Rhetoric, Media, and Civic Life: Phantom (Distinction) of the Politicians

Rhetoric, Media, and Civic Life: Phantom (Distinction) of the Politicians: Political Season for the Presidency has been in full swing for quite some time now. With the elections coming up soon, we, Americans, have …



The presidential election season is one that rhetorically stimulating to say the least. What i find so interesting about the rhetoric from this campaign season is the discourse of how legal professionals frame arguments in comparison to business professionals. Nonetheless however the mythically references are through the roof this campaign season. I believe that this campaign season is mostly built off pathos within their arguments however. Donald Trump strikes a cord with republicans of not owing loyalty to anyone, because he doesn't have previous political experience and doesn't have to filter what he says. Our country has seen very liberal years the last two terms and various political movements have very much gone against every belief in some conservatives minds. Donald Trump also refers to the idea of "making american great again" which is humorous in itself because what does he mean by "again?" The Christianity dominated society where rich dominate poor? Regardless of my views i can see both sides and i think that's what important within a democracy so that one side doesn't get too strong and that's why i haven't seen a huge logos appeal within any front runner politicians now. Marco Rubio is another front runner who always talks about the "american dream" and what exactly does that mean? Having equal opportunity and religious freedom? Yet, in the next line of his speech he will reference God and being a Christian. I love this country and my patriotism has grown but there is a very ugly side of the rhetoric politicians use and how they manipulate rhetoric to frame themselves to being our next great leader. On the flip side of that it's interesting to look at how our country is a democracy, not a dictatorship and the myth within itself that the president has unprecedented power when the senate has to pass any of his ideas and how from the beginning of time when George Washington was president and how the presidential powers have grown to where their rhetoric alone dominates the press and they dominate what we read and how we perceive candidates. It's a very sticky web yet one i can help but be so intrigued by.



On the flip side to talk about the other side of the spectrum, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Saunders get to pave their way to saying what they want because Hillarys and Bernie's argue strictly off of pathos and attempt to tie to logos where i don't always see the connect or where others do. They argue very emotionally and use story telling such as the students after college and how people working forty hours a week shouldn't be in poverty then that's their reasoning as to why their plans are better.