Platt Amendment: Writing Style

    Platt Amendment: Writing Style

      Formal, Bossy, Patronizing

      Being an official piece of legislation from Congress, the Platt Amendment has to be formal. Congress wasn't trying to make it on the New York Times' bestseller list with this one.

      We've got some long run-on sentences, dates spelled out in full writing instead of using numbers, and Roman numerals. Pretty formal.

      But at the same time, it's quite bossy. The Platt Amendment's rules are written to be obeyed, and to not be questioned. Cuba will do this and will not do that, etc. The style makes Cuba seem like a child who is being punished, which comes across as both bossy and patronizing.