The Patriot Post® · Wednesday Short Cuts

Insight: "To the size of the state there is a limit, as there is to plants, animals and implements, for none of these retain their facility when they are too large.“ —Aristotle (384-322 BC)

Upright: "Global warming is not even the obvious top environmental threat. Dirty water, dirty air and insect-borne diseases are a far greater problem today for most people world-wide. Habitat loss and human predation are a far greater problem for most animals. Elephants won’t make it to see a warmer climate. Ask them how they would prefer to spend $1 trillion — subsidizing high-speed trains or a human-free park the size of Montana.” —David R. Henderson and John H. Cochrane

A blind squirrel finds a nut: “Hillary Clinton has ridden her husband’s coattails her entire life. … She’s never accomplished a thing. … She was a terrible secretary of state who destabilized North Africa and caused that refugee influx into Italy.” —Camille Paglia

Belly laugh of the week: “We stopped the moral monstrosity of Trumpcare. Our resistance is working.” —Nancy Pelosi

Non Compos Mentis: “Who ate Republicans’ brains? … The stark dishonesty of the Republican jihad against Obamacare itself demands an explanation. … The Obama administration was, when all is said and done, remarkably clearheaded and honest about its policies. In particular, it was always clear what the A.C.A. was supposed to do and how it was supposed to do it — and it has, for the most part, worked as advertised.” —NY Times columnist Paul Krugman

Showdown: “There is not a litmus test for Democratic candidates.” —DCCC chairman Ben Ray Luján

Alpha Jackass: “Trump is a f— joke. This is all a sham. I wish someone would just shoot him outright.” —Montclair State University’s Kevin Allred

Late-night humor: “President Trump officially removed Anthony Scaramucci as his communications director. And this was a little awkward — when Scaramucci called an Uber to pick him up at the White House, Sean Spicer was driving.” —Jimmy Fallon