Duck pilot:
With regards to the SMEs and written English, I certainly know how to write and interpret legislation!
Dear Duck, with the greatest respect, you have just underlined Clinton's assertion.
I'm sure you are correct - you do know how to write and interpret legislation. However Sir, there is just one problem; YOU aren't the one that has to interpret what you have written! Someone else may not have the same verbal IQ as you do, nor the easy familiarity with the regulations and definitions you employ. This is a well known problem encapsulated in the old help desk joke: "The user rang and said he couldn't find the ANY key".
Toyota has its service manuals written by 16 year old apprentices to avoid the inherent familiarity people bring to the job.
I cannot think of a single reg. that doesn't have a debatable word somewhere in it.