Thus, as the debate in Washington unfolds, remember that those politicians are puppets. The American people hold the strings. The pols may think they can adjudicate the amnesty issue in back rooms through intricate negotiations over fine points and elements of language. But ultimately they will have to square their deals with the American people. The liberal sensibility on the issue dominates the media and packs a big wallop in Washington. But if it prevails in the crafting the final legislation, there won’t be a deal that will clear Congress.

Robert W. Merry is editor of The National Interest and the author of books on American history and foreign policy. His most recent book is Where They Stand: The American Presidents in the Eyes of Voters and Historians.