* “When America is no longer able to rally her forces for good, the light dims for civilization.”–Kathleen Parker, Washington Post.
* “The eight years of the Bush Administration saw the largest fiscal erosion in American history.”–Former U.S. Deputy Treasury Secretary Roger Altman and Council on Foreign Relations president Richard Haass in Dec. 3 issue, Foreign Affairs.
* “If there were such a thing as Chapter 11 for politicians, the Republican push to extend the unaffordable Bush tax cuts would amount to a bankruptcy filing.”–David Stockman, President Ronald Reagan’s former budget chief.
*”So-called deficit hawks want to give away a total of $700 billion to folks (top 2% in income) like me, who can get along just fine without it. Obscene is the first word that comes to mind. Sad is the second.”–Carl Hiaasen, Miami Herald.
* “While this may not be the time to implement it, why not discuss the tax deduction for interest on mortgages? It costs the government $130 billion a year, encourages people to take on too much debt, inflates the housing market and has no real effect on home ownership.”–Fareed Zakaria, Time magazine.
* “It’s the only law in the country that requires people to be dishonest or be fired if they choose to be honest.”–Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo., on the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.
* “I’m going to travel this country, I’m going to travel the world, I’m going to try to make sure people know this place is open for business.”–Gov.-elect Rick Scott.
* “I walked out with no clarity on anything.”–Rep. Jim Waldman, D-Coconut Creek, after a group lawmaker session with Gov.-elect Rick Scott.
* “(UF Athletics Director) Jeremy Foley’s hiring of Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp … to replace Urban Meyer can only be described as surprising. The question is this: Will Muschamp become the next Ron Zook or the next Billy Donovan–two out-of-the-blue Foley hires that had vastly different results.”–Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel.
* “Their mission is very clear: to provide public housing for the poor. They do not need a new office.”–Mayor Pam Iorio on decision by Tampa Housing Authority leaders to move ahead with plans to buy new administrative headquarters.
* “I just get out there and go crazy because I am shameless. I’m an actor, not a musician.”–Jim Belushi, the grand marshal of next month’s (Jan. 29) Gasparilla Parade, will also be singing with his blues-and-rock Sacred Heart Band at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino the night before the parade.
* “You get to know people for who they are. Not their job or how much money they have in the bank. You can’t see that when you’re nude.”–Nicole Young, explaining the rationale for being part of the cast of the reality show “Nak’d Truth” being shot at the Caliente nudist resort in Land O’Lakes.