Bush's Failure with Immigration Reform

I'll come up with some constructive ideas on immigration reform later. For now, consider Bush's failure to craft a passable immigration reform bill, and his fracturing of the GOP base in the process.

We know that Bush doesn't change course easily, if at all. We know he likes to pick a direction and stick with it, ignoring critics and shaking off course corrections. He's done it with the Harriet Miers nomination, with Iraq multiple times, with his failed Social Security reform.

A more successful approach would have been that of a Reagan or Clinton - both were at least aware of public opinion (Clinton perhaps to excess). Both were willing to actively court critics and naysayers, and to find ways to tweak proposals to address their concerns and gather support.

Bush's weaknesses as a leader - his inability to persuade skeptics, his inability to compromise when it would help - have now overwhelmed his strengths.

It's been said that Ronald Reagan, in his first month in office, made more phone calls to Democratic US House Representatives than Jimmy Carter had made in his entire term in office. I'm guessing Bush has followed Carter's lead more than Reagan's.