Insight: “Those who seek absolute power, even though they seek it to do what they regard as good, are simply demanding the right to enforce their own version of heaven on earth, and let me remind you they are the very ones who always create the most hellish tyranny.” —Barry Goldwater (1909-1998)

Friendly fire: “We understand the desire to permanently suspend [Trump] now, but it should concern everyone when companies like Facebook and Twitter wield the unchecked power to remove people from platforms that have become indispensable for the speech of billions — especially when political realities make those decisions easier.” —ACLU senior legislative counsel Kate Ruane

For the record: “If Trump was the foremost offender, Twitter hasn’t done us any favors in this period of our national life. It has fed moral panics and enabled cancellation mobs. It has exposed journalists who once made a pretense of objectivity as rank partisans. It has enticed once serious people into crowd-pleasing clownishness. It has made politicians dumber and cruder. It has distorted political reality for people across the spectrum. It, in short, has helped derange our politics, with the former Tweeter-in-Chief leading the way.” —Rich Lowry

Observations: “Censorship, wokeness, political correctness, it all points in one direction — authoritarianism, cloaked as moral righteousness. It’s similar to what we’re seeing at Twitter, and Facebook, and Apple, and on too many university campuses. This is not who we are, as Americans.” —Secretary of State Mike Pompeo

Tone-deaf: “We simply cannot stay closed until the vaccine hits critical mass. The cost is too high. We will have nothing left to open. We must reopen the economy, but we must do it smartly and safely.” —Governor Andrew “Trashing Vaccines” Cuomo now that the election is over

Double standards: “Ahead of the Ugandan election, we’re hearing reports that Internet service providers are being ordered to block social media and messaging apps. We strongly condemn internet shutdowns – they are hugely harmful, violate basic human rights and the principles of the #OpenInternet. Access to information and freedom of expression, including the public conversation on Twitter, is never more important than during democratic processes, particularly elections.” —Twitter Public Policy notice

Alpha jackass: “We go for all the Republican voters and Homeland Security will take their children away. … We’ll put them into the reeducation camps. Enlightenment camps. They’re nice. They have Sesame Street characters in the classrooms, and they watch PBS all day. Americans are so f—king dumb. You know, most people are dumb. It’s good to live in a place [Washington, DC] where people are educated and know stuff. Could you imagine if you lived in one of these other towns or cities where everybody’s just stupid? … What’s great is that COVID is spiking in all the red states right now. So that’s great … a lot of them [red state voters] are sick and dying.” —now ex-PBS attorney Michael Beller

The BIG Lie: “I also intend to see that those members of Congress who abetted [Trump]; those members of Congress who had groups coming through the capitol that I saw on Jan. 5 for reconnaissance for the next day; those members of Congress who incited the violent crowd; those members of Congress that attempted to help our president undermine our democracy — I’m going see that they’re held accountable.” —Rep. Mikie Sherrill

Non compos mentis: “Southern states are not red states. They are suppressed states. Which means the only way that our country’s going to heal is through the actual liberation of southern states, the actual liberation of the poor, the actual liberation of working people from economic, social, and racial oppression. That’s the only way.” —AOC

And last… “Banning offensive speech encourages radicals in their extremism. We no longer talk to each other. Too many read and listen only to what supports their point of view and demeans people who believe differently. This is unhealthy for a free society.” —Cal Thomas