Claims 63% Procedure 4% Anecdote 2% Reasoning 17% Positioning 8% Thanks 2% The question 2% The ask 2%
Structure · 36 steps
Claims · 19
This view breaks the statement into its steps and names what each one does.
Mr. President, Claims · 20 words $43.6 billion and counting--that is the Pentagon’s estimate for how much it has spent on this illegal war in Iran.1 Procedure · 7 words Now, that is a lot of money. Procedure Anecdote · 29 words In fact, it is so much money that if every American family gave $500, you still wouldn’t have enough to pay for this war--the missiles, the munitions, the warships. Anecdote Claims · 10 words Over $43 billion of taxpayer money with no discernible benefit--wasted. No reason given Procedure · 22 words But I don’t want to talk about what $43 billion includes. Today, I want to talk about what that number doesn’t include. Procedure Reasoning · 31 words Wars aren’t measured just in dollars and cents; they are measured in lives lost, whether Americans feel safer at home, better off. And by all these accounts, the costs are enormous. Claims · 22 words Take the 19 brave servicemembers whose deaths have been disclosed by the Pentagon.2 That is 19 families who have lost someone irreplaceable. Positioning · 13 words In just a few weeks, children are going to trick-or-treat without their parent. Positioning Claims · 68 words A few weeks later, parents and families will gather for Thanksgiving with an empty seat at the table. ``I will never recover from this,’’ one widow wrote on social media.3 What is even more heartbreaking is that we don’t know exactly how many servicemembers have died in the Middle East amid this war. Reports say that the Pentagon is not being transparent with Congress or the American people. Thanks · 29 words What we know is that every one of those lives lost deserves our gratitude, and every one of those families deserves an accurate accounting of this war’s human cost. Thanks Claims · 47 words Since February, more than 800 servicemembers have been wounded in the Middle East.4 Some went days without receiving adequate hospital care. Many face life-altering injuries. Tens of thousands of their fellow servicemembers are still deployed, fighting a war that this administration still refuses to call a war.5 Positioning · 21 words Back at home, their loved ones are left worrying and wondering whether their loved ones will get home for the holidays. Positioning Reasoning · 15 words You are not going to find any of those costs in the $43 billion pricetag. Claims · 46 words There has also been a staggering cost in America’s loss to national security. Since June, the war has consumed between one-half and two- thirds of our key missile defense interceptors.6 Even with increased production rates, it will take at least 5 years to rebuild those stockpiles.7 Reasoning · 18 words Every interceptor we fire in Iran is one that we don’t have protecting this country in the future. Claims · 131 words Iranian strikes have damaged or destroyed hundreds of buildings and structures on U.S. bases, along with our relationships with the allies and partners who agreed to host them as a bulwark against the aggressions of Iran.8 That premise has been turned on its head. At the same time, we have shown Iran that it can seize control of one of the world’s most critical waterways and literally bring global trade to a stop, bring it to its knees. A quarter of the world’s oil and a third of the world’s fertilizer trade used to flow through the Strait of Hormuz.9 No longer. We have given our adversaries a roadmap and even a test drive for holding the global economy hostage, which the Houthis have already exploited in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.10 Positioning · 12 words America’s adversaries are celebrating our distraction, this futility, and the mounting costs. Positioning Reasoning · 62 words Every dollar we spend on Iran is a dollar we are not spending modernizing our military to protect against the threat of an ascendant China. Every warship that is deployed to the Arabian Sea is one fewer warship that is available to protect the South China Sea. But you are not going to find those costs in the $43 billion pricetag either. Procedure · 12 words And then there is the cost, well, to you, the American people. Procedure Claims · 136 words You are paying for this war every day when you fill up your tank, when you buy groceries, when you pay your rent. Before the war, the national average for diesel was $3.72 per gallon.11 This week, it is over $6.50 per gallon for diesel.12 That is nearly a 75-percent increase. That means that a small farmer using 1,000 gallons of diesel during a harvest is paying roughly $2,800 more just to do the same work as before the war.13 Even Republicans have said it: This is ``killing farmers’ income’’-- that that is what this war is doing: ``killing farmers’ income.’’ The war is also impacting Americans’ grocery bills. Between July of 2025 and July of 2026, fresh vegetable prices increased over 6 percent, beef rose over 9 percent, 14 and tomatoes are up over 13 percent.15 Positioning · 17 words You shouldn’t have to be a millionaire to drive to the grocery store and feed your family. Positioning Claims · 118 words Few have felt the financial cost of this war more than prospective home buyers. Before the Iran war, the average 30-year mortgage rate was hovering right around 6 percent--still too high for many families.16 Today, it is above 7 percent.17 For the average Colorado home buyer, that difference adds up fast. That is a mortgage that is $280 more every month, almost $4,000 a year, and over $100,000 over the course of a 30- year mortgage. That is real money that could go to childcare, to a child’s college savings, or just their lifetime savings. For many, it means buying a home just doesn’t make financial sense right now, even if you have been saving up for years. Reasoning · 15 words You won’t see those tradeoffs reflected in the Pentagon’s $43 billion pricetag for this war. Positioning · 14 words Let me ask, finally, what is the cost of this war on our democracy? Positioning Claims · 45 words James Madison once wrote to his friend Thomas Jefferson that ``the Executive is the branch of power most interested in war, 18 and most prone to it.’’ That is why the Founders gave Congress the power to declare war--not the President, not the Supreme Court; Congress. Procedure · 1 words Yet, Procedure Claims · 71 words so far, not a single Senator has introduced a legislative measure to formally declare war on Iran.19 The Presiding Officer may have noticed that up until now, I haven’t mentioned President Trump. That is not because the President bears no responsibility for this war. He certainly does. President Trump unilaterally made the decision to enter this costly--for most people, unwarranted--war. But the decision about whether it continues does rest with Congress. The question · 26 words To my colleagues, Republicans and Democrats, who are wrestling with this issue, just ask yourself, is this war making the lives of your constituents any better? Reasoning · 48 words That isn’t a partisan question; it is a question every Senator has an obligation to ask and a responsibility to get the response for. Because whether the President is a Republican or a Democrat, Congress cannot surrender its constitutional power simply because the President belongs to our party. Claims · 39 words We all, each and every Senator--we all took an oath to defend the Constitution, not a President. We all took an oath to serve the American people, not a party. President Trump made the decision to enter this war, Reasoning · 13 words but whether this war continues is now a decision for all of us. Positioning · 16 words What is the true cost of this war and the cost of allowing it to continue? Positioning Claims · 13 words Well, this week, the Senate is going to get another chance to decide. Off point The ask · 24 words I urge, as I have been--I urge all of my colleagues to join me in voting to end this war now and for good. Off point Procedure · 4 words I yield the floor. Procedure
At a glance
Lost points for Off point ×85 Positioning ×7 Procedure ×6 Thanks ×2 Anecdote No reason given 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 · 79
16 of 102 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 → “Now, that is a lot of money.” Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “In fact, it is so much money that if every American family gave $500, you still wouldn’t have enough to pay for this war--the missiles, the munitions, the warships.” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not 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 I don’t want to talk about what $43 billion includes.” 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 → “Today, I want to talk about what that number doesn’t include.” 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 → “In just a few weeks, children are going to trick-or-treat without their parent.” Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Thanks Thanks and tributes. What the tags mean → “What we know is that every one of those lives lost deserves our gratitude,” Thanks: no claim, reason or ask.
Thanks Thanks and tributes. What the tags mean → “and every one of those families deserves an accurate accounting of this war’s human cost.” Thanks: no claim, reason or ask.
Positioning Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it. What the tags mean → “Back at home, their loved ones are left worrying and wondering whether their loved ones will get home for the holidays.” 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 → “America’s adversaries are celebrating our distraction, this futility,” 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 the mounting costs.” 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 then there is the cost, well, to you, the American people.” 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 → “You shouldn’t have to be a millionaire to drive to the grocery store and feed your family.” 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 → “Let me ask, finally, what is the cost of this war on our democracy?” 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 → “Yet,” 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 → “What is the true cost of this war and the cost of allowing it to continue?” 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 the floor.” Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Relevance · 0
85 of 102 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 → “$43.6 billion and counting--that is the Pentagon’s estimate for how much it has spent on this illegal war in Iran.” About the cost of the war in Iran, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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, that is a lot of money.” About the size of war spending, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “In fact, it is so much money that if every American family gave $500, you still wouldn’t have enough to pay for this war--the missiles, the munitions, the warships.” About illustrating the war’s dollar cost, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “Over $43 billion of taxpayer money with no discernible benefit--wasted.” About calling war spending wasted, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 don’t want to talk about what $43 billion includes.” About redirecting the speech away from war spending figures, not the bill’s subject.
