The Patriot Post® · Friday Short Cuts

Insight: “Distrust everyone in whom the impulse to punish is powerful.” —Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900)

Upright: “We have a large, active federal government that redistributes a lot of money. Everybody ought to pay a little something in federal income tax if we are going to have a federal income tax. Surely, nobody’s ‘fair share’ is really $0.00. Everybody likes to sit by the fire, nobody wants to chop the wood.” —Kevin Williamson

Observations: “As the Senate stands now, it’s improbable that Republicans will ever be able to cobble together a [health care] bill that will placate both the Susan Collins-John McCain wing and the Mike Lee-Rand Paul wing. In fact, I doubt Collins would vote for a single-payer bill if too many Republicans supported it.” —David Harsanyi

Still grasping for straws: “I rise tonight to make one point. That one point is that the president need not be convicted of a criminal offense to be impeached. … I will call for the impeachment of the president of the United States of America.” —Rep. Al Green

The BIG Lie: “[Roy Moore] doesn’t appear to believe in the Constitution as it’s written.” —MSNBC’s Chuck Todd

Braying Jackass: “Who’s going to do this cleanup? The white people? I think we should open our borders and bring the Mexicans up; we’ve got a lot of work for them, cleaning up Houston and cleaning up Florida. … And if [Trump officials] want to put this wall up, I’ll tell you what they need to do — take down the Statue of Liberty.” —Jesse Ventura

Braying Jenny: “I would take #TakeAKnee at school board meetings if my doing so would not be disruptive to kids and a distraction to the work we need to do for them. … That flag means nothing more than toilet paper to me.” —Chicago-area school board member Traci O'Neal Ellis

Late-night humor: “Saudi Arabia just announced they will let women drive. Women say that they’re excited, and can’t wait to drive straight out of Saudi Arabia.” —Jimmy Fallon