"The idea of democracy has been stripped of it moral imperatives and come to denote hollowness and hypocrisy"

In this quote, Paul Wellstone is highlighting the destruction of the principle of democracy. He is suggesting that the term democracy, which is expected to represent a political system based on equality and freedom, has actually been corrupted by those who seek to control the system for their own gain. Wellstone argues that democracy has actually lost its much deeper significance and has become a mere façade, without any real dedication to morality or ethical principles. He suggests that many politicians have actually deserted their duty to serve the people, prioritizing their own interests and overlooking the basic worths of democracy. Eventually, Wellstone's quote acts as a stark suggestion of the significance of upholding the ethical and ethical worths that underpin democracy.