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 → “Today, I want to talk about what that number doesn’t include.” About what the war’s costs omit, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “Wars aren’t measured just in dollars and cents;” About how wars should be measured, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 measured in lives lost, whether Americans feel safer at home, better off.” About the human costs of war, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 by all these accounts, the costs are enormous.” About the war’s costs being large, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “Take the 19 brave servicemembers whose deaths have been disclosed by the Pentagon.” About servicemember deaths in the war, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 19 families who have lost someone irreplaceable.” About the families of fallen servicemembers, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “In just a few weeks, children are going to trick-or-treat without their parent.” About bereaved military families, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “A few weeks later, parents and families will gather for Thanksgiving with an empty seat at the table. ``I will never recover from this,’’ one widow wrote on social media.” About the grief of war-bereaved families, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 is even more heartbreaking is that we don’t know exactly how many servicemembers have died in the Middle East amid this war.” About uncertainty over war casualties, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “Reports say that the Pentagon is not being transparent with Congress or the American people.” About Pentagon transparency on war casualties, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 know is that every one of those lives lost deserves our gratitude,” About honoring the war dead, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 every one of those families deserves an accurate accounting of this war’s human cost.” About accounting for the war’s human cost, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “Since February, more than 800 servicemembers have been wounded in the Middle East.” About wounded servicemembers in the war, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “Some went days without receiving adequate hospital care.” About medical care for the wounded, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “Many face life-altering injuries.” About lasting injuries from the war, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “Tens of thousands of their fellow servicemembers are still deployed, fighting a war that this administration still refuses to call a war.” About troops deployed in the war, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “Back at home, their loved ones are left worrying and wondering whether their loved ones will get home for the holidays.” About military families’ worries during the war, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “You are not going to find any of those costs in the $43 billion pricetag.” About uncounted costs of the war, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 has also been a staggering cost in America’s loss to national security.” About national security costs of the war, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “Since June, the war has consumed between one-half and two- thirds of our key missile defense interceptors.” About missile defense stockpile depletion from the war, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “Even with increased production rates, it will take at least 5 years to rebuild those stockpiles.” About how long it will take to rebuild interceptor stockpiles, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “Every interceptor we fire in Iran is one that we don’t have protecting this country in the future.” About tradeoffs in missile defense from the war, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “Iranian strikes have damaged or destroyed hundreds of buildings and structures on U.S. bases, along with our relationships with the allies and partners who agreed to host them as a bulwark against the aggressions of Iran.” About damage to bases and alliances from the war, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 premise has been turned on its head.” About the war undermining a strategic premise, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “At the same time, we have shown Iran that it can seize control of one of the world’s most critical waterways and literally bring global trade to a stop, bring it to its knees.” About Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “A quarter of the world’s oil and a third of the world’s fertilizer trade used to flow through the Strait of Hormuz.” About trade flows through the Strait of Hormuz, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “No longer.” About the halt of those trade flows, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 given our adversaries a roadmap and even a test drive for holding the global economy hostage,” About adversaries learning to disrupt the global economy, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “which the Houthis have already exploited in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.” About Houthi actions in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “America’s adversaries are celebrating our distraction, this futility,” About adversaries celebrating the war, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 the mounting costs.” About the war’s mounting costs, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “Every dollar we spend on Iran is a dollar we are not spending modernizing our military to protect against the threat of an ascendant China.” About military spending diverted from competing with China, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “Every warship that is deployed to the Arabian Sea is one fewer warship that is available to protect the South China Sea.” About warship deployments in the war, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 are not going to find those costs in the $43 billion pricetag either.” About uncounted national security costs of the war, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 then there is the cost, well, to you, the American people.” About the war’s costs to American consumers, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “You are paying for this war every day when you fill up your tank, when you buy groceries, when you pay your rent.” About everyday price increases from the war, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “Before the war, the national average for diesel was $3.72 per gallon.” About prewar diesel prices, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “This week, it is over $6.50 per gallon for diesel.” About current diesel prices during the war, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 nearly a 75-percent increase.” About the size of the diesel price increase, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 means that a small farmer using 1,000 gallons of diesel during a harvest is paying roughly $2,800 more just to do the same work as before the war.” About the war’s effect on farmers’ fuel costs, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “Even Republicans have said it:” About Republican statements on the war, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “This is ``killing farmers’ income’’-- that that is what this war is doing:” About quoted criticism of the war’s effect on farmers, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “``killing farmers’ income.’’” About repeated criticism of the war’s effect on farmers, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 war is also impacting Americans’ grocery bills.” About the war’s effect on grocery