Date of Award
1-1-2013
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Specialization
Communication and Leadership
School or Department
School of Leadership Studies
First Advisor
Dr. Heather Crandall
Abstract
This study examines the rhetoric used by Republican politicians regarding voter ID laws. Using Kenneth Burke’s theory of cluster analysis, key words and clustering terms are analyzed to identify the speaker’s worldview. The main sections include: philosophical assumptions about political rhetoric, the theoretical basis derived from Burke’s identification and victimage theories, a review of literature on the history of voting in the United States, results and discussion from the analysis of selected rhetoric from Republican politicians, and areas of further study. Statements from Republican politicians in Iowa, Texas, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania were selected for the analysis. The results of the study revealed worldviews of those analyzed filled with fear and violence. There is a long history of voter discrimination in the United States and the push for voter ID laws coincide with the election of the first black President. The purpose of the proposed Republican voter ID legislation is oriented toward retaining political power, not protecting the integrity of US elections.
Recommended Citation
McGee, Michael C., "Voter Suppression: The Rhetoric Of New Voting Laws And The Republican Agenda" (2013). Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses. 240.
https://repository.gonzaga.edu/comlead_etds/240
Comments
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