Yup, it's deliberate. Why? Because if you provide a quote button in the last post people will just use it without thinking, even when it's completely unnecessary (which it usually is). If you have just read the post someone is responding to, it's pointless then having to scroll past a quote of exactly the same post. We removed it to help prevent posts being filled up with quotes that aren't needed, and it works.
Devious, treacherous, murderous, neanderthal, sub-human of the West.