Both Democrats and Republicans, and Liberals and Conservatives, work hard to thwart the other. As for "what the majority want", that seems to change depending upon how the question is phrased. For example, you ask Americans, "Do you want our government to secure our borders and stop illegal immigration?," people overwhelmingly respond "yes". But if you ask those same people, "Do you think families should be detroyed simply because a child's parent has lived in this country for decades but never bothered to file for citizenship, and now they would need to be deported?" . . a lot more people will express doubts about doing that and disrupting children's lives. Yet, it is really the same thing.
Same with abortion. If one couches the question, "Do you think the govt should limit women's choices over their own bodies, " and a majority of people will answer "No". But, if you phrase the question as, "Do you think govt should protect human life?" and a whole lot of people will agree with that. When it's a "choice", not a baby, people like the freedom of individual choices . . but if you emphasize that the matter involves ending human life, then people are more conflicted about that.
Same with economics: If you ask people if they think health care should be a basic human right, many will respond "Yes". But if you point up how much more taxes they will need to pay to provide this to everyone, and the likelihhod that some procedures they previously had access to may no longer be available, due to only having so much money to care for everyone, then they have more doubts if that is the way to go. If you show little kids, and even their unfortunate, destitute mothers and ask, "Shouldn't America take care of these poor kids and their mothers?", a lot of people will agree. But if the picture shows young men sitting around getting drunk or high, or gang-banging, or running around fathering multiple babies and refusing to work to support them . . . or just average, unemployed men . . people tend to have a problem paying higher taxes to pay for that.
Or, you could ask people if they think we should "Buy American", and they resoundingly say "Yes!". But if you then show them that instead of buying the WalMart cheapie, made-in-Asia stuff, they will need to spend 2-3 times as much for the same products made in USA, many will say, "I'm not paying all that! I'm going to WalMart!"
Nat, it is much more complicated than this we-vs-them stuff you come with. That is why I called you a hack for the Democrats . . . you cherry-pick as suits your arguments.
Blue -- the weather is getting a bit better here. I'm sure you are relieved.