Republicans May Come to Regret Their Silence on Trump

I don't usually dispense relationship advice in this column. But the adage about marriage is often true of politics: What is not said is more destructive than what is said.For example, over the last 18 months the president has said and done a number of things that warranted dissent from Republicans -- not just from party leaders, but from rank-and-file legislators, pundits and other commentators. But the dogs did not bark, opting to stay silent.We need not take up too much space quibbling over specifics. All one need do is play the "What if Obama said this?" game to see that the moral arc of the GOP has bent toward President Donald Trump.Then, a few weeks ago, the president proposed sweeping steel and aluminum tariffs and heaped praise on the benefits of trade wars. Suddenly, Congress and much of the conservative commentariat rose up in protest.  Continue reading...