The Patriot Post® · Wednesday Short Cuts

Insight: “Mighty little force is needed to control a man whose mind has been hoodwinked; contrariwise, no amount of force can control a free man, a man whose mind is free. No, not the rack, not fission bombs, not anything — you can’t conquer a free man; the most you can do is kill him.” —Robert A. Heinlein (1907-1988)

Observations: “It shouldn’t surprise anyone that family structure is so controversial. The family, far more than government or schools, is the institution we draw the most meaning from. From the day we are born, it gives us our identity, our language and our expectations about how the world should work. Before we become individuals or citizens or voters, we are first and foremost part of a family. That is why social engineers throughout the ages see family as a competitor to, or problem for, the state.” —Jonah Goldberg

Alpha Jackass: “Are [Tea Partiers] like ISIS trying to establish a caliphate here?” —radio talk-show host and ESPN commentator Tony Kornheiser

Non Compos Mentis: “[R]ight now it’s not very scientific. I think it’s very hard when you have this many. But over all … I am a believer in polls, they say something.” —Donald Trump, who now trails Ben Carson in some polls, when pressed by Bloomberg’s Mark Halperin, “How do you justify or explain attacking polls where you’re behind but celebrating polls when you’re ahead?”

Village Idiots: “The City of Chicago is a good illustration of why allowing local jurisdictions to put in place these gun safety laws doesn’t work. Because it’s just too easy for those with bad intentions to just cross the city line or just cross the county line and make a handgun purchase that they are prevented from making in some other jurisdictions.” —Josh Earnest

Late-night humor: “Analysts say Bernie Sanders has shifted his focus to more aggressive attacks on Hillary Clinton. In fact, Sanders is planning to go after her emails as soon as his granddaughter explains to him what an ‘email’ is.” —Conan O'Brien