The Patriot Post® · Friday Short Cuts

Insight: “No one can be free unless he is independent… In reality, he who is served is limited in his independence.” —Maria Montessori (1870-1952)

For the record: “Polling shows that more than 80% of Americans support English as our national language. But many immigrants are not learning English, even those who have been here for a decade or more. It is telling that on everything that defines a nation, the Left and our elites see these fundamental values as a hindrance to their radical agenda, an agenda which the American people reject.” —Gary Bauer

Upright: “I have encouraged the president and now I encourage [Chief of Staff] General Kelly to fire every single person that has had anything whatsoever to do with backbiting, undermining other people for their own benefit or leaking — and not to be cautious about it. If there is even a thought that somebody else was involved, get rid of them! I mean, it is unseemly what is happening at the White House… These people should be fired! They should be out of government! They are disloyal to our government!” —Sen. Bob Corker

Friendly fire, part I: “[The broadcast of Trump’s phone transcripts] is beyond the pale and will have a chilling effect going forward on the ability of the commander in chief to have candid discussions with his counterparts.” —former Obama National Security Council member Ned Price

Friendly fire, part II: “I would’ve lost my mind if transcripts of Obama’s calls to foreign leaders leaked. He wouldn’t have sounded so dumb, but it’s still absurd.” —Tommy Vietor, National Security Council spokesman under Obama

And last… “Maybe we’ll make a carve-out in the [RAISE Act] that says The New York Times can hire all the low-skilled, less-paid workers they want from other countries, and see how you feel then about low-wage substitution.” —Stephen Miller to NY Times’ Glenn Thrush