Cuccinelli is simply the latest example of a Trump appointee facing a veto point in the GOP-controlled Senate. Earlier this year Trump wanted to appoint Stephen Moore and Herman Cain, two manifestly unqualified individuals, to serve on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. In the end, both withdrew their names from consideration after it became clear that enough GOP senators would vote no, torpedoing their chances…

Even on the tariff issue, the Trump White House was feeling the heat from GOP senators. As noted last week, an awful lot of them publicly complained about the president’s addiction to tariffs. Charles Grassley keeps making noises about curbing the president’s powers to impose some tariffs. With businesses now starting to lobby to curtail the president’s powers on this issue, who knows what will happen?

The answer, unfortunately, is probably nothing. It remains the case that most GOP senators are rock-solid in their support of Trump. Others, like Marco Rubio, have found new and innovative ways to go back on their conservative principles to demonstrate fealty to the president.