Aristotelian rhetorical analysis - Essay Example

An Aristotelian Rhetorical Analysis of a Political ad. Introduction Source: http florahelix.dragoonsoftware.com/2012/09/critical-analysis-of-political-advertising/The political opponent of President Obama in the 2013 general elections attempted to assassinate his popularity and discredit him from voters by using a raise in taxes political ad. The media went further to capture the effects of such high taxes to include the following; more job loss and continued difficulty for the recovering economy (Florahelix, 2012).

Rhetorical analysisIt is not difficult to miss out on such ads when the elections are fast approaching. Opponents push as hard as they possibly can by appealing to the voters and unethically discrediting whoever stands in the path of their goal. Therefore, since political ads are always one sided; which implies that whoever the media favors gets the right posts, the paper will not take sides, but instead it will analyze the facts surrounding this ad. So, why would the president state the 2013 budget if he was aware of the effect it would have on his popularity?

The ad appeals to the readers emotionally by including their needs and even considering their worries. This is how President Obamas 2013 budget of $ 1.5 trillion in tax increases would make it impossible to create job opportunities in Lowa. Further scrutiny reveals the use of the second person singular to make voters feel the desire not to vote in favor of Obama. Note, for ‘you, it would mean higher taxes, increased job losses and continued difficulties in the recovering economy. This move appeals strongly to those voters who are not critical, as they attempt to prevent their lives from becoming more complicated.

At this point, let us be critical with the above ad. First, increases in taxes of $1.5 trillion are enormous and fitting in its purpose. This claim would call for research because it is obvious that whoever made the calculations might have included things that only affect a particular group of the society. The pressing question becomes, who will be hardest hit by the tax raises? The source of this information should be credible for the voters to consider the authenticity of the claim.Secondly, "tougher to create jobs in Lowa", is a claim that does not state who the victims are.

The attack on Obama’s break of his promise and raising taxes should also not be made exceptional because every potential candidate makes promises, but it is not possible for them to oversee the future of the country’s social and economic status.Thirdly, the use of the second person singular (for you, it could mean higher taxes and more job loss), is always somewhat risky because it is difficult to prove that it applies to the reader. Finally, a careful look at the picture used for the ad reveals that the photo of the president was carefully selected so that the media can try to prove the seriousness of their claim and, thus, negatively instigate the credibility of the president.

SummaryThe sources of this ad are noted at the bottom right. They are the congressional budget office and the Fox news. The first source seems reasonable because it is just a public record. However, the use of the second one is completely impetuous and hilarious. It is widely known that Fox News is one of the least reliable news network present and, therefore, the rough estimate of the figure of a number of tax raises proves their poor research. This analysis only attempts to prove to voters about vote manipulation that takes place daily in mass media, and hence, it is vital to be vigilant when making decisions.

ReferencesFlorahelix. (2012, September 28). Critical Analysis of Political Advertising. Retrieved June 4, 2015, from Florahelix: http://florahelix.dragoonsoftware.com/2012/09/critical-analysis-of-political-advertising/