When the Sunlight Foundation ran lawmakers’ words in the Congressional Record through the Flesch-Kincaid readability test, it found that Congress is talking down to Americans these days and that the most conservative members speak on average at the lowest grade level. “Today’s Congress speaks at about a 10.6 grade level, down from 11.5 in 2005. By comparison, the U.S. Constitution is written at a 17.8 grade level, the Federalist Papers at a 17.1 grade level, and the Declaration of Independence at a 15.1 grade level,” according to a post on the foundation’s website. The all-Republican Kansas delegation lined up this way: Rep. Lynn Jenkins of Topeka, 12.3 grade level; Sen. Jerry Moran, 11.9 grade level; Rep. Kevin Yoder of Overland Park, 11.8 grade level; Sen. Pat Roberts, 11.4 grade level; Rep. Tim Huelskamp of Fowler, 10.2 grade level; and Rep. Mike Pompeo of Wichita, 9.4 grade level. Topping Congress was Rep. Dan Lungren, R-Calif., 16 grade level; the lowest spot went to Rep. Mick Mulvaney, R-S.C., 7.9 grade level.
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