Insight: “If it be admitted that a man, possessing absolute power, may misuse that power by wronging his adversaries, why should a majority not be liable to the same reproach? Men are not apt to change their character by agglomeration; nor does their patience in the presence of obstacles increase with the consciousness of their strength.” —Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859)

For the record: “Impeachment 1.0, the 2021 edition is badly conceived, poorly executed, and likely to produce precisely what the first round did: results 180 degrees contrary to the objectives that impeachment supporters say they want. … I predict that a sufficient number of Senate Republicans will conclude that their chamber lacks jurisdiction… Felicitations to all who participate. Let’s not do it again soon.” —John Bolton

Upright: “The foundation of any country that’s getting any society that’s going to progress is going to be built on the notion of freedom — freedom of expression, freedom of thought. We’ve been having a decay of that for quite some time. I mean, it’s not a new concept. Like I said, it is Orwellian. I mean, people have written about this for many decades and have warned against it. The notion that people are now saying we have to reprogram people to think the way we want them to think is scary. I don’t care which side of the aisle you’re on. It should be something we can come out and say, ‘Hey, this is wrong.’” —actor Ilan Srulovicz

Defying the Constitution: “A state may not require an individual to provide any form of identification as a condition of obtaining an absentee ballot. … A state(s) may not require notarization or a witness signature or other formal authentication (other than voter attestation) as a condition of obtaining or casting an absentee ballot.” —Democrat zombie bill HR 1, stipulating that the federal government will have the power to set universal regulations regarding voter-identity requirements in order to implement universal bulk-mail balloting

Braying jackass: “Trump and his people, conservative outlets like Fox News, and then conservative websites and organizations aligned with the president and conservative platforms — these three pillars of this disinformation industrial complex essentially helped put Trump in power, kept him in power, sustained his grip on the Republican Party, and it remains a threat to our democracy. And until that poison, that toxin, is drained from the national political discourse in this country … I do think that these forces represent a potential existential threat to this country.” —CNN’s Jim Acosta (Isn’t this the kind of hateful political rhetoric that should get CNN banned from social media?)

And to think this guy was attorney general… “The Republicans have abused their power to give themselves an unfair advantage. It is necessary and totally appropriate to add [Supreme Court] seats.” —Eric Holder

Non compos mentis: “I think it might be a good idea for President Biden to call a climate emergency. … Then he can do many, many things under the emergency powers of the president … that he could do without legislation. Now, Trump used this emergency for a stupid wall, which wasn’t an emergency. But if there ever was an emergency, climate is one.” —Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer

And last… “Is it too late to impeach George Washington for owning slaves? I don’t see how we can let that slide.” —Scott Adams