* “We used to be a country that built things. And not just infrastructure: We built things for the entire world. … If our economy is solely based on services, I think we’re finished as an economic power.”–Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell.
* “It’s an unfortunate fact of our age that incitement pays off, whether you are in search of viewers, listeners, readers or voters. … I think I’ll try to avoid all war imagery in future writings. It became all too real on Saturday.”–Jill Lawrence, senior correspondent, Politics Daily, on the shooting of Ariz. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords last weekend.
* “If you watched the news–especially the epileptic seizure that passes for news on cable television (and in certain precincts of the blogosphere)–you’d think that we were facing Armageddon, Sodom, Gomorrah and the last days of Pompeii all at once.”–Joe Klein, Time magazine.
* “The filibuster once was rare, reserved for epochal battles. … Major laws, such as the one creating Medicare, avoided a filibuster. Now, in a time of rigid party discipline conveyed by tweeted talking points, rules crafted for a gentler time are used to bring Congress to a halt.”–Michael Waldman, Bloomberg News.
* “There’s a huge difference between what is good for American companies versus what is good for the American economy.”–Robert Scott, senior international economist with the Economic Policy Institute, in explaining that American companies have created 1.4 million jobs overseas this year, while creating fewer than 1 million in the United States.
* “I worry that policymakers will look at a few favorable economic indicators, decide that they no longer need to promote recovery, and take steps that send us sliding right back to the bottom. … Realistically, the best we can hope for from fiscal policy is that Washington doesn’t actively undermine the recovery.”–Paul Krugman, New York Times.
* “Sarah Palin announces she will seek the Republican nomination for president amidst the cheers of Tea Party supporters. More moderate Republicans fear her candidacy will diminish the chances of their party winning in 2012 and try to blunt her efforts. Rick Perry, governor of Texas, becomes a contender. Mike Bloomberg is mentioned. On the Democratic side, liberals feel Obama has betrayed them and desperately try to find a challenger. With the economy improving, the prospect of a second term for Obama becomes more likely.”–Among the 2011 predictions of Byron R. Wien, vice chairman, Blackstone Advisory Partners.
* “The economic benefits of the ($787-billion) stimulus (package) would become so entangled in red tape that even today, much of that money remains unspent. … The funds that went to existing government services and benefits, in short, were spent as intended. … But much of the money devoted to boosting private-sector hiring, above all in construction, remains stubbornly unspent.”–Harold Meyerson, editor-at-large, American Prospect and L.A. Weekly.
* “I don’t think Tim Tebow is a good NFL quarterback at this time. … To clarify my thoughts on Tim Tebow. … I think he’s a very good football player, and if anyone can turn themselves into a great QB, Tim can. Myself and our entire organization think very highly of him.”–John Elway, Denver Broncos’ vice president of football operations.
* “If a Republican can’t win Florida, they can’t win the presidency. So we better make sure whoever we nominate is someone who can be palatable to Florida.”–Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.
* “There are lots of reasons why Florida will be competitive in 2012, but mostly the state’s presidential election makeup is vastly different than its gubernatorial election makeup. Look at the last five elections and you will see it doesn’t really matter what happens in the gubernatorial cycle, presidential elections are always tight.”–Democratic consultant Steve Schale on why Florida remains a swing state.
* “It’s all part of what makes a city a quality place to live, along with low crime rates and the infrastructure. You have to have all of these things.”–Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio on the value of the arts.
* “Jon’s done more things with his wife and kids in the past 24 months than he did in the previous 20 years. … He’s a different person now.”–Bob LaMonte, Jon Gruden’s agent.
* “Once we start listening to how good we are, we’re going to forget how far we are from where we want to be.”–Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Guy Boucher.