I thought leaders were supposed to do what was right, not simply popular. That is a common misunderstanding of the right fringe. Representatives are suppose to act in the interests of their constituents. Leaders convince the people before acting or legislating. When a majority is convinced then action will have lasting impact. When the people are not convinced then future leaders will reverse the imprudent action. Take the AWB for example...Clinton did not convince voters and because of this when the ban was sunset there was no consequence to Dubya.
Leaders who do not heed the will of the people are called dictators. Wannabe dictators are the heroes of the fringe right because they defiantly reject the will of the people and instead promise to follow the echoing voices in their swelled heads with an iron fist. It is scary to read Freerepublic sometimes because rational thought is too often drowned out by the isolationist acolytes of Buchanan Tancredo and Keyes. They have lots of time and booze and no jobs or spell checkers.
"Representatives are suppose to act in the interests of their constituents. Leaders convince the people before acting or legislating."
And blatantly violating the First Amendment is in the interest of the people?
"Leaders who do not heed the will of the people are called dictators."
First reaction. Are you serious? A dictator is "An absolute ruler or "A tyrant; a despot." Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Do you seriously suggest that vetoing CFR would have made Bush either "an absolute ruler" or a "tyrant?"
Second reaction. Let's take your "definition" of dictator seriously. 52% of people oppose extending legal status for immigrants from Mexico and 57% oppose extending legal status from other countries.
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/us/WorldNewsTonight/immigration_poll_040112.html By pushing to extend legal status for illegals, in the face of a majority of public opinion opposing such a measure, your argument makes Bush a dictator.
Are you seriously calling the President a dictator?