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Rhetorical Analysis of Ronald Reagan Inaugural Speech

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Rhetorical Analysis of Ronald Reagan Inaugural Speech
English 1302.481
Feb 10,2011
Rhetorical Analysis of Ronald Reagan First Inaugural Address
Speech usually plays a very important role in the politics. Politicians address to audience though public speaking reveal their positions and ideas to promote support from others. So, how to make a good speech is important to politician. Usually, player will use a lot of writing skills in the speech which can improve speech’s confidence levels. I think the Ronald Reagan’s first inaugural address is the best I have seen. In order to analysis Ronald Reagan First Inaugural Address, summarize and analysis speech, research political context, rhetorical analysis are necessary.
The Ronald Reagan’s first inaugural address included the country’s situation, the President Reagan’s plan as a regularly president address. President Reagan thanks everybody to believe his and let him to be president at first. Next he said “The business of our nation goes forward” (Ronald), but unfortunately the United States “are confronted with an economic affliction of great proportions.”(Ronald). Not only economic recession, the United States also faced financial deficit which was caused by unreasonable tax structure. He urged Americans to act “in order to preserve tomorrow”(Ronald).For the crisis, he address his view as “government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem”(Ronald). With this, the government had to change, he said he would “curb the size and influence of the Federal establishment and to demand recognition of the distinction between the powers granted to the Federal Government and those reserved to the states or to the people”(Ronald). Not only plans about government reformation, he also punished the solution of economic recession which was “removing the roadblocks that have slowed our economy and reduced productivity” (Ronald). At the part of speech, he stated the his foreign policy which was strengthen relationship with ally and never compromised to the



Cited: “Ronald Reagan: First Inaugural Address.” America Rhetoric. n.d. Web. 8 Feb 2011 "RONALD REAGAN." Great Lives: A Century in Obituaries. London: Collins, 2005. Credo Reference.Web. 25 January 2011. "Iran Hostage Crisis." Chambers Dictionary of World History. London: Chambers Harrap, 2005. Credo Reference. Web. 08 February 2011. Weidenbaum, Murray. "Working for President Ronald Reagan."Vital Speeches of the Day 71.22 (2005): 689-690. Academic Search Complete.EBSCO.Web. 25 Jan. 2011. "Cold War."The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather guide. Abington: Helicon, 2009. Credo Reference.Web. 29 January 2011. Delaney, Edward N. "The Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981." American Bar Association Journal 67.10 (1981): 1266. Academic Search Complete.EBSCO.Web. 25 Jan. 2011. "Big Business and Government Relationships."The American Economy: A Historical Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2003. Credo Reference.Web. 30 January 2011. "Strategic Defense Initiative."Culture Wars: An Encyclopedia of Issues, Viewpoints, and Voices. Armonk: M.E. Sharpe, 2010. Credo Reference.Web. 25 January 2011. "STRIKES IN THE UNITED STATES SINCE WORLD WAR II."The Encyclopedia of Strikes in American History. Armonk: M.E. Sharpe, 2009. Credo Reference.Web. 25 January 2011.

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