The Patriot Post® · Friday Short Cuts

Insight: “Liberty … was a two-headed boon. There was first, the liberty of the people as a whole to determine the forms of their own government, to levy their own taxes, and to make their own laws…. There was second, the liberty of the individual man to live his own life, within the limits of decency and decorum, as he pleased — freedom from the despotism of the majority.” —H. L. Mencken (1880-1956)

Upright: “Our founding fathers had a remarkable solution to [socioeconomic disagreements]. They believed people should be allowed to live in communities of common interest. Those who favor transgender bathrooms can live somewhere and those who believe in science can live somewhere else. Freedom of movement was encouraged. But now everybody claims every issue is a civil rights issue and the only allowed solution is conformity. That conformity, however, only breeds resentment. It is all madness.” —Erick Erickson

For the record: “What we are seeing [in regards to Jeff Sessions] is a lot of political theater. … I think everyone is getting worked up because it’s a chance to beat up the attorney general and beat up the president.” —Ted Cruz

Never forget: “AG Eric Holder ran guns to Mexico, lied to Congress about it, was found in contempt & never prosecuted.” —Ann Coulter

That term doesn’t mean what you think it means: “Our Millennials are a force. I recognize it. And I was a millennial once. No longer of course, but I love what you’re doing.” —Maxine Waters

Friendly fire: “I don’t mind saying when we make mistakes. And [former Gov. Steve Beshear’s rebuttal to Trump] was a mistake.” —Rep. Emanuel Cleaver

Late-night humor: “President Trump … announced the creation of a department called ‘VOICE,’ which will deal specifically with crimes committed against Americans by immigrants. Not to be confused with ‘The Voice,’ which deals with crimes against music committed by teenagers.” —Seth Meyers