The "chains" he describes make it hard for many politicians to distinguish right from wrong. Many, tasting power for the first time, become corrupt themselves. This makes Shih even more concerned: "It's easy to bear with hardship, but hard to resist temptation. The DPP has to rebuild its moral ideals."
「腳鐐心態」讓政壇無法平心靜氣地辨明是非曲直：隨新興權貴滋味而來的腐化，更讓施明德憂心：「『承受苦難易，拒絕誘惑難』，民進黨的道德理想需要重新建立。」