The inexorable workings of the political marketplace seem to be enforcing some discipline over hitherto fissiparous Republican politicians. The question is whether this is too late to save the party’s declining prospects in the 2018 midterm elections.

You can see this in Republicans’ reactions to the tax bills Congress is currently considering. Last spring, when the party’s congressional leadership teed up its health care bills to purportedly repeal and replace Obamacare, they faced rebellions from practically every corner of their party’s caucuses.