Using the Toulmin Model analyze four positions in the Republican and Democratic presidential candidates.

Using the Toulmin Model to Analyze Positions

by the Republican and Democratic Presidential Candidates Using the Toulmin Model to Analyze Positions

by the Republican and Democratic Presidential Candidates

Running for president basically is a showdown between the candidates debating skills . Whoever best presents their agenda and platforms and correctly speaks for the party they represent , wins . Candidates whose arguments and premises prove to be baseless and eventually do not hold water , lose . A smart voter , therefore , should be able to weigh every candidate 's arguments and judge for himself /herself if

they indeed would hold water in the end . Stephen Toulmin once said that the only arguments we can fairly judge by deductive standards are those held out as and intended to be analytic , necessary and formally valid (Toulmin ,

.154 ) At this time where the US Presidential Candidacy is fast approaching its homestretch , we can use Toulmin 's model of argumentation in analyzing how the current presidential candidates address some political and social issues . For this , I will be using the Toulmin Model to analyze the 2008 Presidential Candidates positions on this issue (as posted in the Washington Post 's special report on the Presidential Candidates and their issue statements : How do you think the United States should handle illegal immigrants ? Do you support President Bush 's immigration plan

This is Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton 's issue statement as published on The Washington Post

The failure of the Congress and the White House to pass comprehensive immigration reform has left the country with a broken system that needs to be fixed . As President , I will work to pass comprehensive immigration reform that includes five key elements . I believe we have to toughen security at our bs , by placing more people and technology there . I will ensure that my policy cracks down on employers who hire undocumented immigrants and applies strict penalties for those who exploit these workers . I think that we should work with local communities to deal with the consequences of a broken immigration system . I plan to work with our neighbors to the south to find ways to provide economic opportunities for their own people . And , lastly , I will make sure that my policy provides a path to earned legalization that requires people to learn English and pay fines

Senator Clinton 's main position on the immigration issue is based on the premise that the current immigration laws and system need reform , since they are inadequate and no longer serve our best interests (Clinton 2008 . Clinton then attempts to give grounds in this claim , stating that as a nation , we place a premium on compassion , respect , and policies that help families , but our immigration laws don 't reflect that . She neglects , however , to explicitly present which laws she was talking about , and what parts of them do not reflect the prioritization of the needs and welfare of the family . Clinton neglects to present concrete evidence for her claim that the current administration has failed to strengthen...