The Grammar of Politics

The impeachment process could have used a little assistance from Schoolhouse Rock.

By Virginia Hume

Feb 16, 2021

What this moment calls for is a Schoolhouse Rock video that blends civics education, a la “I’m Just A Bill,” with “Conjunction Junction”-style grammar lessons. Why? Because deconstructing sentences and examining their elements is an excellent way to find clarity in a time of political uncertainty.

To wit: The moment the House impeachment charge came out (the more recent one, I mean), I had an uneasy feeling. The source of my discomfort was not constitutional or legal. It was grammatical. Take the following two sentences:

A. Donald Trump incited a mob to storm the Capitol.

B. A mob, incited by Donald Trump, stormed the Capitol.

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