The kind of national goal we ought to be thinking about is way beyond national product - it is how do we as a nation help our children be the best kinds of people they could possibly be? 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 party class people The idea of democracy has been stripped of it moral imperatives and come to denote hollowness and hypocrisy. Paul Wellstone democracies-have hypocrisy ideas Sometimes, the only realists are the dreamers Paul Wellstone dreamer dream sometimes There are three critical ingredients to democratic renewal and progressive change in America: good public policy, grassroots organizing and electoral politics. Paul Wellstone political change america Education and democracy have the same goal: the fullest possible development of human capabilities. Paul Wellstone democracies-have goal education 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 frustration disappointment believe We're not going to have real security until we invest in our children. Paul Wellstone our-children real children Successful organizing is based on the recognition that people get organized because they, too, have a vision. Paul Wellstone vision successful people 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 political community responsibility 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 teaching teacher children 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 tyrants political power What makes community organizing especially attractive is the faith it places in the ability of the poor to make decisions for themselves. Paul Wellstone community decision faith 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 accountability practice needs 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-confidence real self-esteem If a teacher does not involve himself, his values, his commitments, in the course of discussion, why should the students? Paul Wellstone teaching teacher commitment There are forces within the Democratic Party who want us to sound like kinder, gentler Republicans. Paul Wellstone party sound want Politics is not left, right or center ... It's about improving people's lives. Paul Wellstone improving left people 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 party two years 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-potential excess giving