prices, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “Between July of 2025 and July of 2026, fresh vegetable prices increased over 6 percent, beef rose over 9 percent,” About food price statistics during the war, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 tomatoes are up over 13 percent.” About tomato price increases during the war, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “You shouldn’t have to be a millionaire to drive to the grocery store and feed your family.” About the cost of living during the war, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “Few have felt the financial cost of this war more than prospective home buyers.” About the war’s effect on home buyers, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “Before the Iran war, the average 30-year mortgage rate was hovering right around 6 percent--still too high for many families.” About prewar mortgage rates, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “Today, it is above 7 percent.” About current mortgage rates during the war, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “For the average Colorado home buyer, that difference adds up fast.” About mortgage costs for Colorado buyers, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 a mortgage that is $280 more every month, almost $4,000 a year,” About monthly mortgage increases from the war, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 over $100,000 over the course of a 30- year mortgage.” About lifetime mortgage increases from the war, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 real money that could go to childcare, to a child’s college savings,” About household spending tradeoffs from higher mortgage costs, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 just their lifetime savings.” About household savings tradeoffs, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “For many, it means buying a home just doesn’t make financial sense right now, even if you have been saving up for years.” About home buying becoming unaffordable during the war, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “You won’t see those tradeoffs reflected in the Pentagon’s $43 billion pricetag for this war.” About uncounted consumer costs of the war, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 ask, finally, what is the cost of this war on our democracy?” About the war’s cost to democracy, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “James Madison once wrote to his friend Thomas Jefferson that ``the Executive is the branch of power most interested in war,” About a Madison quotation on executives and war, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 most prone to it.’’” About completing the Madison quotation, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 Founders gave Congress the power to declare war--not the President, not the Supreme Court;” About Congress’s constitutional war power, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “Congress.” About Congress’s war declaration power, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “Yet,” A transitional word continuing the war power discussion, not the bill’s subject.
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 → “so far, not a single Senator has introduced a legislative measure to formally declare war on Iran.” About the absence of a war declaration measure, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 Presiding Officer may have noticed that up until now, I haven’t mentioned President Trump.” About the speaker’s treatment of President Trump, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 not because the President bears no responsibility for this war.” About the President’s responsibility for the war, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “He certainly does.” About the President’s responsibility for the war, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “President Trump unilaterally made the decision to enter this costly--for most people, unwarranted--war.” About the President’s decision to enter the war, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 decision about whether it continues does rest with Congress.” About Congress’s role in continuing the war, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “To my colleagues, Republicans and Democrats, who are wrestling with this issue, just ask yourself, is this war making the lives of your constituents any better?” About urging colleagues to weigh the war’s effects on constituents, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 isn’t a partisan question;” About the war question not being partisan, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 a question every Senator has an obligation to ask and a responsibility to get the response for.” About senators’ obligation regarding the war, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 whether the President is a Republican or a Democrat, Congress cannot surrender its constitutional power simply because the President belongs to our party.” About Congress not surrendering war powers, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 all, each and every Senator--we all took an oath to defend the Constitution, not a President.” About senators’ oaths to the Constitution, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 all took an oath to serve the American people, not a party.” About senators’ oaths to the people, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “President Trump made the decision to enter this war,” About the President’s decision to enter the war, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 whether this war continues is now a decision for all of us.” About Congress’s decision on continuing the war, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 is the true cost of this war and the cost of allowing it to continue?” About the war’s true cost, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 → “Well, this week, the Senate is going to get another chance to decide.” About a pending Senate vote on the war, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
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 I have been--I urge all of my colleagues to join me in voting to end this war now and for good.” About urging a vote to end the war, not the bill’s labor-relations subject.
Reasoning · 75
1 of 102 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 → “Over $43 billion of taxpayer money with no discernible benefit--wasted.” Aside from the spending figure in c2, the claim of waste and no benefit appears only in the conclusion clause itself.
Conclusions found · 4
Conclusion “Over $43 billion of taxpayer money with no discernible benefit--wasted.”
Because No reason given
Conclusion “And by all these accounts, the costs are enormous.”
Because “Take the 19 brave servicemembers whose deaths have been disclosed by the Pentagon.”
“What is even more heartbreaking is that we don’t know exactly how many servicemembers have died in the Middle East amid this war.”
“Since February, more than 800 servicemembers have been wounded in the Middle East.”
“Since June, the war has consumed between one-half and two- thirds of our key missile defense interceptors.”
“Even with increased production rates, it will take at least 5 years to rebuild those stockpiles.”
“Iranian strikes have damaged or destroyed hundreds of buildings and structures on U.S. bases, along with our relationships with the allies and partners who agreed to host them as a bulwark against the aggressions of Iran.”
Conclusion “but whether this war continues is now a decision for all of us.”
Because “That is why the Founders gave Congress the power to declare war--not the President, not the Supreme Court;”
“so far, not a single Senator has introduced a legislative measure to formally declare war on Iran.”
“But the decision about whether it continues does rest with Congress.”
