Analysis of a Speech

A President's Mission

1. In this excerpt from the nomination
acceptance speech, delivered at the
Republican National Convention, George
Bush defines a president's mission. Which
aspects of his mission does he mention?

2. This speech must be seen in the context of
the 1988 election campaign. During this
campaign the Democrats accused the
Republicans and the Reagan administration
of showing little regard for ethnic minorities,
of caring only for the rich and neglecting the
poor and of letting officials violate people's
trust in public service. How does George
Bush deal with these accusations?

3. A cartoon is a satirical drawing commenting
on current events or politics. Describe this
cartoon and explain the point the cartoonist
wants to make.

AUTH COPYRIGHT 1988 Philadelphia Inquirer. Reprinted with permission of Universal Press Syndicate. All rights reserved.

4» During the campaign George Bush was frequently reproached for his prosperous social background and for his lack of eloquence. How does he react to these attacks in this speech?

166 AMERICA IN CLOSE-UP

3. Questionnaire

The Human Side of Congress

High school students in Ohio have been discussing the structure of Congress and the legislative process. Two of the students have received a grant for an educational trip to Washington, where they will be given the chance to interview a member of Congress. The class has prepared the following questionnaire for this interview.

How would Jim Wright answer these questions?

1 Does Congress really represent a cross-section of the American people?

2. How does a member of Congress compare
with the average American citizen?

3. Is a member of Congress an active factor in
the decision-making process or is he/she
only part of a machine?

4. Members of Congress are subject to all kinds
of pressure from their constituencies, their
parties, the opinion polls, and their own
convictions. How can they possibly represent
such conflicting interests?

5. How much time does a member of Congress
devote to the actual needs of his/her
constituents?

6. What can a member of Congress in
Washington do for his/her home district?

7. If a representative is strongly convinced that
he/she ought to vote against the wishes of
constituents, what can he/she do?

8. What is the function of a majority leader?

Scanning

Lobbyists and Their Issues

Quickly read through the presentations of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and The Wilderness Society and find out about

• the type and size of the organizations

• the basic issues

• their activities on Capitol Hill

• other activities.

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