Populism Can Be A You-Know-What

You know how the Democrats preface every last comment about Iraq these days with the mantle that they, with their "anti-war" stance, are only representing the "will of the people," versus President Bush, who is "defying" it?

Well, evidently not all "people's wills" are created equal:

Initial public reaction to the immigration proposal being debated in the Senate is decidedly negative.

A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey conducted Monday and Tuesday night shows that just 26% of American voters favor passage of the legislation. Forty-eight percent (48%) are opposed while 26% are not sure. The bi-partisan agreement among influential Senators and the White House has been met with bi-partisan opposition among the public. The measure is opposed by 47% of Republicans, 51% of Democrats, and 46% of those not affiliated with either major party.

Or, in other words, six days ago John McCain told three quarters of the country to [bleep] off - and an even higher percentage of GOPers:

The enforcement side of the debate is clearly where the public passion lies on the issue. Seventy-two percent (72%) of voters say it is Very Important for “the government to improve its enforcement of the borders and reduce illegal immigration.” That view is held by 89% of Republicans, 65% of Democrats, and 63% of unaffiliated voters.

Harry Reid appears to have at least dimly grasped this sledghammer of a message, as he could probably have rammed it through the Senate last weekend if he'd moved quickly enough. Now the Dems' only hope for getting McCain-Kennedy enacted is obfuscation and misdirection - which, if the Harriet Miers saga is any indication, has the potential to itself further riven the Republican remnant from its base of support, and drive Dubya's popularity below that of mange.

Rather than an anvil on our collective heads, we'll be nibbled to death by a thousand elephants (or at least 250) who think they're munching peanuts until the friendly bazookas open up on them.

Or maybe the blind will see and manage to avert complete disaster. Hey, miracles do occasionally still happen. Amazing that doing the "will of the people" can ever fit that description, huh?