Opinion: Republicans, cheering and divided

View in [Browser]( | Add nytdirect@nytimes.com to your address book. [The New York Times]( [The New York Times]( Wednesday, March 1, 2017 [NYTimes.com/Opinion »]( They rose to applaud the president again and again last night, and in doing so they projected an image of Republican unity. But Congressional Republicans and the White House are not really unified. The divisions are creating problems for President Trump. They help explain his [historically low]( approval ratings for a new president, as well as [his failure]( to start his term with a burst of substantial legislation, as Barack Obama did. How can I say that the Republicans are divided when their Congressional leaders are supporting Trump on most issues (like his tax returns, his nominees and the immigration crackdown)? The political scientist Matt Glassman had the best summary I’ve seen, [in a recent tweetstorm](. “First, it is radically unusual that party Senators are opposing the President AT ALL. It’s basically unprecedented,” Glassman wrote. “In a normal presidency, party Senators would be on TV constantly, pushing the President’s message and defending his policies.” Today, many are not. Some members of Congress are quiet. Others like John McCain and Ben Sasse have already opposed Trump in high-profile ways. The president obviously has his own levers of power, like executive actions, and Trump is using those. Four years is also a long time, and Republicans will probably find ways to come together — to cut taxes, for example. But don’t be fooled by Trump [giving himself]( an “A” for his early performance or by the standing ovations last night. The Republicans are [off to a rough start](. For more coverage of last night’s speech, see [Frank Bruni’s column]( and [the Editorial Board’s review](. The full Opinion report from The Times follows, including Sandip Roy, writing from Kolkata, about [Indians’ newfound doubts about moving to the United States](. David Leonhardt Op-Ed Columnist Editorial [Visions of Trumptopia]( By THE EDITORIAL BOARD The president offered up lots of gauzy promises but no real ideas of how to pay for them. Op-Ed Columnist [Donald Trump’s Military Preening]( By FRANK BRUNI His call on Tuesday night for a rebuilt military is about vanity, not safety. Op-Ed Columnist [Can Populism Take Paris?]( By ROSS DOUTHAT Imagining a presidential path for Marine Le Pen. Op-Ed Columnist [Tony Blair’s Lesson for President Trump]( By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN The parallels between Brexit and Trumpism are profound. ADVERTISEMENT Op-Ed Contributor [How Trump Will Hurt My Border Town]( By VERONICA ESCOBAR In El Paso, we’ve benefited from booming trade and immigration. Editorial [Ms. DeVos’s Fake History About School Choice]( By THE EDITORIAL BOARD A twisted interpretation of historically black colleges paves the way for a failed market-driven education policy. Editorial [Russia Sides With Chemical Weapons]( By THE EDITORIAL BOARD Even chlorine bombs couldn’t stir Moscow to punish Syria in the U.N. Piero Ribelli [Op-Docs]( [Long Live Benjamin]( By ALLEN HIRSCH What happens when man’s best friend is a capuchin monkey? Op-Ed Contributor [How a Murder in Kansas Looks in Kolkata]( By SANDIP ROY “I appeal to all parents in India not to send their children to the U.S.” On Campus [The Isolation of College Libertarians]( By TOM CICCOTTA Liberals can’t seem to discuss controversial topics without accusing those they disagree with of fomenting hate. Op-Ed Contributor [Trump Is Wrong to Skip the White House Correspondents’ Dinner]( By DAVID LITT Yes, the star-filled event is gross, but it’s also a tribute to the values that make America great. Op-Ed Contributor [Still No Justice for Mexico’s Missing Students]( By FRANCISCO GOLDMAN The Mexican government is using anti-Trump sentiment to mute criticism in the disappearance of the Ayotzinapa’s youths. Op-Ed Contributor [Failing Quebec’s Muslims]( By MARTIN PATRIQUIN A poisonous political climate ostracizes Muslims across the province. Disability [The Athlete in Me Won’t Stop]( By TODD BALF My spinal cord injury is disabling, but it has not destroyed my competitive spirit. ADVERTISEMENT Letters [The Fate of the Illegal Immigrants]( Readers cite the contributions of undocumented immigrants. “White House rhetoric that undocumented people are ‘bad hombres’ is plain wrong,” one says. FOLLOW OPINION [Facebook] [FACEBOOK]( [Twitter] [@nytopinion]( [Pinterest] [Pinterest]( Get more [NYTimes.com newsletters »](  | Get unlimited access to NYTimes.com and our NYTimes apps for just $0.99. [Subscribe »]( ABOUT THIS EMAIL You received this message because you signed up for NYTimes.com's Opinion Today newsletter. [Unsubscribe]( | [Manage Subscriptions]( | [Change Your Email]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Contact]( | [Advertise]( Copyright 2017 The New York Times Company 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018