that we could point out that the average citizen knows in dealing with their banks. Positioning Unearned certainty Claims · 18 words The average citizen is tired of being treated in the way that they are treated by their banks. Positioning · 27 words I tell my friend that he is correct in the support that he did for the big bill that Mr. Hill and I worked so hard on. Positioning Claims · 7 words We have a lot in that bill. Procedure · 23 words But let me point out one of the things in that bill that gives us cause to be concerned. Right now, Mr. Speaker, Procedure Claims · 74 words if you find a residence that you would like to buy, particularly if you are in a rural community, or you may be a low-income community, but you work every day and you can afford a house for maybe $90,000 to $100,000, the bank doesn’t want to be bothered with you. The bank wants the big loans. The bank wants the million-dollar loans. They want the half-billion-dollar mortgages. They don’t want the small mortgages. Procedure · 4 words Guess what, Mr. Speaker. Procedure Claims · 52 words They don’t do them. As a matter of fact, many communities where there are residents who could afford the houses in their community are sold out to private equity firms and others who come and buy these houses for pennies on the dollar, but they won’t sell them to you, Mr. Speaker, Positioning · 10 words because you don’t look like a big profitmaker for them. Positioning Thanks · 9 words I am so pleased I worked with Mr. Hill, Thanks Claims · 74 words and we have done something to change that to encourage the banks to pay attention to those who can afford that $90,000 house, that $100,000 house, that $150,000 house, that $200,000 house. They are working every day. They can afford it, but the banks are not interested. Off point My friend tells me that we should not be concerned about deregulation that puts these banks in a position where they are not only moving toward consolidation, Positioning · 17 words but they are taking over banking in ways that will help them to get richer and richer. Positioning Procedure · 4 words Guess what, Mr. Speaker. Procedure Claims · 10 words They will keep paying the fines, the big banks will, Logical leap Positioning · 8 words because that is the cost of doing business, Positioning Unearned certainty Claims · 5 words and they still make money. Positioning · 6 words This is outrageous. This is ridiculous. Positioning The ask · 3 words No more deregulation. Positioning · 22 words No more looking at how you can frame it in such a way, Mr. Speaker, that you are saving the community banks. Positioning Mr. Speaker, Positioning · 7 words you are not saving the community banks. Positioning Claims · 12 words As a matter of fact, you are putting them out of business. Mr. Speaker, Procedure · 7 words I reserve the balance of my time. Procedure
At a glance
Lost points for Off point ×31 Positioning ×10 Procedure ×7 Aside ×2 Unearned certainty ×2 Thanks Logical leap
Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.
What the tags mean →
Signal · 57
20 of 54 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 → “I will mention again one of the atrocities that I have been able to experience working on these issues.” 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 → “Now, someone would say, $3.7 billion, well, I want you to know they make so much money that is just a cost of doing business.” Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Aside A remark off to the side of the point. What the tags mean → “but I guess he won’t.” An aside: no claim, reason or ask.
Aside A remark off to the side of the point. What the tags mean → “and he is the skunk at the party.” An aside: no claim, reason or ask.
Positioning Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it. What the tags mean → “There is so much that we could point out that the average citizen knows in dealing with their 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 tell my friend that he is correct in the support that he did for the big bill that Mr. Hill and I worked so hard on.” 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 → “But let me point out one of the things in that bill that gives us cause to be concerned.” 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 → “Right now, Mr. Speaker,” 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 → “Guess what, Mr. Speaker.” 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 → “because you don’t look like a big profitmaker for them.” Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Thanks Thanks and tributes. What the tags mean → “I am so pleased I worked with Mr. Hill,” Thanks: no claim, reason or ask.
Positioning Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it. What the tags mean → “but they are taking over banking in ways that will help them to get richer and richer.” 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 → “Guess what, Mr. Speaker.” 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 → “because that is the cost of doing business,” 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 outrageous.” 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 ridiculous.” 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 → “No more looking at how you can frame it in such a way, Mr. Speaker, that you are saving 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 → “you are not saving the 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 → “I reserve the balance of my time.” Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Relevance · 23
31 of 54 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 → “Again, Wells Fargo was fined $3.7 billion just a few years ago for widespread mismanagement of automobile loans and mortgages.” Describes a past Wells Fargo fine rather than any provision or effect of the bill being debated.
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 → “Their actions included unlawful fees and even repossession of cars.” Recounts Wells Fargo misconduct 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 → “Now, someone would say, $3.7 billion, well, I want you to know they make so much money that is just a cost of doing business.” Continues the Wells Fargo fine discussion 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 → “They will keep doing it if we keep allowing them to get away with what they are trying to get away with today.” Warns about Wells Fargo’s behavior instead of addressing 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 → “If my friend wants a guarantee that this bill helps Wells Fargo, then he should support Ms. Garcia’s amendment that says that megabanks can’t benefit from this bill,” Turns to a separate amendment and a colloquy challenge rather than the bill itself.
