The Patriot Post® · Thursday Short Cuts

Insight: “As I have stood in the crosshairs of those who target Second Amendment freedoms, I’ve realized that firearms are not the only issue. No, it’s much, much bigger than that. I’ve come to understand that a cultural war is raging across our land, in which, with Orwellian fervor, certain acceptable thoughts and speech are mandated.” —Charlton Heston (1923-2008)

For the record: “It’s absurd it’s almost June, & we still have people from Obama era in decision-making positions throughout gov.” —Newt Gingrich via Twitter

Braying Jackass I: “If Donald Trump pulls the United States out of the Paris Agreement he will be committing a traitorous act of war against the American people. The Paris Agreement is essential to leaving a healthy, safe and prosperous world to our children, but Trump is making it clear that he’s willing sacrifice America’s best interests for the sake of special interest profits. Generations of Americans will suffer the destructive effects of Trump’s greedy, selfish, and immoral decision.” —billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer

Braying Jackass II: “If this is true he will have the death of whole nations on his hands. People will be looking to the USA for retribution for what they loose [sic].” —actor Mark Ruffalo on Trump’s coming Paris decision

Braying Jackass III: “Despicable. Praying this is another twisted trial balloon to see if enough people are willing to kill the planet for profit.” —actor Morgan Freeman on Trump’s coming Paris decision

Tolerance: “You probably can’t tie [Donald Trump] directly to one particular act of violence. But to the wave of violence, yes, he bears responsibility. … I feel like much of what has happened with these hate crimes falls directly from who he is.” —Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR)

Collaboration: “More often than not you’re not meeting with [lobbyists] because of a check they wrote, but rather because you’re on the same team.” —Sen. Al Franken (D-MN)

Non Compos Mentis: “When you have a communications team, they have to have that relationship with the president to understand how he communicates. Because he is the greatest communicator, as a president, we’ve ever had.” —former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski

And last: “As long as we’re calling for investigations of any kook theory, how about an independent commission to investigate whether Sen. Chuck Schumer is a child molester? Schumer was Anthony Weiner’s mentor, which is already more evidence than the media have for their Russian collusion story. True, I don’t have proof that Schumer is a child molester, but I just started this investigation! Was there collusion between Schumer and Weiner in the selection of the underage girl Weiner sexted with? Neither man has yet issued a full and convincing denial.” —Ann Coulter