The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act passed in 2010 will radically alter the American Health Care system as it is today. One specific mandate of the Act is that in 24 months employers that currently provide health care for their employees must now also provide health care that will cover contraceptives, sterilization, and abortion practices. This is in opposition to many American Christian employers’ beliefs, and as a result, a large controversy has bubbled over whether the mandate restricts liberty. President Obama previously pushed for the Act and it’s mandates to be put in practice; accordingly, much of the controversy is around his ability to successfully lead America. One 2012 Presidential Candidate, Mitt Romney, has blogged about his thoughts on the health care mandate and his view on America in general. "President Obama versus Religious Liberty" effectively convinces religious American voters that President Obama is ruining America’s freedom through clear organization, direct diction, indisputable logic, and powerful emotion that creates an urgency for change.
Mitt Romney’s organization of his blog post works to aides his legitimacy as a common man. He begins his blog by blaming Barack Obama’s administration, then goes on to say that “[his] own view is clear” and that he stands with the views of religious followers. He next says that religious liberty is facing a “serious assault” by liberalism and later ends the article by saying that it’s the American duty to preserve liberty and follow the Constitution. By following such a tight format, Romney shows that he is serious about doing what’s best for America. He does not skip from topic to topic but instead fully addresses each point in a coherent manner before moving to the next. This logically convinces the reader that Romney knows what he is talking and that Romney is earnest in his actions. In addition, the systematic and clear organization shows the reader that Mitt is not a Washington politician. Instead of trying to impress his audience with a confusing format, he shows that he is a plain man who only wants the “preservation of freedom”. Through orderly organization Romney is able to convince readers that he is a real average citizen who is determined to do what’s right for America.
Romney also uses emotion as he potently criticizes Obama throughout his entire post. The first sentence of his blog states, “The Obama administration is at it again.” By using this as his first sentence, Romney puts the enemy, the Obama Administration, at the forefront of America’s problems. Alternatively, Romney could have attempted to build his credentials in the beginning, but by acknowledging his enemy first he constructed his article with more power. Also, his opening statement insinuates two iedas with the phrase “at it again”; the phrase declares that the Obama administration has previously caused trouble and that the administration is currently causing trouble. The phrase “at it again” presents an image of a dog that needs to be constantly reprimanded for tearing up its owner’s front yard. In addition, the same phrase aids Romney in avoiding description of what the administration has done. This makes the reader feel that Obama is wrong on all levels. Romney then explains that the administration is using the nationalized health care plan to take away the rights of those who “should not have their religious freedom taken away.” He then explains that this religious assault is “coming from liberalism itself.” Mitt powerfully implies that the Obama administration is purposefully taking away religious liberty in America. By using diction like “assault” and “impose” Romney is able to portray the Obama administration as a group of conspiring men out to destroy religion in America. Throughout the article, Romney creates anger in his readers by powerfully slandering Obama.
Romney again uses emotion in his blog post through references to America, American history, and the Constitution. He says “The America [he] believes in is governed by the U.S. Constitution,” “Religious liberty is at the heart of the American experiment,” and other pro-America statements. This is emotionally pleasing because it gives the audience an impression of home and country. Mitt Romney also successfully shows that he isn’t motivated by his own thoughts, but by his care and concern for America. He subtly implies that because he is pro-America and doesn’t want mandated contraceptives, Obama must be anti-American by saying that he does. This logical fallacy makes the audience feel that Romney will be a force of liberty if elected president. By saying that “religious liberty is at the heart of America,” Romney uses strong emotion as he makes America’s concerns become his concerns. Because of these pro-America statements, the reader will feel a yearning for the policies of Romney that lift up America and not the current policies in place today.
Throughout the article, Mitt Romney uses very direct diction and clear sentences in order to logically push his point. Phrases like “If I am elected President,” “The America I believe in,” and “We must come together” inform the audience that Romney has a plan that is easy to understand as well as logical. As opposed to using deceitful diction and hard-to-understand words, Romney cuts Obama to the core with his forward moving diction and understandable sentences. This makes the reader feel as if voting for Romney is the right choice in the upcoming election because of his reasonable ideas. In this way, Romney persuades the reader that “we must come together” and triumph over Obama’s unlawful policies.
Romney also uses logic in the last paragraph by saying that “what the Obama administration has done is indefensible.” After having made plenty of references to America’s founding and Constitution, Romney calls the actions of our current president “indefensible” and therefore unjustifiable. This is important because Romney knows that the Obama administration has made a blunder he can capitalize on if only people focus attention to the blunder. When Mitt says that the actions of the President are “indefensible,” he takes away the power that any future apology or change in policy could have from the left-wing administration. The audience will feel that it is rational that they should vote for Romney partly because of Obama’s blunder. After criticizing Obama and this “egregious violation” Romney clearly states that Obama has made a mistake that will “not stand.” In this way, Romney cuts any backtracking that might occur from the left and reasonably shows his audience that Obama needs to retire from his presidency.
Romney uses emotional references to America’s founding, clear and understandable organization, straightforward but powerful diction and emotional attacks on Obama to convince religious voters that the Obama administration is seeking to destroy America. Mitt has no hidden messages or secret thoughts as he openly criticizes Obama’s latest blunder in "President Obama versus Religious Liberty." Romney convincingly shows the American people that he is not motivated by self interest but by “the heart of the American experiment.” “President Obama versus Religious Liberty” effectively shows American voters that Obama is guiding the country in the wrong direction and does not care about America. The article shows that Romney has the power to give America back it’s religious freedom if the readers will only vote for him.
