The Gipper: “They say the world has become too complex for simple answers. They are wrong. There are no easy answers, but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right.”

Observations: “What’s interesting … is that Obama and Clinton are not out having town halls to convince the American public that the economy is doing well, as compared to how it was doing in 2009. According to the most recent Quinnipiac poll, ‘gun policy’ is the most important issue to a whopping 4% of Democrats — even after the recent full court press by Obama, Clinton, and the media. … Meanwhile, the economy/jobs continues its virtually uninterrupted run as the top issue for American voters, followed by foreign policy.” —Red State’s Leon H. Wolf

Belly laugh of the week: “If you look at my record, I’m not exactly a career politician.” —Bernie Sanders, who has been a member of Congress for a quarter of a century and served as a mayor in the ‘80s

Braying Jackass: “When that thing happened in France, we were sitting there going, 'Oh, my God, these terrorists!’ And I can’t even tell you how much that day the thing that happened in San Bernardino — I was in Hawaii — how much I really wanted that to just be another, you know, crazy white dude, and not really some Muslims.” —actor Samuel L. Jackson

Alpha Jackass: “What I suggest: We get the black leadership together, and as these [police] jurisdictions come into Jackson, we throw rocks and bricks and bottles at them. That will send a message we don’t want you in here.” —Jackson, Mississippi, councilman Kenneth Stokes

Non Compos Mentis Leftmedia Talkinghead Award winners of the year:

“American independence in 1776 was a monumental mistake… I’m reasonably confident a world in which the revolution never happened would be better than the one we live in now.” —Dylan Matthews

“As a Times columnist, I can’t do endorsements, so you have no idea which party I favor in general elections.” —Paul Krugman

And last… “Bill’s rape and sexual assault allegations are policy relevant because Hillary supports campus noncourts with no presumption of innocence.” —American Commitment president Phil Kerpen