The Patriot Post® · Friday Short Cuts

Political futures: “Since Trump’s shocking upset win in November 2016, the story of politics in America has been pretty simple: Democrats win, Republicans lose. The explanation is pretty simple, too: Trump has made Trump voters, but not Republicans, out of working-class independents and Democrats, and he has made Democratic voters out of independents and Republicans. Trump has also motivated Democrats to unprecedented levels. The net effect is a massive shift of the electorate towards Democrats.” —Tim Carney

For the record: “When you put the word ‘social’ in front of another word, you’ve created the opposite of what that word originally meant.” —Steve Green

Upright: “No amount of textual contortions can land you in a place where God affirms same-sex marriage because in scripture (and law), marriage is connected to parenting. Redefining marriage, in a Christian or cultural context, redefines parenthood in a way that makes mothers or fathers optional in the life of a child. That’s a problem because Christians are repeatedly commanded to protect the fatherless, not create them.” —Katy Faust

Friendly fire: “Bernie Sanders’s and Elizabeth Warren’s health-care plans sound too good to be true. They are.” —Washington Post editorial board

Friendly fire II: “[Elizabeth Warren] uses some pretty harsh words. You know, some would say [she] vilifies successful people. I don’t like vilifying anybody. I think we should applaud successful people.” —JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon

Lacking self-awareness: “Can Republicans relearn how to accept political outcomes they don’t like?” —Paul Waldman in The Washington Post

Grand delusions: “By 2028, what I plan is that all … new buildings will have zero carbon footprint. … By 2030, all new cars and light-duty trucks, zero carbon footprint. And by 2035, the production of electricity, zero carbon footprint.” —Elizabeth Warren

More grand delusions: “My plan understands the severity of the crisis and acts boldly. And in the process, when we make a fundamental transition away from fossil fuel, to energy efficiency and sustainable energy, we create 20 million new jobs.” —Bernie Sanders

And last… “Elizabeth Warren is the Sheriff of Nottingham in a Robin Hood mask, self-justified in her robbery because it victimizes only the richest of the rich, all the while playing the part of the tax tyrant who endlessly oppresses all the peasants.” —Kylee Zempel