Well-Chosen Words

I found this post by fellow classmate, Caitlin, to be well-structured in its argument against a national government that is growing ever stronger. Her rhetoric is so compelling, mainly due to the hyperbolic language she utilizes—creating a sense of urgency and doom. Her portrayal of the national government as a malevolent institution proficiently uses exaggeration as a tool which shapes her convincing argument. The specific word choices that she makes, from the government “worm[ing] its way into every system” to “want[ing] to be [our] nanny state,” portrays our government in such a negative light, we cannot help to begin to doubt its intentions.

Caitlin makes several valid points:
1) The government displays condescension in its attempts to gain control of various systems, from healthcare to industry.
2) Do we wish to be so dependent on our government?
3) The government serves its purpose by protecting our rights and nothing more.
4) Why should we be forced to pay for causes we do not support?

Her conservative views towards government interference are evident from the very beginning of this strong-minded blog post. However, her writing is not merely opinionated. She manages to provide effective evidence in order to support her adamant beliefs by answering the question, “so what?” So what if the government is becoming stronger? Caitlin provides an unappealing scenario in which we become ultimately dependent on our federal government. She calls upon the indignance of most Americans who do not particularly enjoy the feeling of relying on others. She portrays the government as thieves of our money, effectively igniting resentment in her readers. Lastly, she quotes one our wise Founding Father, Thomas Jefferson, who completely supports her view of a government that lets its people be. All in all, a cogent and convincing argument.