* “What we need to see to calm investors is positive economic data points out of China and only when we see that will the rallies be sustainable.”–Xavier Smith, investment director at Center Asset Management.
* “Most people understand these are not (financial) times to panic. If you’re stuck, you’re stuck, and you just wait it out.”–Ken Goldstein, labor economist at the Conference Board.
* “The potential for more frequent and deadlier breakdowns in public order is plain, especially now that (President Nicolas) Maduro has stepped up military raids on ‘hoarders’ who amass ‘contraband’ goods.”–Bloomberg View, on the growing “danger of a Venezuelan implosion.”
* “Today’s ceremony marks the end of one phase in the relationship between our two countries and the start of a new one–one that I believe offers the promise of better.”–British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, in Iran for the reopening of the British embassy in Tehran.
* “By a wide margin, ordinary Americans want to see Social Security expanded. But by an even wider margin, Americans in the top 1 percent want it cut. And guess whose preferences are prevailing among Republican candidates?”–Paul Krugman, New York Times.
* “Peoples of European descent, everywhere they live, have birth rates below replacement levels. Yet, most live in the world’s most desirable neighborhoods.”–Pat Buchanan, Creators Syndicate.
* “I hope we can defeat it, but the procedure is obviously stacked in the president’s favor.”–Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on the hotly contested nuclear deal with Iran.
* “Donald Trump confounds me. I thought he’d be out of it by now. But he’s in the catbird seat for the time being.”–Howard Dean, former governor of Vermont and Democratic National chairman.
* “Normal politics can’t explain Trump. For that you need Freud.”–Timothy Egan, New York Times.
* “What Trump is missing here is that this is a relationship that is a mutually beneficial one for both countries. At the end of the day, Mexico and the United States will either fail or succeed together, and that a rising tide will lift boats on both sides of the border.”–Arturo Sarukhan, former Mexican ambassador to the U.S.
* “As long as Republicans throw rocks at Obama foreign policy, they can score points. But if they offer any solutions that even imply boots on the ground, they are in trouble.”–Political analyst Charlie Cook, founder of the Cook Political Report.
* “I promise you, if I’m elected president of the United States, I will restore the traditional role of the United States as a leader for peace and security.”–Jeb Bush.
* “Conservative but not scary.”–Assessment of Marco Rubio by Terry Sullivan, Rubio’s campaign manager.
* “George W. Bush has started fundraising for his brother Jeb. Apparently he is raising money by promising he will not be one of his brother’s policy advisers.”–Political humor blogger Jim Barach.
* “Folks under 45 did not come of political age during the Cold War. Millennials, I think, vaguely associate socialism more with Nordic social democracy than with authoritarian communism.”–Joseph Schwartz, Temple University political theorist.
* “I am printing money, I don’t deny it. That’s what happens when you build a taboo-focused business.”–Noel Biderman, founder of the adultery site Ashley Madison.
* “Safety is always a concern to international travelers. We always rank very high in surveys when we ask visitors if they feel safe here.”–Paul Phipps, Visit Florida’s marketing director.
* “Reapportionment has redefined Florida a couple of times and, historically, the court has been the catalyst.”–Jon Mills, University of Florida law professor and former House speaker, who helped draft the language for the Fair Districts amendments.
* “Pretty sure the Democrats on the Supreme Court will be delighted to draw the map.”–Rep. Neil Combee, R-Polk City.
* “The best thing to happen to Jeff Vinik is this project. And the best thing for this project is Jeff Vinik.”–Luis Ajamil, project partner with Port Tampa Bay on its plans for the $1.7 billion redevelopment of 45 acres of waterfront property near the Channel District.
* “I think it will add credibility to everything that’s going on here, which is why we’re focusing on it.”–Mayor Bob Buckhorn, on the recruiting of a Fortune 500 headquarters for downtown.
* “The county government needs to figure out exactly what they want to do. Until we’re told otherwise, right now they’re operating and functioning and we’re going to continue to work with them.”–Epicurean Hotel general manager Tom Haines, on the hotel’s working relationship with Uber.
* “Show me a neighborhood that doesn’t get any flooding, and I can find somewhere nearby where they need to use a street that gets some flooding. We’ve got enough flooding to go around for everybody.”–Brad Baird, Tampa public works and utility services administrator.
* “If we don’t have the amount of money we need for the ferry project, we’ll have to look at scaling it back to one boat or a pilot program. … I just want to keep moving forward to get it going.”–Hillsborough County Commissioner Sandy Murman.