"Politics is not about winning for the sake of winning."
Quotes by Paul Wellstone
36 quotes
Paul David Wellstone was an American academic, author, and politician. He represented Minnesota in the United States Senate from 1991 until he was killed in a plane crash near Eveleth, Minnesota, in 2002, sixteen days before that year's election for the seat. A member of the Democratic Party (DFL), Wellstone was a leader of the populist and progressive wings of the party.
Quotes by Topic
Paul Wellstone quotes on Politics
View all Politics quotes →"Politics is not about power."
"Politics is not about money."
"A politics that is not sensitive to the concerns and circumstances of people's lives, a politics that does not speak to and include people, is an intellectually arrogant politics that deserves to fail."
"I don't think politics has anything to do with left, right, or center. It has to do with trying to do right by people."
"Our politics are our deepest form of expression: they mirror our past experiences and reflect our dreams and aspirations for the future."
"The only way to change is to vote. People are responsible."
Paul Wellstone quotes on Power
View all Power quotes →"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."
"Politics isn't about big money or power games it's about the improvement of people's lives."
"Politics is not about power."
"Politics isn't about big money or power games it's about the improvement of people's lives."
Paul Wellstone quotes on Action
View all Action quotes →"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."
"We can and must move U.S. politics forward by means of committed participation."
"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 quotes on Money
View all Money quotes →"The people of this country, not special interest big money, should be the source of all political power."
"Politics isn't about big money or power games it's about the improvement of people's lives."
"The people of this country, not special interest big money, should be the source of all political power."
Paul Wellstone quotes on Time
View all Time quotes →"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."
"The future will belong to those who have passion and are willing to work hard to make our country better."
"I think the future also will not belong to those who are cynical or those who stand on the sidelines."
Paul Wellstone quotes on History
View all History quotes →Paul Wellstone quotes on Peace
View all Peace quotes →"Politics is about the improvement of people's lives. It's about advancing the cause of peace and justice in our country and the world. Politics is about doing well for the people."
"Politics is about the improvement of people's lives. It's about advancing the cause of peace and justice in our country and the world. Politics is about doing well for the people."
Paul Wellstone quotes on Education
View all Education quotes →"If a teacher does not involve himself, his values, his commitments, in the course of discussion, why should the students?"
"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 quotes on Inspirational
View all Inspirational quotes →"The first task in teaching is to bring to consciousness what the students already believe by virtue of their personal experiences about themselves and society."
"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 quotes on Equality
View all Equality quotes →"Education and democracy have the same goal: the fullest possible development of human capabilities."
Paul Wellstone quotes on Hope
View all Hope quotes →"Politics is not predictions and politics is not observations. Politics is what we do. Politics is what we do, politics is what we create, by what we work for, by what we hope for and what we dare to imagine."
Paul Wellstone quotes on Change
View all Change quotes →"There are three critical ingredients to democratic renewal and progressive change in America: good public policy, grassroots organizing and electoral politics."
Paul Wellstone quotes on Courage
View all Courage quotes →"Politics is not predictions and politics is not observations. Politics is what we do. Politics is what we do, politics is what we create, by what we work for, by what we hope for and what we dare to imagine."
Paul Wellstone quotes on Truth
View all Truth quotes →"Sometimes, the only realists are the dreamers."
Paul Wellstone quotes on Religion
View all Religion quotes →"What makes community organizing especially attractive is the faith it places in the ability of the poor to make decisions for themselves."
Paul Wellstone quotes on Family
View all Family quotes →"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 quotes on Life
View all Life quotes →"Never separate the life you live from the words you speak."