Political Futures

“This is America’s time for choosing. We can choose to allow a border invasion or we can choose to stop it. We can choose reckless borrowing and spending or we can choose to limit government and lower inflation. We can choose political indoctrination, or we can choose classical education. These choices are symptoms of the underlying struggle to ensure that constitutional government can endure and that Western Civilization can survive.” —Ron DeSantis in suspending his campaign

“There’s a lot of talk about Ron DeSantis’ poor showing in the Iowa caucus. … The uncomfortable truth is that there is probably nothing DeSantis did or didn’t do that really would have mattered. … Trump’s support is predicated on a unique loyalty to a man, not so much any mission. Rather, the man is the mission.” —David Harsanyi

“It’s also worth noting that Trump is a movement of one. Just as anti-Trump forces delude themselves into believing they can convince Republicans to abandon the former president with some clever arguments, scaremongering or a new policy prescription, Trump fans seem to believe that MAGA’s success will extend beyond Trump.” —David Harsanyi

Non Compos Mentis

“How many of you spent time in McDonald [sic] parking lots tapping into their internet so you could do the homework with your kid?” —Joe Biden

The BIG Lies

“I promised to be a president for all America, whether you voted for me or not.” —Joe Biden

“We follow the facts and the law wherever they lead. Politics is not a part of our determinations.” —Attorney General Merrick Garland

“It’s clear Americans are starting to feel President Biden’s strong economy.” —White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

“Border security is important. We understand it’s important to the American people. We have to do something.” —Karine Jean-Pierre

Race Bait

“I was walking … to the Capitol and a man, a white guy, stopped me and told me I could not get into the members’ elevator. … I said, ‘Sir, I’m a member of Congress’ and I showed him my pin. And he said, ‘Whose pin did you steal?’ Now this is an example of what personal racism is.” —Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) (“It’s so wild to me how this is just a natural reflex for so many in this country. It’s so ingrained in them, they just bust out the race hoaxes as easy as they breathe. You tell lies long enough, they become part of who you are.” —Jesse Kelly | “I had the opposite thing happen to me! Was just wandering near the entrance to the Capitol and a white guy told me, ‘Hey! You’re white! You must be a Congressman!’ And he started shoving me into the members’ elevator before I could object, saying, ‘Quick! Go vote on something!’” —Frank J. Fleming)

Upright

“I think the minute you guys stop making a big deal about [race], everybody else will as well.” —black Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles to reporters

Re: The Left

“Sometimes real, sometimes hyped crises lead to … contrived left-wing hysterias — like the January 6 violent ‘armed insurrection’ or the ‘fascist’ ‘ultra-MAGA’ threat. Otherwise, the progressive movement cannot enact its unpopular agendas. So it must scare the people silly and gin up chaos to destroy its perceived enemies — any crisis it can.” —Victor Davis Hanson

For the Record

“If the current salary forces some of our representatives to share apartments or live in a small condo to get through the congressional session, so be it. A little discomfort can go a long way toward reminding the wealthy and powerful how the rest of us live.” —Brian Mark Weber

Insight

“Fear of serious injury cannot alone justify suppression of free speech and assembly. Men feared witches and burned women. It is the function of speech to free men from the bondage of irrational fears.” —Justice Louis D. Brandeis (1856-1941)