* “Even in the most dire of emergencies, the president of the United States should not be able to operate free from constitutional checks and balances.”–Elizabeth Goitein, co-director of the Liberty and National Security Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at the NYU School of Law.
* “Republicans have been more diligent in warning about substantial election fraud than they have been successful in documenting it. … Trump says he opposes VBM (Voting By Mail) because, in addition to worries about fraud, it ‘doesn’t work out well for Republicans.'”–George Will, Washington Post.
* “China unleashed this pandemic on the world and they should pay the price.”–U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark.
* “The whole U.S. oil system is physically backing up from pipelines to refineries because of a lack of demand and no oil storage space.”–Frank Verrastro, senior vice president of the Center for Strategic & International Studies at Georgetown University.
* “LIBERATE MINNESOTA! LIBERATE MICHIGAN! The states have to step up their TESTING! LIBERATE VIRGINIA, and save your great 2nd Amendment. It is under siege.”–Donald Trump.
* “Passing the buck without passing the bucks.”–New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, in slamming the COVID response of Congress and Trump.
* “When it comes to a contagious pathogen, nursing homes are like cruise ships.”–Steven L. Berk, dean of the School of Medicine at Texas Tech University and co-author of “Infections in Nursing Homes and Long-term Care Facilities.”
* “It is enigmatic that many Christians are so loyal to a man who is almost everything Jesus spoke against. … He is neither Christian in character nor ‘pro life’ in his ongoing failures during this pandemic.”–Dr. Mark Mosley, Wichita emergency department physician.
* “Religious nationalism has brought to American politics the conviction that our political differences are a battle between absolute evil and absolute good. Fealty to the cause is everything; fidelity to the facts means nothing.”–Katherine Stewart, author of “The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism.”
* “America as we know it may not survive much longer. The pandemic will eventually end; the economy will eventually recover. But democracy, once lost, may never come back. And we’re much closer to losing our democracy than many people realize.”–Paul Krugman, New York Times.
* “Most governors believe the president’s incompetent.”–Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean.
* “Our federal system reserves the leading role over public health to state governors. States possess the ‘police power’ to regulate virtually all activity within their borders.”–John Yoo, the National Review.
* “Texting is the new handshake.”–Thomas Peters, CEO of RumbleUp, a company that provides (‘peer-to-peer’) texting platforms to political candidates.
* “I do not want major businesses crowding out what is intended to be an initiative that serves small businesses.”–U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, on the priorities of the Paycheck Protection Program.
* “I am directing the Florida National Guard to create more strike teams to significantly ramp up testing in long-term care facilities.”–Gov. Ron DeSantis.
* “Now more than ever, the governor and Cabinet need to be meeting in the sunshine to coordinate the state’s response to COVID-19.”–State Rep. Ben Diamond, D-St. Petersburg.
* “If Florida were a nation, we would be the world’s 17th largest economy. And our goal by 2030 is to be the 10th largest economy, and we hope you’ll keep that in mind as you think about your recommendations.”–Florida Chamber of Commerce CEO Mark Wilson, in addressing the first meeting of the Re-Open Florida Task Force.
* “This is unprecedented. … I’ll speak for myself: I’m making decisions with about 10 percent of the information and 100 percent of the responsibility.”–Mayor Jane Castor.
* “The goal is to get as many people tested as possible. We don’t want there to be any impediments.”–Hillsborough County Chief Communications Administrator Liana López, in announcing that the county will expand efforts to reach those who don’t have good transportation options. The county will offer testing at three neighborhood centers in East Tampa, Ruskin and Plant City.
* “The curfew is clearly not a tool that law enforcement needs … it has confused the public.”–Hillsborough Sheriff Chad Chronister, after Hillsborough County’s Emergency Policy Group voted unanimously to rescind the (9 p.m to 5 a.m.) countywide curfew.
* “I’m focusing on health and focusing on meeting people’s needs right now. Hockey pales in comparison to that.”–Lightning owner Jeff Vinik.
* “The biggest mistake we could make is restart, and then a month later, have to stop again.”–St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman.