Spitzer gives up

New York Governor Eliot Spitzer has abandoned his plan to give driver's licenses to illegal aliens, due to mass public opposition which had driven his approval rating down to Bushian levels. It's a perfect example of what John Derbyshire calls the Great Elite Back-Down Issue:

Same thing with the various congressional attempts at "compre-hensive immigration reform." Our Senators stir themselves from their oak-paneled offices and antique-leather armchairs to cook up a new scheme to amnesty all those polite, nice folk who are doing their yard work for them. Seems like a great idea! Then suddenly they can't hear themselves talk for the roar of phone calls and faxes coming in from their constituents. Elite Back-Down Two. It's all totally baffling to them. Who are these people making such a fuss about a perfectly reasonable, humane proposal? It's us, buddy, the great unwashed. This is still a democracy we have here. Try to keep that in mind, eh?

Do go read the whole thing, it's exquisite (see also this). Spitzer, however, has apparently not given up on the clueless-politician-of-the-year award he seems to be trying for: his latest big idea is taxing internet sales.