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A compilation of quotations on a variety of issues by national, state and regional writers, well-known personalities, just plain everyday people and from various publications collected by the editors of THE ADVANCE.

Quotes for our Times:

Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces: China's spy flights are not even close to the scariest threat out of Beijing.

Now is not the time to shortchange our national security; it’s time to work together to strengthen it. This means that President Biden needs to work with Congress to modernize our nuclear forces. Our military needs the right tools and personnel as it enters a new era of defense. This administration needs to prepare to respond to growing nuclear threats from China, and the U.S. needs to work with allies to reinforce our collective nuclear deterrence.

Nat Malkus, senior fellow and the deputy director of education policy at the American Enterprise Institute: Biden is already spending toward $1 trillion in student loan handouts.

The Biden administration is spending the people’s money, without action from Congress, and has attempted to avoid interference from the Supreme Court. Both bodies should stop this profligate spending and executive overreach where they can. The Court should rule against the forgiveness proposal, and Congress should right size adjustments to IDR [Income Driven Repayment]. Longer term solutions will require Congress addressing the root causes of these challenges, including the rising cost of college, the increasing disbursements of student loans, and ultimately, the unrestrained presidential control of a huge loan portfolio housed in the U.S. Treasury.

Stephen Moore, senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation and an economist with FreedomWorks: This is one of the greatest federal government scandals of all time.

Maybe we've all learned a valuable lesson here. Maybe these agencies aren't as indispensable as President Joe Biden says they are. We could potentially save billions of dollars and reduce our debt by getting rid of some of these obsolete or irrelevant agencies, departments and bureaus.

A budget impasse between Biden and congressional Republicans may lead to a temporary shutdown of some of these agencies. How could that be Armageddon if we don't even know when the workers are on the job?

Maybe we could cut the federal workforce in half from 2 to 1 million employees. My best guess is nobody would notice, and nobody would care.

Dr. James H. Anderson is the former Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Policy: Biden's flying objects rule must be 'if it flies, it dies'.

In the absence of a presidential address, the questions will continue to multiply. Where did the foreign objects over the weekend come from? Were they also sent courtesy of Beijing? Or is Moscow – or perhaps another bad actor — also getting into the act?

… American presidents are expected to address their constituents, especially during times of crisis.

This is why President Biden’s lack of engagement on this front is so troubling. Despite all this, there is still time to limit the damage, but only if the commander in chief levels with the American people in a forthwith and forthright manner.