Senator Robert M. La Follette Sr.’s main purpose in his speech was to defend his right and the American’s people …show more content…
The author formulates three main arguments. The first argument he addresses is that the war will create financial problems for regular American people. For example, the author stated “…staggering under the burden of supporting families” and “those who pay taxes come to have their taxes doubled and again doubled to pay interest”. The author uses this form of rhetoric to convey to the president the consequences the American people will be faced with regarding this decision to enter the war. The author’s second argument rebutted President Woodrow Wilson’s statement in his speech and argues that the president contradicts himself since one of his arguments was to spread democracy to other nations, however, the president creates an alliance with non-democratic nations. The author uses this form of rhetoric to dispel the notion of spreading democracy to other nations and promoting peace to the world is not the sole purpose the president