The Patriot Post® · Friday Short Cuts

Insight: “The power of authority is never more subtle and effective than when it produces a psychological ‘atmosphere’ or ‘climate’ favorable to the life of certain modes of belief, unfavorable, and even fatal, to the life of others.” —Arthur Balfour (1848-1930)

Upright: “Conservatives can process the liberal concern for gun violence and the suffering it causes. But liberals literally cannot understand how someone could share that value while also having the slightest concern for Second Amendment rights. … It’s a prism that liberals can’t and won’t accept as even falling into the category of legitimate moral thinking. Thus, conservative beliefs and the people that harbor them can be readily demonized and easily marginalized.” —R.B.A. DiMuccio

The BIG lie: “The Constitution was enacted to strengthen government power to enable central government to lay taxes and to function effectively. We put limits on that through the Bill of Rights, but the Constitution was enacted for the opposite purpose.” —Rep. Jerrold Nadler

Double standards: “Law-abiding citizens just shouldn’t have to carry a gun. … I think [congressmen and woman] deserve — I think we need to be protected down here.” —Rep. Charlie Rangel

Alpha Jackass: “It could be argued that the dude who was hoping to assassinate Donald Trump is a good guy with a gun.” —NBC producer Matthew Mowrer

No other choice but to circumvent the Constitution: “I was left with little choice but to take steps within my existing authority to make our immigration system smarter, fairer and more just.” —Barack Obama

Late-night humor: “While he was back at the Capitol … Bernie Sanders accidentally went to the Republican lunchroom. Bernie knew he wasn’t in the Democrats’ lunchroom when he couldn’t get a free lunch.” —Jimmy Fallon