Insight: “All I ask is equal freedom. When it is denied, as it always is, I take it anyhow.” —H. L. Mencken (1880-1956)

Upright: “On Nov. 9, 2016, in the stunned afterglow of Republicans taking the White House and holding both chambers of Congress, former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor put it plainly: ‘It is now time for Republicans to govern,’ he said on CNBC. ‘There’ll be no excuses now. And I think the number one focus will be repeal and replacement of Obamacare. I think that’s where they’ll go first.’ Cantor was right, and it’s a reminder Republicans need to hear today, as they return from recess with the first six months of the Trump presidency almost over.” —Byron York

Braying Jenny: “It is really a form of slavery to force women to have children that they cannot afford and then to say that they have to raise them.” —author Margaret Atwood

Demo-gogues: “Clearly [the timing of Trump’s nominating an FBI director] is an effort by the president to try to distract attention from our hearings today and our hearings tomorrow.” —Sen. Mark Warner

Belly laugh of the week: “I don’t have a private jet. And what carbon emissions come from my trips on Southwest Airlines are offset. I live a carbon-free lifestyle, to the maximum extent possible.” —Al Gore

Non Compos Mentis: “When terror attacks happen, I think of the Whos in the Grinch, singing after Xmas is ruined. It isn’t fear/hate that changes him: it’s love.” —author Jodi Picoult

Village Idiots: “If human rights laws get in the way of tackling extremism and terrorism, we will change those laws to keep British people safe.” —British PM Theresa May

Late-night humor: “Hillary Clinton’s running mate, Tim Kaine, tweeted that Trump is pulling out of [the Paris climate accord] because he’s jealous of Obama. Then Kaine waited for one of his 25 followers to retweet him.” —Jimmy Fallon