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    The changing complexity of congressional speech

    Congress now speaks at almost a full grade level lower than it did just seven years ago, with the most conservative members of Congress speaking on average at the lowest grade level, according to a new Sunlight Foundation analysis of the Congressional Record using Capitol Words.

    Of course, what some might interpret as a dumbing down of Congress, others will see as more effective communications. And lawmakers of both parties still speak above the heads of the average American, who reads at between an 8th and 9th grade level.

    Today’s Congress speaks at about a 10.6 grade level, down from 11.5 in 2005. By comparison, the U.S. Constitution is written at a 17.8 grade level, the Federalist Papers at a 17.1 grade level, and the Declaration of Independence at a 15.1 grade level. The Gettysburg Address comes in at an 11.2 grade level and Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech is at a 9.4 grade level. Most major newspapers are written at between an 11th and 14th grade level. (You can find more comparisons here)

    All these analyses use the Flesch-Kincaid test, which produces the 'reads at a n-th grade level' terminology that is likely familiar to many readers. At its core, Flesch-Kincaid equates higher grade levels with longer words and longer sentences. It is important to understand the limitations of this metric: it tells us nothing about the clarity or correctness of a passage of text. But although an admittedly crude tool, Flesch-Kincaid can nonetheless provide insights into how different legislators speak, and how Congressional speech has been changing.

    An interesting read.
    The full article here:
    http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2...sional-speech/
    Apache

    Where do you put the Bayonet?
    Chesty Puller (upon seeing a flamethrower for the first time)
    I am all in favor of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools. Lets start with typewriters.
    Frank Lloyd Wright

    #2
    Very interesting. I wonder if we can find out how many times the term Obama care has been used. Take it out and see if the score goes higher.

    Comment


      #3
      I would have never guessed that the party that discounts scientific research would also be the party that speaks at a lower grade level! My world just turned upside down!!

      Comment


        #4
        I know this thread isn't in the battle zone, but I had to agree with Skud! Pres. Bush had a disappointing tendency to treat scientific facts as political obstacles. And now we have a leader who regards every situation as a political problem for the government to solve. Turns out, I'm still seeking perfection.

        On the chart, the widening difference between Republicans & Democrats is remarkable, and the report spends time discussing it. However, the overall shift is bigger than the party offset. The researchers did nothing to figure out why? If we knew what caused the big shift, I expect the cause for the party offset would be obvious.

        It feels like they're reporting meaningless tread wear differences on two flat tires.

        Comment


          #5
          It's because Dems think they're above everyone else and talk that way. Non-Dems talk to the people the way they will understand it. Like how Obama uses "investments" and regular people use "taxes".

          Comment


            #6
            I agree with the "two flat tires" statement, Qicmee. I think it would be preferable that our lawmakers on either side could converse and act at levels higher than sophomores and juniors in high school. The reasons they don't...wow, between lack of accountability, lack of choices, voter apathy, lack of belief in the two party system, a sinning down of the public through big money media and schools that mix the slow with the fast,.........lol. Now that would be a report!

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by BadHabitz View Post
              It's because Dems think they're above everyone else and talk that way. Non-Dems talk to the people the way they will understand it.
              From the article.Seems like Obama is actually doing what you want ?
              Does it matter?

              Earlier this year, the University of Minnesota’s Smart Politics noted that Obama’s 2012 State of the Union address clocked in at an eighth-grade level for the third year in a row, and that Obama’s average grade level of 8.4 was well below the average of 10.7 for the previous 67 addresses. Fox News ran the story alongside the image of a child in a dunce cap, and right-wing blogs mocked the President’s intelligence.

              Others pointed out that maybe speaking clearly was a good thing. After all, the SOTU speech was pretty much right at the level of the average American’s reading level. And writing gurus like George Orwell (“If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out”) and Strunk & White (“omit needless words”) famously advise simplicity.

              But whether you see it as plain speak or you see it as a dumbing down, the data are clear: The overall complexity of speech in the Congressional Record has dropped almost a full grade level since 2005. And those on the political extremes, especially those on the far right, tend to be associated with the most simple speech patterns.


              Personally I have heard both sides talk over me and below me. I prefer above me. I can always look to understand something.

              What happened in the years from 2005-2007 for the Republicans?
              This shows the largest drop. With Obama coming in 2008.

              Interesting point is 2001. I am guessing everyone is at the same point because of 911.

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by BadHabitz View Post
                It's because Dems think they're above everyone else and talk that way. Non-Dems talk to the people the way they will understand it. Like how Obama uses "investments" and regular people use "taxes".
                Lol, you sound like Shrek! It's just high school level we're talking here: if that's too deep you might want to hang up the voting crayons, since 18 is the voting age.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by Skud View Post
                  I agree with the "two flat tires" statement, Qicmee. I think it would be preferable that our lawmakers on either side could converse and act at levels higher than sophomores and juniors in high school. The reasons they don't...wow, between lack of accountability, lack of choices, voter apathy, lack of belief in the two party system, a sinning down of the public through big money media and schools that mix the slow with the fast,.........lol. Now that would be a report!
                  I see both parties as 10 year olds. If you don't do it my way I am going to take my football and go home.
                  Apache

                  Where do you put the Bayonet?
                  Chesty Puller (upon seeing a flamethrower for the first time)
                  I am all in favor of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools. Lets start with typewriters.
                  Frank Lloyd Wright

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by Skud View Post
                    Lol, you sound like Shrek! It's just high school level we're talking here: if that's too deep you might want to hang up the voting crayons, since 18 is the voting age.
                    It's not me. Since so many people are fervent Democrats it proves that at least that part of the electorate is pretty dumb.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Sorry first I am for the enviroment then non reglious.... that makes me not a republican by the way they vote. I don't think this would make me dumb. It means I have different things that are important to me.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        I am for neither party. The politicians of both, as a whole, are self serving, crooked ass kissers. That is as good a definition of politician as any. Yes I know there some good ones, but they are few and far between. not to mention ineffectual. When I compared them to 10 year old children I did not mean to slander 10 year old children.
                        Apache

                        Where do you put the Bayonet?
                        Chesty Puller (upon seeing a flamethrower for the first time)
                        I am all in favor of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools. Lets start with typewriters.
                        Frank Lloyd Wright

                        Comment


                          #13
                          I can't blame them. People got much stupidener.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Hehe. Did you guys expect anything different.

                            [COLOR="#008080"][/COLOR][SIZE="5"][COLOR="LightBlue"][B]Not everything that counts on the battlefield is countable.[/B][/COLOR][/SIZE]

                            Comment

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