In the final weeks of this year’s presidential contest, congressional Republicans made it clear that they were at best indifferent to Donald Trump’s re-election. Whether this was a reflection of genuine disagreements over foreign policy and trade or a cynical calculation that opposition would be more rewarding than control of the White House, the result was the same. Given perhaps the best opportunity in a generation to help their party’s candidate on the eve of an election by giving voters $2,000 checks, they declined. Many of them not only expected Trump to lose but were happy with the prospect.
