Using Rhetoric in Public Office

Wow well it has been just a bit since my last blog post. I guess I've got to learn how to be better at this but isn't that what this is for anyway? I was reviewing in our Writing and Rhetoric book and a few things really stuck out to me. In our book it explains how we usually judge our leaders "not so much on what they do but on how they explain what they do when they address us." I have definitely see this in our national politicians, especially in the republic debates. No one has a perfect past so we must rely on their explanation as to why they did what they did. This is important and we listen because when we understand why they made certain choices it often changes our mind on how we feel about that decision though we may not necessarily agree. There is always more to a vote or a decision than just the black and white or right and wrong. There are usually always intended consequences as well as unintended consequences and good plausible arguments for each side. I think this is a big reason why rhetoric is such an important or useful tool. It gives us the ability to explain and help others understand why we have made certain important decisions. I have to ask though, how do you feel about the use of rhetoric in public office?