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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:

Byron York, chief political correspondent for The Washington Examiner: Trump's Midterms: Two steps forward, one step back.

A campaign strategist might wish that he could blend the two speeches — present the core case and then add amusing asides to spice it up — and come up with a campaign speech that stays on track and is longer than 28 minutes but a lot shorter than an hour and 23 minutes. But Trump has been making his own speech choices for years and has been elected president of the United States twice, so it is unlikely he would see a great need to do things any other way.

The bottom line is that the president's midterm campaigning is going forward in fits and starts. That seems understandable, given the size of the problems he has created for himself with closing out the Iran war. But it is still worrisome for Republican lawmakers up for reelection who need Trump's help in their states and districts.

Derek Hunter, Washington, DC, based writer, radio host and political strategist: Where are the Obamas and the Clintons on the monsters taking over their party?

Maybe they don’t care because they’ve made their fortunes and Secret Service protection affords them a sense of immortality, or maybe they are down with what the new emerging leaders in their party are looking to do.

But one thing is certain: they don’t care. If they’d cared, they would’ve said something by now. If they cared, they would say something now.

It’s all well and good if the damage is confined to the Democrat Party, because who cares, right? But these radicals are looking to destroy the country as well, which you’d think might bother people who’ve led incredible lives because of the country’s existence. If you’d thought that, you’d be wrong.

Erika Kirk, CEO of Turning Point USA: Charlie saw America’s future in the courage of young patriots.

My prayer is that, in the face of current and future trials, America’s young men and women will continue to embrace the same faith, courage, responsibility and sacrifice that built this nation. That they prove themselves worthy of the inheritance they have received. And that 250 years from now, future generations of Americans will look back on this generation and say they, too, answered the call.

Happy Birthday to the Land of the Free. We are so blessed.

Mary Peltola, lifelong Alaskan and a candidate for the United States Senate: Washington rewards failure. It’s time to send career politicians home.

My time in Congress made it crystal clear to me that the system is rigged. Most members of Congress aren't there to deliver; they're there to stay in office and get rich along the way. The result is exactly what you'd expect: partisan gridlock, institutional rot, and corrupt policies engineered to benefit the same powerful special interests that fund the machine.

You can't fix the cost of living without first fixing the people in charge of fixing it.