Rhetorical Analysis of Ron Paul

As an OB/GYN doctor, I’ve delivered over 4,000 babies. That experience has made me an unshakable foe of abortion. Many of you may have read my book, Challenge To Liberty, which champions the idea that there cannot be liberty in a society unless the rights of all innocents are protected. Much can be understood about the civility of a society in observing its regard for the dignity of human life.

I wanted to start with this quotation from the Ron Paul 2008 website because it is one of Ron Paul's most convincing arguments that he has made at several debateswithin this last year, whenever he states the key point that he was an OB/GYN in a debate alongside his stance on abortion opposition always decreases. And it is successful in most part due to the fact that it is an appeal to ethos. When we read the above quotation we are immediately convinced regardless of our stance on the matter that this guy knows what hes talking about on this issue. Why? Because he's been delivering babies for years. The appeal to ethos is done through illustration, as we learn that he is experienced on the matter our view changes to one of a more sympathetic nature. I was impressed when I first saw this because I believe that politicians are full of shit. But this argument actually managed to get me to stop and listen due to the credibility that it demands.



This advertisement for Ron Paul is a diet version of what is called negative advertising which ties quite a bit into rhetoric. The advertisement appeals to our sense of Pathos through comparison and contrast. On the one hand we have a national debt, and on the other we have a strong desire to get rid of it. We are shown the "cause" of this debt embodied in the oblivious character of our current president. it is illustrated that he is oblivious when he doesn't seem to understand that he cannot go to the camp. This puts him in our frame of mind as the "cause" of the debt. And embodied on the other side is Ron Paul who is giving our President a ride to camp in his bi-plane, we know that he embodies the side that wants to relieve the debt when our President asks "How much do I owe ya?" Ron Paul responds with "Oh, about nine-trillion dollars. " The comparison and contrast isn't set until we have someone embodying each side of the issue.

"Today, the federal government burdens us with one of the most dangerous taxes it can impose — the inflation tax. When the federal government finds that it cannot afford its out-of-control spending, and is unwilling to directly tax the public, it resorts simply to creating the money out of thin air."

"Inflating the money supply is the easiest form of financing the government. The Federal Reserve, an unelected and unaccountable private organization, pumps more dollars into the economy whenever it chooses. Because the public is forced to accept these bills, the Fed essentially gets away with legally counterfeiting. We cannot possibly expect the government to control spending when it has a blank checkbook."

These two paragraphs which are about "inflation tax," which really isn't a tax at all but more of a cause and effect form of making the public pay the difference. Ron Paul uses narration to demonstrate how the "inflation tax," is done. This appeals to us through logos, pathos, and ethos simply through narration, when we understand the concept of the "inflation tax," it immediately strikes us as though it is not right and definitely not advantageous to anyone except the government. Then we start to realize that unless something is done about this problem it wont go away, which isn't fair at all. Finally we feel as though Ron Paul is our friend or ally for sharing this vital piece of information with us. Then we find him even more credible.