Dirty Hands

In his article Yes On Prop 23 Campaigners ‘Very Thankful’ For Out-Of-State Oil Companies’ Funding, Alex Seitz-Wald expresses his concern pertaining to out-of-state oil companies having influence over California law. His argument is built well, providing the reader with multiple embedded links to get a more firm understanding of the issues he discusses. This immediate availability to check his facts provides reliability in his argument. 

His main audience is most likely that of California voters who may be upset with companies based out of other states who get involved in their (California’s) campaigns and thus influencing laws.

Seitz-Wald makes a claim that large oil companies in Texas such as Valero are some of the largest contributors to California's Proposition 23, which would 'suspend' California's Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 until rates of unemployment goes down. Seitz-Wald references and quotes three supporters of Proposition 23 to see their opinion in regards to the out-of-state companies throwing campaign money around. He uses many sources to develop his argument and includes the opinions of the people who do not necessarily agree that the companies’ involvement in campaigns is bad.

Seitz-Wald’s opinion is mostly expressed through his choice in quotations. He chose to quote Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger using the term “black oil hearts.” He later quotes a Proposition 23 supporter calling global warming “a hoax.” I think he used this quote because Global Warming is such a big deal today and most people would get angry if told Global Warming is a hoax. Seitz-Wald pulls at human emotion to urge the reader to look at the supporters of the bill as bad guys, especially the large out-of-state supporters.

He really is quite skilled when putting together his argument, because he hardly says anything himself, yet by reading his blog, you know how he feels. He spits out a few facts that are all linked to other articles or websites and then throws in some quotes from the Governor and a few from supporters that do nothing but enhance his argument that it is wrong for out-of-state companies to have such influence over statewide campaigns. However, though he made a valid argument without saying much, it doesn’t give the reader real insight as to why he thinks it is wrong. I think he needs to be more opinionated himself and give his own reasons why versus quoting other peoples reasons.