October 25, 2008 11:37 PM UTC

Paul Wellstone, July 21 1944 to October 25, 2002

• 2 Comments
• by: Steve Balboni

Today is the 6th Anniversary of the death of Senator Paul Wellstone, his wife Shiela and his daughter Marcia in a plane crash. Ezra Klein explains why all progressives should remember the late Senator from Minnesota.

One thing that progressives should remember in the looming electoral triumph for Democrats across the nation, it’s not enough just to win elections.

We must demand action on the progressive causes that we are out there fighting for every day – health care for all, the ability for working people to freely joining a labor union, a sensible and more humane foreign policy. We will not see any of these things merely from success on election day. None of these things are guaranteed to us and none of these things will come without a fight, often times with the very people that we just elected. The politicians are a means to an end, what matters are the ideals, causes and movements. Suffering, war and poverty will not be swept away on November 4th. It is in those days between elections that we must hold our politicians accountable and force them to deliver. We must remain organized in our communities, in our states and in Washington. Remember the words of Senator Wellstone, “Politics isn’t about big money or power games; it’s about the improvement of people’s lives”

Wellstone!