After a recession in 1962 steel companies decided to raise prices dramatically. Consequently, President Kennedy approached the steel companies and asked them to lower prices, but they continued to raise them. The steel company raised prices, therefore, America could not afford it with a war occurring. President Kennedy then held a press conference for the public, with many different rhetorical strategies, turn the American public against the steel companies. President Kennedy starts off his speech by accusing the steel companies of not caring about public and customer interest. To capture America 's attention Kennedy speaks about events that he knows are touchy to the American public to feel resent towards the steel companies. Said events are used to make the American public feel like victims that are already giving all that they receive and the steel companies just want to take more. Furthermore, basic economics tells you that if you raise the price of one inelastic good the price of other goods will escalate. Kennedy warns the public that if steel prices rise so will prices of other essential goods. Kennedy’s strategy is to scare the public into believing the lives they know could be in jeopardy because of the …show more content…
Kennedy states that every available penny is being spent to protect America. “Every dollar is needed for national security” Kennedy’s efforts to scare the American public were already working, but when he mentions that now their safety was at risk they really created an us against them mindset. Kennedy knows that Americans won’t like the fact that their safety was at risk because of a steel company and points it out dramatically to prove his point that they steel companies were doing more damage than