Reminder: Paul Wellstone Was Not Santa Claus

Paul and his wife were truly great people, and it was an honor to get to know both of them. In an age of cynical politics, he was one of the few in Congress who wasn't a cynic.

Cornel West has explored how American political culture deliberately "santa claus-ifies" history's most famous and most effective leaders who challenge the economic status quo. The process happens through our education system, which downplays economic class, and in our pop culture. We are never supposed to think that the status quo is anything other than terrific, and we are never supposed to see the courageous heroes who challenged economic power as anything other than mere jolly cartoons.

I'm sure there will be some speeches in Washington today about Paul - and I hope the millionaires in the Senate club can refrain from trying to Santa Claus-ify Paul Wellstone by only recalling him as a nice, friendly, happy man. He was all of those things, of course, and that is typically how he is remembered in a media and political debate designed to paper over any discussion of real issues in favor of things like personality and style. But anyone who knew Paul knew his life's work was all about challenging power.

Paul Wellstone was not Santa Claus. He was a real leader who challenged power, shined a bright spotlight on the corruption of Washington and made economic class issues his cause. That is the true legacy of Paul Wellstone.

Cross-posted from Working Assets

Comments

[Qbear]

Wellstone was a decent man, but he was a politician, as a MN queer, I felt deeply betrayed when Senator Wellstone signed on to DOMA Defense Of Marriage Act, and he also shifted his position on the enviroment in the Boundary Canoe Area, during his last campaign.

[yorkie]

IT'S GOOD AND IMPORTANT TO BE REMINDED OF THE IDEALS OF PAUL WELLSTONE. IT'S BEEN 5 YRS SINCE THAT TRAGIC DAY WHEN WE ALL LOST SEVERAL TALENTED GREAT PEOPLE. THE LEGACY AND ISSUES CHAMPIONED BY WELLSTONE MUST BE CONTINUED AND CARRIIED ON. IF NOT NOW ,WHEN AND WHERE?!! WHERE'S THE TENS ON MILLIONS WE NEED ON MARCH ALL OVER THIS LAND TO STAND IN THE REAL GAP OF RICH AND POOR,WITH HEALTH CARE AND WITHOUT, SEEKING PEACE OVER WAR? AND SO ON. WE NEED A NEW NATIONAL CONVENTION FOR PROGRESSIVES AND SEEK A NEWER PLATFORM FOR REAL POLITICAL REFORM AND SOCIAL JUSTICE. I URGE ASLO FOR ALL TO CONTACT THIER MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO PRESS FOR MEDIA REFORM TO STOP THE BIG CORPS FROM TAKING OVER MORE OF IT AND TO PRESS FOR MORE ACCESS OF INDEPENDANTS RUNNING FOR OFFICE BALLOT ACCESS AND SEEK REAL CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM NOW!

[libertyanne]

No Paul was not Santa, he was not any kind of Saint. He was a decent man whose actions and intentions had the best of humanity in mind.
He was a force for his enemies to reckon with and a noble cause for the rest of us.
I was so lucky to have known both he and Sheila. I am greatful that so many still remember and love him.

[laocoon]

Officially you do not have a concept of a status quo. Officially there is perfect and unrestricted upward and downward mobility. You are using blasphemous concepts brother.
Better stop.

[Kundera]

....and the lefties turned his memorial into a mockery of a sham.
Result: more Republicans elected.

[emerger]

When were more Republicans elected? You mean in 2004? Thankfully that trend has reversed as the GOP tanks. The party of fiscal responsibility, morals and rule of law has no more lies to sell.

[Kundera]

Maybe you can tell that to Senator Mondale.....
oh that's right, he LOST to Norm Coleman, because lefties couldn't control themselves.

[livesimply]

Interesting that his family did not think his memorial was a sham at all.

[willo]

Here's a little reading on the subject of Paul Wellstones death.
http://www.assassinationscience.com/American_Assassination.html

[emerger]

Wellstones death and the Anthrax scare seemed oddly coincidental to 9/11.

It figures that Wellstone would be hit, since he would likely be an unabashed voice agianst the Bush /Cheney/Neo-con cabal, unlike so many Democrats who lie down.

[Fuji]

Aheh-heh. Let me guess -- 9/11 was an inside job, the planes had explosives on them, and The Da Vinci Code is non-fiction.