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 → “but I guess he won’t.” A partisan jab at the other side, not a point about 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 → “After all, my friend knows that today is Dodd-Frank’s birthday,” A remark about Dodd-Frank’s anniversary, 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 → “and he is the skunk at the party.” A personal insult, not an argument about 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 → “There is so much that we could point out that the average citizen knows in dealing with their banks.” Pivots to general complaints about banks rather than 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 → “The average citizen is tired of being treated in the way that they are treated by their banks.” General grievance about bank treatment, not 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 → “I tell my friend that he is correct in the support that he did for the big bill that Mr. Hill and I worked so hard on.” Refers to a different bill by Mr. Hill and the member, not this one.
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 → “We have a lot in that bill.” Describes the contents of that other 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 → “But let me point out one of the things in that bill that gives us cause to be concerned.” Concern in that other bill, not 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 → “Right now, Mr. Speaker,” Transitions into a discussion of small mortgages under the other 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 → “if you find a residence that you would like to buy, particularly if you are in a rural community,” Small-mortgage discussion tied to the other bill, not this one.
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 → “or you may be a low-income community,” Continues the small-mortgage example unrelated to this 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 → “but you work every day and you can afford a house for maybe $90,000 to $100,000, the bank doesn’t want to be bothered with you.” Banks’ lending preferences, not a provision of 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 → “The bank wants the big loans.” General bank lending behavior, 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 → “The bank wants the million-dollar loans.” General bank lending behavior, 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 → “They want the half-billion-dollar mortgages.” General bank lending behavior, 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 → “They don’t want the small mortgages.” General bank lending behavior, 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 → “Guess what, Mr. Speaker.” Rhetorical aside within the small-mortgage digression.
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 do them.” Claims about banks not making small loans, 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 → “As a matter of fact, many communities where there are residents who could afford the houses in their community are sold out to private equity firms and others who come and buy these houses for pennies on the dollar,” Private equity purchases of homes, unrelated to 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 → “but they won’t sell them to you, Mr. Speaker,” Continues the private equity digression.
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 → “because you don’t look like a big profitmaker for them.” General bank profit motive, 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 → “I am so pleased I worked with Mr. Hill,” Refers again to work on the other bill with Mr. Hill.
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 we have done something to change that to encourage the banks to pay attention to those who can afford that $90,000 house, that $100,000 house, that $150,000 house, that $200,000 house.” Describes the goals of that other bill, not this one.
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 are working every day.” Continues the small-borrower discussion from the other 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 → “They can afford it,” Continues the small-borrower discussion from the other 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 → “but the banks are not interested.” Bank disinterest in small borrowers, not the bill under debate.
Reasoning · 77
1 of 54 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 → “They will keep paying the fines, the big banks will,” One Wells Fargo fine is generalized into a claim that big banks will always treat fines as a cost of doing business.
Conclusions found · 2
Conclusion “If my friend wants a guarantee that this bill helps Wells Fargo, then he should support Ms. Garcia’s amendment that says that megabanks can’t benefit from this bill,”
Because “Again, Wells Fargo was fined $3.7 billion just a few years ago for widespread mismanagement of automobile loans and mortgages.”
“Their actions included unlawful fees and even repossession of cars.”
“Now, someone would say, $3.7 billion, well, I want you to know they make so much money that is just a cost of doing business.”
“They will keep doing it if we keep allowing them to get away with what they are trying to get away with today.”
Conclusion “No more deregulation.”
Because “Again, Wells Fargo was fined $3.7 billion just a few years ago for widespread mismanagement of automobile loans and mortgages.”
“Now, someone would say, $3.7 billion, well, I want you to know they make so much money that is just a cost of doing business.”
“They will keep paying the fines, the big banks will,”
“because that is the cost of doing business,”
“and they still make money.”
Reason flawed One Wells Fargo fine is generalized into a claim that big banks will always treat fines as a cost of doing business.
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 · 94
2 of 54 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 → “the average citizen knows” Asserts widespread public knowledge as fact without any source or evidence.
Unearned certainty Something stated as certain with nothing to back it. What the tags mean → “that is the cost of doing business” States as certain fact a claim about banks’ behavior with no supporting source.
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 “Wells Fargo was fined $3.7 billion just a few years ago for widespread mismanagement of automobile loans and mortgages” Wells Fargo was fined $3.7 billion a few years ago for widespread mismanagement of automobile loans and mortgages. search
