The Patriot Post® · Wednesday Short Cuts

Insight: “Freedom is the oxygen without which science cannot breathe.” —David Sarnoff (1891-1971)

“The rapidly deteriorating state of law and order has people asking, ‘What is happening to our country?’ The answer is simple: We are all reaping what progressives have sown by devaluing human life. A tragic consequence of the devaluation of human life is the culture of death now pervading American society. When our political leaders legalize the murder of innocent, unborn children, should anyone really be surprised when murder becomes mundane?” —Oliver North & David Goetsch

“Joe Biden had reopened negotiations with Iran for a new nuclear deal. Well, those talks have been suspended. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the Iranian regime ‘does not seem serious about doing what’s necessary to return to compliance.’ Wake up, Secretary Blinken! Iran was never serious. Tehran’s radical regime has a long history of breaking virtually every deal it has signed. That’s why Donald Trump got us out of the last bad Biden deal with Iran!” —Gary Bauer

“If the 2008 Beijing Games were ill-advised, next year’s Winter Olympics are a complete travesty. The atrocities in Xinjiang province are a matter of public record and the quashing of Hong Kong proceeds apace. No one who crosses the regime is safe from imprisonment or worse. China openly menaces Taiwan with an invasion. Indeed, China could conceivably be in a shooting war with the United States within a year or two of using the presence of our athletes, among others, to enhance the rule of its dictator-for-life. … The [International Olympic Committee] could have taken an off-ramp from these games at any point. Instead, its attitude is going to be, ‘Enjoy the snowboarding, never mind the concentration camps.’” —Rich Lowry

“There’s no law that requires Georgia Republicans to have a messy demolition derby of a gubernatorial primary. They could unite around the 58-year-old incumbent, who signed an election-reform bill into law in the face of furious demonization by national Democrats and the departure of the Major League Baseball All Star Game from the state. Or Georgia Republicans could unite around the 71-year-old [David] Perdue, who just lost his runoff election. A unified Georgia Republican Party would be extremely difficult for Georgia Democrats to beat. But if the party doesn’t unify behind whoever wins the primary, Stacey Abrams is probably going to be the next governor of Georgia. Her comeback narrative will be complete, she will instantly become a top-tier Democratic Party star, and there is an excellent chance that she will end up on a Democratic presidential ticket someday, perhaps as soon as 2028. Choose carefully, Georgia Republicans.” —Jim Geraghty

Grand delusions: “Supreme court decisions are notoriously difficult to predict, but abortion rights activists believe [last week’s] hearing shows that conservative justices are ready to significantly weaken or perhaps overturn Roe v Wade. If that happens, young, poor people of color will disproportionately suffer, forced to carry unwanted pregnancies to term. Such an outcome is so severe human rights advocates have said state abortion bans would violate United Nations conventions against torture.” —The Guardian’s Jessica Glenza

Non compos mentis: “I’m disappointed that they’re not doing more to take safety and make it a priority.” —Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot blaming violent smash-and-grab robberies on store owners

And last… “Right now … hundreds of thousands of Russian troops are massed on the border of Ukraine waiting to invade… This calamitous foreign policy disaster is Joe Biden’s fault. This is the direct consequence of Joe Biden’s surrender to Vladimir Putin on Nord Stream 2.” —Senator Ted Cruz