Rhetorical Analysis Of John F. Kennedy's A Price Portage Of Steel

Throughout the early 1960s, America was recovering from a great recession, and John F. Kennedy was there to help America get back on its feet. Kennedy proposed stable prices and wages to get the nation back on track but was rudely awakened with the newly increased steel prices in 1962. In a speech in April of that year, John F. Kennedy addressed the issue of a price hike of steel by 3.5%. Kennedy uses an appeal to american values through emotional language, repetitive unifying diction, and appeals to logic to further his argument that all products, including steel, should remain at steady price rates to decrease the instability of the United States economy. Kennedy's use of these rhetorical devices throughout his speech, create a foundation …show more content…
Kennedy also uses repetitive unifying diction to reiterate Kennedy’s connection to the American people. The use of repetitive wording and transitions are used to create a dramatic effect that Kennedy uses to connect to how the steel industry is not complying to the interests of 185 million americans. Kennedy relates to the American people by saying things such as “when we are devoting our energies to economic recovery and stability” (8-9) and “It would seriously handicap our efforts to prevent an inflationary spiral from eating up the pensions of our 30 older citizens, and our new gains in purchasing power” (27-31). Kennedy's use of “we” and “our” are used to create a feeling that Kennedy is a part of the 185 million Americans being affected by the current economic issues. In addition to what was previously stated, Kennedy also adds, “the American people will find it hard, as I do, to accept a situation in which a tiny handful of steel executives whose pursuit of private power and profit exceeds their sense of public responsibility can show such 20 utter contempt for the interests of 185 million Americans” (15-20). As Kennedy mentions not only himself but also the interests of 185 million Americans, he creates the idea of unity between the people and the president in the minds of the American people. This idea of unity makes a passage between the government and the people causing their to be a sense of agreement on the steps towards economic restructuring to get …show more content…
Kennedy lastly appeals to logic as he is already known to be a persuasive and diligent person. Kennedy's speech portrays his overall knowledge of what the American people want as well as what the business industry's want as well. In order for Kennedy to fully address the economic situation and how to solve it, he has to sell his idea to both the civilians and companies. Kennedy makes his first pitch by stating, “The recent settlement between the industry and the union, which does not even take place until July 1st, was 50 widely acknowledged to be non-inflationary, and the whole purpose and effect of this Administration’s role, which both parties understood, was to achieve an agreement which would make unnecessary any increase in prices” (47-54). In Kennedy's statement he mentions that the steel companies idea to increase prices are making them look foolish for attempting to get away with going against the government during a hectic period of time. By making this degrading statement towards the steel companies, Kennedy also rallies for the public eye by mentioning, “‘Employment costs per unit of steel output in 1961 were essentially the same as they were in 1958’”(60). Kennedy targets the civilians topic of interest, employment. By adding employment into the argument against steel price increases, Kennedy persuades the American people into being further against the steel companies and their unfair treatment of the steel workers throughout the economic hardship during