“Because whether the President is a Republican or a Democrat, Congress cannot surrender its constitutional power simply because the President belongs to our party.”
Conclusion “as I have been--I urge all of my colleagues to join me in voting to end this war now and for good.”
Because “And by all these accounts, the costs are enormous.”
“Since June, the war has consumed between one-half and two- thirds of our key missile defense interceptors.”
“Even with increased production rates, it will take at least 5 years to rebuild those stockpiles.”
“Iranian strikes have damaged or destroyed hundreds of buildings and structures on U.S. bases, along with our relationships with the allies and partners who agreed to host them as a bulwark against the aggressions of Iran.”
“At the same time, we have shown Iran that it can seize control of one of the world’s most critical waterways and literally bring global trade to a stop, bring it to its knees.”
“We have given our adversaries a roadmap and even a test drive for holding the global economy hostage,”
“This week, it is over $6.50 per gallon for diesel.”
“That means that a small farmer using 1,000 gallons of diesel during a harvest is paying roughly $2,800 more just to do the same work as before the war.”
“Between July of 2025 and July of 2026, fresh vegetable prices increased over 6 percent, beef rose over 9 percent,”
“Today, it is above 7 percent.”
“That is a mortgage that is $280 more every month, almost $4,000 a year,”
“To my colleagues, Republicans and Democrats, who are wrestling with this issue, just ask yourself, is this war making the lives of your constituents any better?”
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 102 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 · 19
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 “$43.6 billion” The Pentagon’s estimate of U.S. spending on the war in Iran is $43.6 billion. search 2 “19 brave servicemembers whose deaths have been disclosed by the Pentagon” The Pentagon has disclosed the deaths of 19 U.S. servicemembers in the Iran war. search 3 “``I will never recover from this,’’ one widow wrote on social media.” A widow of a servicemember killed in the war wrote ‘I will never recover from this’ on social media. search 4 “Since February, more than 800 servicemembers have been wounded in the Middle East.” More than 800 U.S. servicemembers have been wounded in the Middle East since February 2026. search 5 “Tens of thousands of their fellow servicemembers are still deployed” Tens of thousands of U.S. servicemembers remain deployed in connection with the Iran war. search 6 “Since June, the war has consumed between one-half and two- thirds of our key missile defense interceptors.” Since June 2026, the Iran war has consumed between one-half and two-thirds of key U.S. missile defense interceptors. search 7 “it will take at least 5 years to rebuild those stockpiles” It will take at least 5 years to rebuild the depleted U.S. interceptor stockpiles. search 8 “Iranian strikes have damaged or destroyed hundreds of buildings and structures on U.S. bases” Iranian strikes have damaged or destroyed hundreds of buildings and structures on U.S. bases. search 9 “A quarter of the world’s oil and a third of the world’s fertilizer trade used to flow through the Strait of Hormuz.” A quarter of the world’s oil and a third of the world’s fertilizer trade previously flowed through the Strait of Hormuz. search 10 “the Houthis have already exploited in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait” The Houthis have attacked or disrupted shipping in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait during the Iran war. search 11 “Before the war, the national average for diesel was $3.72 per gallon.” The U.S. national average diesel price was $3.72 per gallon before the Iran war. search 12 “This week, it is over $6.50 per gallon for diesel.” The U.S. national average diesel price was over $6.50 per gallon in the week of September 23, 2026. search 13 “a small farmer using 1,000 gallons of diesel during a harvest is paying roughly $2,800 more” A farmer using 1,000 gallons of diesel pays roughly $2,800 more at the increased diesel prices compared with before the war. search 14 “Between July of 2025 and July of 2026, fresh vegetable prices increased over 6 percent, beef rose over 9 percent,” Between July 2025 and July 2026, U.S. fresh vegetable prices rose over 6 percent and beef prices rose over 9 percent. search 15 “tomatoes are up over 13 percent.” Between July 2025 and July 2026, U.S. tomato prices rose over 13 percent. search 16 “Before the Iran war, the average 30-year mortgage rate was hovering right around 6 percent” The average U.S. 30-year mortgage rate was around 6 percent before the Iran war. search 17 “Today, it is above 7 percent.” The average U.S. 30-year mortgage rate was above 7 percent in the week of September 23, 2026. search 18 “James Madison once wrote to his friend Thomas Jefferson that ``the Executive is the branch of power most interested in war, ” James Madison wrote to Thomas Jefferson that ‘the Executive is the branch of power most interested in war, and most prone to it.’ search 19 “not a single Senator has introduced a legislative measure to formally declare war on Iran.” As of September 23, 2026, no Senator had introduced a legislative measure to formally declare war on Iran. search
