The Patriot Post® · Tuesday Short Cuts

Upright: “What continues to amaze is the strong backing of Trump by so many evangelicals. If their church members behaved as Trump does, they would receive a serious talking to by the deacons or pastor and if they didn’t repent and change their ways they might face expulsion. With Trump, most evangelical leaders have remained largely silent, offering neither criticism nor praise. This is what can happen when some pastors who are called to a different kingdom and a different King settle for an earthly kingdom and lesser king.” —Cal Thomas

Good question: “Donald Trump’s popularity among voters has mainly to do with his tough stance on immigration. Or so I’m told, daily. And yet the populist Right (to use a term of convenience) will stand for his ‘jobs Americans won’t do’ act? Here’s a candidate who says, I have no choice but to hire illegals because there are jobs that Americans just won’t do. That’s okay with the Trump army?” —Jay Nordlinger

The authoritarian: “Russia is out of control and the leadership knows it. That’s my problem with Gorbachev. Not a firm enough hand. … When the students poured into Tiananmen Square, the Chinese government almost blew it. Then they were vicious, they were horrible, but they put it down with strength. That shows you the power of strength. Our country is right now perceived as weak … as being spit on by the rest of the world.” —Donald Trump in 1990

For the record: “Trump’s campaign slogan may be about making America great again, but his speeches are always about how we’re losing all the time — and to whom we’re losing. Pessimism goes hand-in-hand with a zero-sum view of the world, in which every person’s gain is somebody else’s loss. So it’s no wonder that Trump’s world-view is fundamentally adversarial: we’re going to win again by throwing out those other SOBs who are beating us, and we’re going to make them pay.” —Robert Tracinski

Almost an endorsement: “I don’t think people have any idea what Trump would do. He might wind up being the most magnanimous, inviting and generous person you could imagine. Who knows?” —former GOP Senate leader Trent Lott, now a lobbyist, proving the establishment is going to be just fine with Trump

And last… “I wish everyone would stop falling in love with candidates. These guys are contractors. We hire them for a four-year gig and if they’re good, we renew ‘em for another four years.” —Jim Geraghty