Niccolo Machiavelli wrote that a ruler should seek to be both loved and feared — but if a prince must choose one, he should opt for fear. President Trump has managed the opposite: Among Republicans in Congress, he is neither loved nor feared. Instead, at least when it comes to legislation, he’s made himself almost irrelevant.
Last week, Trump called GOP holdouts to the White House to demand their support for their party’s healthcare bill, a traditional exercise of presidential muscle. None of them switched sides; they saw nothing to be afraid of. CONT.
Doyle McManus, Los Angeles Times