Sometimes, the only realists are the dreamers Paul Wellstone More Quotes by Paul Wellstone More Quotes From Paul Wellstone The Democratic Party has lost much of it credibility with working class and low-income people. It retards progress toward presenting a genuine alternative. Paul Wellstone partyclasspeople The idea of democracy has been stripped of it moral imperatives and come to denote hollowness and hypocrisy. Paul Wellstone democracies-havehypocrisyideas There are three critical ingredients to democratic renewal and progressive change in America: good public policy, grassroots organizing and electoral politics. Paul Wellstone politicalchangeamerica Education and democracy have the same goal: the fullest possible development of human capabilities. Paul Wellstone democracies-havegoaleducation When too many Americans don't vote or participate, some see apathy and despair. I see disappointment and even outrage. And I believe that out of this frustration can come hope and action. Paul Wellstone frustrationdisappointmentbelieve We're not going to have real security until we invest in our children. Paul Wellstone our-childrenrealchildren Successful organizing is based on the recognition that people get organized because they, too, have a vision. Paul Wellstone visionsuccessfulpeople As free citizens in a political democracy, we have a responsibility to be interested and involved in the affairs of the human community, be it at the local or the global level. Paul Wellstone politicalcommunityresponsibility I saw as a teacher how, if you take that spark of learning that those children have, and you ignite it, you can take a child from any background to a lifetime of creativity and accomplishment. Paul Wellstone teachingteacherchildren The American polity is infected with a serious imbalance of power between elites and masses, a power which is the principal threat to our democracy. Paul Wellstone tyrantspoliticalpower What makes community organizing especially attractive is the faith it places in the ability of the poor to make decisions for themselves. Paul Wellstone communitydecisionfaith Why don't we call on the credit card companies to be accountable? They need to be held accountable for their predatory lending practices. Paul Wellstone accountabilitypracticeneeds I emphasize self-esteem, self-confidence, and dignity, not as an ideal, but as a real test of community organization. Without leadership development, community organizations do not have staying power. Paul Wellstone self-confidencerealself-esteem If a teacher does not involve himself, his values, his commitments, in the course of discussion, why should the students? Paul Wellstone teachingteachercommitment There are forces within the Democratic Party who want us to sound like kinder, gentler Republicans. Paul Wellstone partysoundwant Politics is not left, right or center ... It's about improving people's lives. Paul Wellstone improvingleftpeople The problem with party politics is that people get involved every two or four years and that is it. In the meantime, the legislature and Minnesota politics are on a separate track. Paul Wellstone partytwoyears I'm short, I'm Jewish and I'm a liberal Paul Wellstone It is the belief that extremes and excesses of inequality must be reduced so that each person is free to fully develop his or her full potential. This is why we take precious time out of our lives and give it to politics. Paul Wellstone full-potentialexcessgiving What the poor, the weak, and the inarticulate desperately require is power, organization, and a sense of identity and purpose, not rarefied advice of political scientists. Paul Wellstone politicalorganizationpower
