The Patriot Post® · Friday Short Cuts

Insight: “Most of the major ills of the world have been caused by well-meaning people who ignored the principle of individual freedom, except as applied to themselves, and who were obsessed with fanatical zeal to improve the lot of mankind.” —Henry Grady Weaver (1889-1949)

Demo-gogues: “As the smoke continues to build with one revelation after another, there is greater need than ever to see what Trump may be hiding in his personal tax returns, the return information to explain them and those of the 500 business entities, which he controls from here to Azerbaijan.” —Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX)

Priorities: “If Democrats take back the House, I’ll fully support efforts to finally make [Donald Trump’s] tax returns public.” —Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI)

Braying Jackass: “My only message [to Trump] would be ‘resign.’ … I think everyone knows to discount what this current administration is doing and saying.” —Al Gore

Hot air: “Climate change is seldom far from my mind. It’s causing real damage and death. It’s so omnipresent it rarely tops the headlines, but it’s one of the most important stories of our time. Reality continues to close in and it will likely be devastating. Attention must be paid.” —Dan Rather

Alpha Jackass: “I will not cooperate with ICE. They’re a bunch of thugs.” —NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo

The response: “To call ICE agents ‘thugs,’ think about it: These are men and women who are fathers and mothers and brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, that chose to enforce the laws of this country, strap a gun to their hip every day and put a Kevlar vest on to go out to the community and protect America and protect the community. Cuomo calls them ‘thugs.’” —former ICE Director Tom Homan

And last… “Ironically, the easiest way these days to get people to act like Nazis towards a group is to convince people that group is a bunch of Nazis.” —Frank Fleming