The Patriot Post® · Thursday Short Cuts

Authoritarian impulses: “[Xi Jinping is] now president for life. President for life. No, he’s great. And look, he was able to do that. I think it’s great. Maybe we’ll have to give that a shot some day.” —Donald Trump (Not in a constitutional republic we shouldn’t.)

The BIG Lie: “We raised more money in January … of 2018 than any January in our history.” —Democratic National Committee chair Tom Perez (“The DNC raised $6 million in January 2018, the Washington Post reported, below the DNC’s hauls in January 2014 ($6.6 million), January 2012 ($13.2 million), January 2011 ($7.1 million), and January 2010 ($9.1 million).” —The Washington Free Beacon)

From the “Keen Sense of the Obvious” Files: “We already have a far-left-wing opinion page.” —New York Times executive editor Dean Baquet to a group of Stanford students

Alpha Jackass: “[The NRA] act[s] quite frankly in some cases as a terrorist organization. … The NRA today is a far cry from the NRA that in 1999 said that teachers shouldn’t carry weapons in schools. Or in the ‘90s said we should have universal background checks. They have in essence become a terrorist organization.” —Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy

No, there haven’t: “There have been, and I’ve gotta update this … 18 shootings in schools this year.” —Barack Obama

Braying Jackass: “This [lawsuit] is basically going to war against the state of California, the engine of the American economy. It’s not wise, it’s not right, and it will not stand. … The attorney general is basically initiating a reign of terror.” —California Democrat Gov. Jerry Brown

And last… “How dare you needlessly endanger our law enforcement officers to promote a radical, open-borders agenda? Those are 800 wanted criminals that are now at large in that community — 800 wanted criminals that ICE will now have to pursue with more difficulty in more dangerous situations, all because of one mayor’s irresponsible action.” —Attorney General Jeff Sessions announcing a lawsuit against the state of California and blasting state officials for obstructing immigration enforcement