If there were ever a red line for Republicans, Trump crossed it Friday. Or not.
Where, exactly, is the red line for Republicans in Congress right now?
We have a president with pronounced authoritarian tendencies, who believes he alone can fix it; who signs sweeping executive orders reportedly without even briefing relevant Cabinet members on the logistical, humanitarian and national security consequences; who directs his staff and surrogates to lie about the tiniest and most ridiculous and easily fact-checkable of details; and whose staffers brought us to the brink of a constitutional crisis when they ignored federal court orders.
Democrats have few tools at their disposal to obstruct President Trump, let alone force him to double back, given their minority status in both chambers of Congress. They could slow business to a crawl if they wished through procedural measures. But that comes with longer-term strategic risks, and more to the point, can only slow things down; it cannot reverse actions the executive branch is already taking.
Which is why its ultimately up to Republicans to show leadership, whether through words or (preferably) actual legislative deeds.
So when will they stand in Trumps way?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/if-there-were-ever-a-red-line-for-republicans-trump-crossed-it-friday-or-not/2017/01/30/973bf08c-e730-11e6-b82f-687d6e6a3e7c_story.html?utm_term=.1ad684b3ca6b&wpisrc=nl_rainbow&wpmm=1
Only if their re-election is threatened.