In analyzing the issues page on Hillary Clinton’s campaign website, I couldn’t help but notice the rhetorical significance of some of the descriptions of HRC’s stance on the issues. Many of the featured descriptions include general and inclusive language that, when closely analyzed, actually serves specifically to communicate with middle class voters.
With regard to the Economy, the description featured says, “We need to build an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top.” Pertaining to campaign finance reform, the description offered says that, “Our democracy should work for everyone, not just the wealthy and well-connected.” I believe that the campaign’s use of ‘everyone’ is synonymous with the middle class. While this may seem obvious, the general aim of Clinton’s campaign has been to attract middle class voters and capitalize upon their commitment by outlining policies to help them. While the caveats of “not just those at the top” and “not just the wealthy and well connected” pander effectively to Clinton’s voter base, it seems that if she wanted to cater to “everyone,” these caveats would not be necessary. For these reasons, I believe that the word “everyone” is coded language for the middle class.
Two other examples of rhetoric skewed toward the middle class are the featured descriptions of Small Business policy and Wall Street Reform. For small business policy, the description mentions that, “we have to level the playing field.” For Wall Street reform, the description says that, “Wall Street must work for Main Street.” Each of these examples serves to ingratiate members of the “middle” or “working” classes without explicitly stating it.
Each of these examples can be found on Clinton’s issues page, which is just one click away from the homepage (which is essentially a donation page). With regard to our recent discussion about the role of websites in political campaigns, I find it rhetorically significant that these middle class appeals (and seeming disdain for “the top”) are some of the first things a visitor might see on Hillary’s website.
This is interesting analysis of Hillary’s website and I think you applied class concepts very well. I think it’s also interesting that she says “we have to level the playing field” in regards to small business policy, thus including herself in the “we” and further connecting herself to the middle class.