"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"

This quote by Paul Wellstone talks to the present state of American politics. He is suggesting that the power discrepancy in between elites and also the masses is a major threat to our freedom. This power inequality appears in the manner in which the wealthy and effective have the ability to influence policy and decision-making, while the average person has little to no say in the issue. This discrepancy of power has brought about a system of federal government that is heavily affected by the affluent as well as powerful, and has led to policies that favor the passions of the elites over those of the masses. This power inequality has actually created a setting where the ordinary citizen is unable to have their voice listened to, and also has led to a system of federal government that is not genuinely depictive of the people.