The Patriot Post® · Thursday Short Cuts

Upright: “Conservative opposition to increased immigration isn’t driven by fears of demographic change. It’s driven by fear of ideological change. And that fear of ideological change is actually driven by Democrats’ radicalism — and their overt suggestion that demographic change will provide the fodder for that radicalism. … In essence, the Democrats have decided that rather than expanding the application of American principles to new groups, they prefer to fundamentally change the definition of American principles and utilize immigration policy to facilitate that change. No wonder conservatives have responded by calling for immigration restrictions.” —Ben Shapiro

Political futures: “The danger of promising that the rich can pay for everything is multifaceted. First, it’s not true. Second, you don’t have to be a student of public choice theory to understand that the more Washington behaves as if it’s true, the more the wealthy will intervene in our politics. And third, the more citizens believe that a small group of undeserving wealthy people are denying them nice things, the uglier our politics will become.” —Jonah Goldberg

Observations: “It is the president, not the bureaucracy, who was elected by the American people. That puts him — not the National Security Council, the State Department, the intelligence community, the military, and their assorted subject-matter experts — in charge of making policy. If we’re to remain a constitutional republic, that’s how it has to stay.” —Andrew McCarthy

For the record: “The question Democrats won’t answer: Should the top 1% pay half of all income taxes? Two-thirds? Three-fourths? Where does their ‘fair share’ end? If Democrats sweep the 2020 election, we are sure to find out.” —The Wall Street Journal

Big admission: “We also need to move quite quickly because we’re talking about the potential compromise of the 2020 elections. And so this is not just about something that has occurred; this is about preventing a potentially disastrous outcome from occurring next year.” —Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

The BIG Lie: “I do not know the identity of the whistleblower, and I’m going to make sure that identity is protected.” —Adam Schiff, whose staff coordinated with the whistleblower

Yes, there are stupid questions: “If this is not impeachable conduct, what is?” —Adam Schiff (If this is impeachable conduct, what ISN’T?)

Ecofascism: “Believe in climate change as though it’s a religion.” —Sen. Mazie Hirono

And last… “No one’s mind is going to be changed on impeachment. Settle it at the ballot box where voters can accuse each other of stealing the election instead of accusing Congress of stealing the election.” —Erick Erickson