I don't think the Pope is the one sending up "trial balloons." Many of these things are leaked to the press by opponents in order to give a heads-up to the opposition. We are seeing that happen with the supposed motu propio on the Tridentine Rite: it was leaked long enough ago so that there is now consolidated opposition to it, even though nobody knows what it is actually going to say. But the French bishops as much as announced this weekend that they had killed it; it's going out for "consultations" and they assured their followers that there would be nothing to worry about.
Of course, even when things aren't leaked, they don't seem to get a much better reception. The instructions on the handling of liturgical vessels is simply being ignored, even by good bishops. The latter are ignoring it quietly, saying they'll do something about it if they ever "have to," because they have received so much opposition from their disobedient and lazy priests who are in turn no doubt afraid of the EEMs. Bad bishops, like Roger Mahony, have simply come out and said they don't plan to do anything.
The Pope has a tremendous amount of opposition to work against and I pray for him every day. I was worried about his going to Turkey, but frankly, these days, I'd be more worried about his going to France. I hope he has a food taster.
That non-Catholics pretending to represent Holy Mother Church in the United States and elsewhere are refusing to abide by the direction of the Vicar of Christ says volumes about the stupidity of reducing the authority of the pope to that of equality with all other bishops of the Church.
Vatican II is looming larger than the standing of this lowly bishop of Rome. Time to toss this baby with the bathwater.
Seems like the biggest power the Pope has is replacing those Cardinals when the time comes.