The Patriot Post® · Monday Short Cuts

The Gipper: “Trees cause more pollution than automobiles.”

For the record: “The notion that world-wide weather is becoming more extreme is just that: a notion, or a testable hypothesis. As data from the world’s biggest reinsurer, Munich Re, and University of Colorado environmental-studies professor Roger Pielke Jr. have shown, weather-related losses haven’t increased at all over the past quarter-century. In fact, the trend, while not statistically significant, is downward. Last year showed the second-smallest weather-related loss of Global World Productivity, or GWP, in the entire record.” —Patrick J. Michaels

Pretty much true: “The polls, they say I have the most loyal people. Did you ever see that? Where I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose any voters, okay? It’s like incredible.” —Donald Trump

The BIG Lie part I: “We know that oil prices are low. We know that China’s economy is still growing, but at the lowest rate since a quarter of a century ago. So I think we just have to be a little bit patient. Our economy is doing pretty good. You know, creating a lot of jobs.” —Harry Reid (After seven years of Obamanomics, Americans are running low on patience.)

The BIG Lie part II: “The president has spent $108 billion on border security, and we have been successful.” —Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee

Village Idiots: “[T]he way I read what [Michael Bloomberg] said was if I didn’t get the nomination, he might consider [running]. Well, I’m going to relieve him of that and get the nomination, so he doesn’t have to.” —Hillary Clinton

Isn’t diplomacy great? “Your job was excellent, interesting and timely and, in fact, we must consider this incident as an act of god, who brought Americans into our waters so they would be arrested through your timely action and in that manner, with their hands held above their heads.” —Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran, to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps

Uh, no: “Those of us who claim to support gun reform efforts — the majority of the country, according to recent polls — have to be as loud or louder to be heard (though perhaps more civil). … Americans not only want tighter controls on gun ownership but also more controllable guns.” —Baltimore Sun’s Tricia Bishop

Late-night humor: “Rapper Will.i.am is supporting Hillary Clinton for president, whereas rapper Killer Mike said he endorses Bernie Sanders. When told all of this, Sanders said, ‘What the hell are you talking about?’” —Conan O'Brien