RHETORICAL ANALYSIS EXERCISE #1 

 

Read the following essay. Identify the claim, and identify the types of 

support (e.g., natural or artificial).  Finally, try to identify any ornaments.  

 

                    The Economic Stupidity of United States 

      Americans are really stupid. We are really stupid about supporting 

other countries and ignoring this country.  As Americans, we think about 

other people’s economies, other people’s unstable governments, and even 

other people’s catastrophes.  Most Americans would give the shirt off of 

their back to a starving person and refuse to have a shirt of their own.  Yet, 

such ideals do not yield economic prudence.   We have to ask: When will 

American’s start caring about other Americans?  When will we start thinking 

about our own economy, our own unstable government, and our own 

catastrophes?  When will we fix this country?  And, when will we fix our 

economy? 

      This past year, individual Americans raised $1 billion dollars for Haiti, 

which is several millions of dollars more than was raised for the victims of 

Hurricane Katrina.  Moreover, we vehemently refused tax increases to aid 

our schools this past year.  But, we gave more in charitable donations to 

foreign interests than any other time in recorded history. The results: Our 

children lost their teachers, record numbers of people remained out of 

work, several small and large businesses failed, and fewer government 

projects were completed to help make our lives just a little bit better.   

      What more? Since the annual gross domestic product of Haiti is only 

$6.95 billion dollars, many economists figure that Americans raised about 

one-seventh of the annual income (or Gross Domestic Product) of Haiti for 

the year without a single Haitian working a single day.  Great for Haiti!  

However, such movements are significantly bad for the United States, 

which is in one of the worst recessions in recorded history.  But, awesome 

for Haiti, an impoverished nation, whose corrupt diplomats and government 

officials will undoubtedly “pocket” the money for themselves, or even use 

this capital to rise to greatness and eventually buy United States treasuries 

(i.e., bonds, treasury bills, and other securities). 

      Rise above and conquer and buy out the United States… sound 

familiar?  Well, think about China. China has received billions of dollars in 

funds from the United States for the last thirty years.  Since then, China has 

amassed so much capital that the government started to buy up treasuries 

like crazy.  The result: $500 billion dollars of the national debt of the United States is owned by China, as opposed to China’s $350 billion dollars debt 

owed to other countries.    

      What is more shocking? Think about Japan.  Japan owns over $650 

billion dollars of the United State’s national debt.  And, how much have 

United States citizens given to Japan? The answer: Billions. Considering 

the billions provided to Japan during their Post World War II reconstruction 

period, we might say that Japan did very well.  Over the course of 30 years, 

Japan tripled its Gross-Domestic Product from a few billion to about one 

trillion per year. And, now, they are perpetually buying American debt. 

    As a result of all our giving and helping and relieving and ignoring the 

problems associated in our own country, the United States is now 

borrowing over $1 Trillion dollars every year from China and Japan in order 

to function.  Our dollar has devalued itself.  Our gold reserves have not 

grown very much in recent years.  And, our monetary state is pitiful if not 

completely and utterly pathetic.  And, the main question is: Why?  Why did 

we let our charity get in the way of our own needs? 

    I would compare our stupidity to the idea of riding in an airplane.  

When a person is on an airplane, the stewards of the plane often say: In 

case of cabin depressurization, oxygen masks will drop from the ceilings. 

Please put the oxygen mask on yourself first and then place the mask any 

dependents.   In a very real sense, Americans seem to be putting our 

masks on others before ourselves.  And, we find ourselves smothering in 

our own economic problems.  Moreover, we continue to do this, to our 

detriment.   

      The United States needs to rebuild itself.  We cannot continue to be 

charitable to anyone else anymore.  We must put the mask on ourselves 

economically, and then put the mask on others, who are dependent on us.  

We must not be in a hurry to help others before we can help ourselves.  

Therefore, we must encourage the people of the United States to resist 

being too generous.  After all, in the midst of such a recession, we have 

millions out of jobs.  A billion dollars in aid could go a long way to struggling 

individuals, struggling businesses, and this struggling country which we call 

home.