* “America’s back in the business of leading the world alongside nations who share our most deeply held values.”–President Joe Biden at the G-7 summit.
* “(German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s) most outstanding accolade is that she has demonstrated that a woman in power behaves differently and achieves things, not in spite of being a woman, but partly because of her gender and her ability to park her ego when it comes to getting things done. And I don’t associate that quality with many male leaders.”–Merkel biographer Kati Marton.
* “I think the concern is real that the Trumpian tendencies in the U.S. could return full bore in the mid-terms or in the next presidential election.”–Alexander Vershbow, former deputy secretary-general of NATO.
* “I think the European Union needs to have at least the same level of ambition as the United States.”--French President Emmanuel Macron, in reference to the U.S. commitment to donate 500 million vaccine doses to struggling nations around the world.
* “Cyber Pearl Harbor.”–The phrase used in 2012 by former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta to give a (some thought overly alarmist) head’s up to the threat of cyber assaults on critical infrastructure. “An attack that would paralyze and shock the nation,” said the prescient Panetta, “and create a profound new sense of vulnerability.”
* There are many things open to debate in America, but the right of all eligible citizens to vote is not one of them.”–Attorney General Merrick Garland, whose Justice Department will be scrutinizing new laws in (red) states that tighten voting rules.
* “Proposals for further federal spending, coupled with job-killing tax hikes, are not the remedy for economic recovery.”–The aptly-named Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho.
* “Money and fear go a long way in politics. And on the GOP side, Trump maintains a monopoly on both.”–David Corn, Mother Jones.
* “(Trump’s) demonization of Liz Cheney for crossing him, his denunciation of Paul Ryan for dissing him and his savaging of any Republican who challenges the Big Lie reflect a ruinous petulance that is bound to wax, not wane, as his exile grinds on.”–Frank Bruni, New York Times.
* “I lived behind the Iron Curtain. You really think you are going to be able to tell me to keep my mouth shut?”–Tennis great—and Czech Republic native—Martina Navratilova, commenting on her outspokenness on political and social issues.
* “By the fall or end of year, prices will be coming back to earth.”–Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics.
* “My intention as the author of the 2017 tax reform was not that multibillionaires ought to pay no taxes. I believe dividends and capital gains should be taxed at a lower rate, but certainly not zero.”–Sen. Patrick Toomey, R-Pa.
* “When you grow up in the South, poor, black and female, you have to have faith in progress and opportunity.”–U.S. Rep. Val Demings, who has announced her candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat held by Marco Rubio.
* “We are finding that this generation isn’t necessarily into vehicles much. They want that 10-minute walk around their residence. They love public transportation, scooters, trolleys and boats.”–Lynda Remund, CEO of Tampa Downtown Partnership.
* “This marks a major milestone in our strategic efforts to continue to diversify our cargo mix and expand our container volume, which is now our fastest growing line of business.”–Port Tampa Bay president and CEO Paul Anderson, on the port’s landing of Dole’s containerized service scheduled to begin late next month.
* “There is no single victim when it comes to gun violence. It’s going to take a village (approach).”–St. Petersburg City Council member Deborah Figgs-Sanders.