The continuing partial shutdown of the federal government undermines one common criticism of President Donald Trump even as it confirms another.
The overstated criticism is that Trump has turned the Republican Party into a cult of personality. He could raise taxes or promote taxpayer-funded abortions, according to this theory, and his supporters would applaud his brilliance and far-sightedness.
It’s true that some Trump supporters speak cultishly of him. It’s true, as well, that many Republican voters have changed their views, and many Republican politicians have adjusted their rhetoric, to match the president’s positions. But the fact that Trump failed to persuade Alabama Republicans to unite behind his preferred Senate candidate — twice — is one of many pieces of evidence that his sway has real limits.