Insight: “There is surely no contradiction in saying that a certain section of the community may be quite competent to protect the persons and property of the rest, yet quite unfit to direct our opinions, or to superintend our private habits.” —Thomas Babington Macaulay (1800-1859)

Upright: “Some of the biggest cases of mistaken identity are among intellectuals who have trouble remembering that they are not God.” —Thomas Sowell

Observations: “Fascinating to watch much of media’s quick turn from mocking notion of deep state into a full throated ‘Hell yes there’s a deep state and it’s the only thing we have to protect us from the American people and who they elect.’ Points for honesty?” —Mollie Hemingway

For the record: “I don’t know what you would impeach him on. … Impeachment is like the death penalty for a public official. When you look at the transcript, there’s nothing in that transcript that warrants the death penalty for the president.” —Nikki Haley

Grand delusions I: “It’s right out of ‘The Godfather’ when somebody in a position of immense power looks at somebody not in a position of immense power and says, ‘I want you to do us a favor, though…’” —Rep. Jim Himes

Grand delusions II: “The simple answer is this: The House has no option [when it comes to impeachment]. It has to enforce the Constitution. Whether or not … it turns out to work or not work, whether or not he should or shouldn’t be kicked out of office, on the face of it, there’s a prime case he’s violated the Constitution of the United States of America in asking other countries to engage in our politics.” —Joe Biden

And last… “It’s incredible to see the mental gymnastics the American left has to do to avoid acknowledging that the people of Venezuela, Bolivia & Hong Kong are fighting against the very ideology they’re attempting to manifest here.” —Allie Beth Stuckey