* “Never in history have we had such modern weapons as we are getting as a result of this deal.”–Polish Defense Minister Tomasz Siemoniak, on the recent purchase of long-range missiles from the U.S.
* “(The militants) are developing an unsustainable economy. … ISIL cannot float government bonds like nations can. They can collect taxes, extort money and so forth. But that will likely not be enough in the long run to keep such an unbalanced economic system going.”–Paul Sullivan, Middle East economies’ expert at the National Defense University in Washington.
* “The gringos say they want to sanction Venezuela. No one can sanction Venezuela, because our people decided to be free and will be free, regardless of what happens, with sanctions or without them.”–Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
* “Just like they (U.S. officials) have their lists, we can make our own lists in Latin America of those who shouldn’t enter our country.”–Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, in announcing that he was banning U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio and Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen from traveling there because of their roles in passing Venezuelan sanctions.
* “If we don’t lead, future generations will not forgive us. They will want to know how we together could possibly have been so blind, so ideological, so dysfunctional and, frankly, so stubborn.”–Secretary of State John Kerry, on the need to fight climate change.
* “I don’t know what article of the Constitution that (torture) would contravene.”–Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.
* “Human rights treaties are promises that the United States will not violate human rights. At a minimum, we must acknowledge that our nation has violated the terms of the U.N. Convention Against Torture.”–Talbot “Sandy” D’Alemberte, past president of the American Bar Association and former president of FSU.
* “Enormously disappointed.”–House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s reaction after President Barack Obama and Republicans joined forces to override Democratic complaints about a $1.1-trillion, House spending bill.
* “Lock up the center and let them fight it out on the right.”–Sen. John McCain’s 2016 presidential advice to Jeb Bush.
* “I think states are starting to go that route, because they’re trying to reach consumers where they are and where they spend time, and everyone spends time on their phone.”–Kara Macek, spokeswoman for the Governors Highway Safety Association, on use of the new federally funded cellphone app (“ENDUI”) that helps tackle drunken driving.
* “The role we play is in deciding whether or not we should go into war, but our role is not to decide how to go to war.”–Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla.
* “Burger King’s inversion adds up to a ‘whopper’ of a tax dodge.”–Americans for Tax Fairness study on the bottom-line impact of Burger King moving its headquarters from Miami to Canada.
* “As Americans increasingly move to communities of like-minded individuals, the political segregation of the population only reinforces the polarization. … Never having your own political views challenged is a profound loss for all Americans.”–Darryl Paulson, professor emeritus of government at USF St. Petersburg.
* “It’s not on the Seminole Tribe’s radar.”–Seminole Tribe spokesman Gary Bitner, on the implications of a U.S. Justice Department memo directing federal prosecutors nationwide to allow tribes to cultivate and grow marijuana on their sovereign lands.
* “As big as our state is, we’ll be influential regardless of the timing. … We want to make sure we have all our delegates.”–Florida Republican Party chairwoman Leslie Dougher, on the likelihood that Florida will not flout the 2016 presidential primary schedule set forth by the Republican National Committee.
* “Democrats have to have a (gubernatorial) candidate that can compete in areas other than the traditional Democratic areas. If you cannot compete, and if you don’t have a compelling message, and if you aren’t looked upon as someone who is pro-business, who is centrist, who is all about getting things done, north of Orlando you don’t stand a chance.”–Mayor Bob Buckhorn.
* “That’s going to be big, and that’s probably going to be the issue that unites us.”–State Rep. Dana Young, R-Tampa, on Hillsborough County’s top priority–the relocation of USF’s College of Medicine to downtown Tampa–going into this spring’s legislative session.
* “Hospitals can provide end-of-life care, but it’s not necessarily the best or the most cost-effective environment. By moving into hospice care, we can provide a new model.”–Tampa General Hospital spokesman John Dunn.
* “My father knew how to bring all races together. We should all want to be like him.”–Andre White, on his late father Moses White, who was among those honored with a Riverwalk bust.
* “Given the economic obsolescence of the Trop and the alternative futures for the land in St. Pete, the deal cut between Stu Sternberg and Rick Kriseman through 2027 is fair and reasonable.”–Vanderbilt University sports economist John Vrooman.
* “That’s the one message I wanted to get out to the shelters and people connected with this. This is not going away.”–Former Rays manager Joe Maddon, on his commitment to his annual ‘Thanksmas’ fundraising dinner that benefits area homeless food programs.
* “It’s still pretty surreal. I’m just really, really honored.”–WFLA-Ch 8’s Jennifer Lee, on replacing Gail Sierens on the 11 p.m. broadcast.