Accountability and transparency are significant concepts in politics, and citizens tend to support public officials who manage to meet the two. That is why people and mass media draw much attention to politicians’ official messages and speeches. State of the State addresses are among them because they allow governors to report on their achievements and highlight further plans on an annual basis. The selected YouTube video presents such a speech by Governor Gretchen Whitmer (2023). This speech has many strengths and almost no weaknesses, outlines three specific tasks to be completed this year, and incorporates its main message into a single quote.
To begin with, one should summarize the State of the State speech. Gretchen Whitmer starts by greeting and announcing various public officials, including the Secretary of State and minority leaders, and acknowledging the role and importance of her cabinet (Governor Gretchen Whitmer, 2023). The introductory part is followed by the main body, where the Governor comments on the issues that are the most important for the Michiganders’ present and future. That is why she divides this part into three distinctive elements that focus on working adults, graduates, and children. The Governor comments on what she and her team have already achieved and what improvement they want to introduce to make life better for Michiganders. In addition to that, Whitmer stipulates that many issues are significant for Michigan, and infrastructure and climate are among them. The governor announced plans to implement new smart road technologies and combat climate change (Governor Gretchen Whitmer, 2023). At this point, the governor thanked the listeners and concluded her speech.
The speech under analysis has a few strengths that make it powerful and convincing. Firstly, the Governor comments on the issues that are significant for various citizens and the entire state. That is why the essence of the address is its advantage. Secondly, it is good that the speaker frequently relied on the use of humor, which is effective in catching the listeners’ attention. As for weaknesses, the only disadvantage can be the speech length. The Governor talks for approximately 45 minutes, but it is impossible to cover all those issues within a shorter period. Furthermore, the use of humor ensured that the address was not tiring for the audience. That is why all the strengths outweigh any potential weaknesses. If my opinion is concerned, I am sure that the speech is powerful and interesting, and the discussion above explains why I believe in it.
In her speech, Whitmer mentioned many tasks to be completed this year, and three of them deserve specific attention. Firstly, the Governor offers to expand the working family tax credit to introduce over $3,000 in refunds for 700,000 households (Governor Gretchen Whitmer, 2023). It is challenging to overestimate the significance of this decision against the background of inflation and rising costs. Secondly, an important goal is to lower the costs of higher education (Governor Gretchen Whitmer, 2023). This step is needed to make this education more affordable for Michiganders. Thirdly, the Governor advocates for establishing public safety, which is beneficial for children. That is why she mentions that it is necessary to pass gun control laws in the state (Governor Gretchen Whitmer, 2023). The implementation of the three tasks is expected to improve the quality of life in Michigan.
Even though the speech lasts for about 45 minutes, one can limit it to a single statement. The presented analysis demonstrates that the main meaning of the State of the State is found within this quotation: “Policies alone mean nothing – it is about people they impact” (Governor Gretchen Whitmer, 2023). It seems that the given words define how the speech is structured and presented. Instead of enumerating political achievements and relying on policy names and political terms, the Governor explains how her team’s initiatives affect individuals and society. The focus on people is important because it allows the listeners to understand that the politician does her best to solve existing problems and contribute to a better life. That is why it is not surprising that the Governor expects to receive support from representatives of different parties.
In conclusion, the assignment has presented a comprehensive analysis of the selected YouTube video. Governor Gretchen Whitmer presents her annual State of the State, in which she comments on important state political issues. This speech has two distinct advantages that ensure that the audience attentively listens to the Governor. Simultaneously, these strengths are significant because they minimize the impact of a single weakness that refers to the duration of the address. Whitmer’s words are interesting and convincing since she makes specific announcements regarding what initiatives are going to be implemented in the future. This issue demonstrates that the politician has particular plans to improve the quality of life in the state. Whitmer additionally makes a powerful announcement stating that policies should be assessed according to how they impact people. This information explicitly demonstrates why I believe that Whitmer’s speech is successful and effective.
Reference
Governor Gretchen Whitmer. (2023). Governor Gretchen Whitmer State of the State 2023 [Video]. YouTube. Web.