President Kennedy Address Summary

Throughout his address, President Kennedy presents a sharp contrast between the interests of the steel companies and the interests of the American people. Kennedy introduces stark difference between the two unbalanced sides of the spectrum by explaining how “a tiny handful of executives,” not the majority, desire “private power and profit” in contrast to the “185 million Americans.” As a result of executives’ avarice, the American citizens would be required to deal with the increase in prices of everyday necessities like “homes, autos, [and] appliances.” Not only the average citizens would be affected, maintains Kennedy, but also every “farmer and businessman,” people who do a service to the people by providing necessary sustenance and tools
would have to accommodate the hiked “cost of machinery.” Furthermore, Kennedy asserts that the executives’ want for power will cost “an estimated one billion dollars” to National Security, a government division that safeguards the American people. Instead of dispersing the money where it could be used to help the American people, the American government needs to spend extra money to accommodate the greedy steel executives. President Kennedy exemplifies the sharp contrasts between the average person and the rich corporate leaders through the detriments of the price hike in everyday machinery and national safety.