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Jesse Flores
Quinn Irwin
ENG 1113
18 Nov. 2013
Rhetorical Analysis of an Editorial Cartoon The Affordable Care Act is a comprehensive health reform that will ensure all Americans have access to quality, affordable health care and will create the transformation within the health care system necessary to contain costs. In order to provide the benefits, it will need to include mandates, subsidies, and insurance exchanges. Obamacare is designed to force every single American to acquire health insurance from private companies regardless where it’s from. If the employer can’t provide health insurance, then the person must purchase his own insurance. Failure to do so will lead to a penalty fine which is refer to as the individual mandate.
In the political cartoon “Obamacare Disaster,” which originally appeared in the Columbus Dispatch, Nate Beeler uses all three rhetorical appeals-logos, pathos and ethos- to criticized the botched rollout of the federal exchange website. The cartoonist appeals to logos by focusing on a political issue that will affect all Americans. In addition, he appeals to pathos by configuring the situation in a humorous way. Last, he establishes creditability or ethos with the reader to render reader’s focus towards government leadership and the lack of communication within political parties.
The president Barack Obama health reform known as “Obamacare” was signed into law
Flores 2 on March 23, 2010. The purpose for the affordable care act is to increase the quality and affordability of health insurance which supposed to increase the number of Americans covered by health insurance thus decreasing the cost of health care. The health reform as well offers a number of new benefits, rights and protections in order to make sure everyone has some form of health insurance. Furthermore, Obamacare eliminates pre-existing conditions and gender discrimination meaning no one can be charged more or be dropped from their health insurance coverage which provides insurance for everyone whether there sick or healthy.
In the political cartoon there are two figures: a TV news reporter and two elephants representing the Republican Party. The news reporter is covering a political story over the problems plaguing HealthCare.gov, the federal government’s new health insurance marketplace. The TV screen shows the stunning decline of Obama’s popularity. Next, we have two amused looking elephants holding a newspaper with big grins on their faces.
The overall structure of the cartoon is exceptionally logical. The two characters provide a balance between each other in space and size, thus making the viewer’s attention drawn to each element in turn. As a result, the structure of the cartoon is crucial to convey the overall message. Furthermore, it’s presented sarcastically with certain aspects of each character drawn irregularly. For example, the news reporter head is quite narrow with an oversize nose, as for the elephants there’s amuse look found on their faces. Such precise amount of details are effective to provide a complete comprehension of the message.
Each figure in this cartoon carries a contrasting expression and demeanor. Despite
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Obama’s popularity it can be expected the emotional reaction of the reader will be mixed considering the lackluster job he’s doing in office. In contrast the reporter stern look, helps guide the emotional reaction into the serious issue focus upon healthcare. Then the reader’s gaze continues to the jubilant expressions of the elephants once again stirring the reader’s emotions and giving the conflict of emotions desired by the cartoonist. Additionally, the statement mention between the two elephants, or Republican Party “Isn’t it wonderful, how Christmas seems to get earlier and earlier each year? emphasizes their happiness due to the Obamacare
