In order to understand the forces that derailed the bill, it is helpful to analyze the genesis, development and demise of the bill through the lens of both procedure and substance.

Why did the bill fail?

Procedural Aspects

The bill was the product of a cadre of elitist Senators, who met in secret behind closed doors and in the end, created a piece of legislation that debased, cheapened and was an effrontery to the very notion of American citizenship. How could it be otherwise? The bill was a product of an unholy alliance between pro-illegal immigration advocates, big business and Democratic politicians who were salivating at the prospect of welcoming millions of new members into their party’s fold.

Absent from the negotiating table, was any representative protecting the interests of the American Taxpayer and natural born American citizens. This explains why, when provisions of the bill began circulating among the blogosphere, it was revealed that the package contained a veritable goody-bag for those who broke our immigration laws — to be financed naturally, by law-abiding American citizens. This also explains why, the authors of the bill, attempted to ram the Frankenstein they had created through the Senate shortly before Memorial Day, without debate, without amendments and before people had a chance to read what was actually in the legislation.

Thus, before the bill had even been scrutinized and put to a vote, by virtue of the alacrity with which its custodians sought to present it as a fait accompli, and by virtue of the secrecy and deceit that had produced its major provisions, it already had the distinct and defining attribute of not being able to pass the smell test.

As opponents steadfastly stalled the bill’s precipitous enactment, time became their ally, as it became their proponents worst enemy.  With each passing day, it became clear that no one knew what was in the bill. McCain had to be informed  by someone that the bill did not contain a provision for the payment of back taxes (and he was one of the bill’s proud authors). Advocates of the bill guilefully mischaracterized and misrepresented its fraudulent enforcement provisions.

Substantive Aspects

Understandably, based on the government’s woeful neglect in enforcing our existing immigration laws, the electorate wasn’t buying what the Grand Bargainers were selling which was essentially, more of the same.

Then there was the matter of back taxes. Illegal immigrations were freed from the tedious and burdensome obligation of paying what they owed the IRS. How many American citizens would love to be similarly blessed? How about in-state tax tuition for illegal immigrants — a benefit not available to non-resident American citizens. Many aspects of the bill were a clear effrontery to the notion of citizenship, not to mention clearly discriminatory.

What about the staggering $2.3 trillion projected price tag of the legislation? Did any of the bill’s proponents even mention this liability, let alone debate the wisdom of this fiscal burden on the American taxpayers? Of course not…

Either you believe in the concept of national sovereignty or you do not. Proponents of the Grand Compromise do not; the American people — as demonstrated by the universal outcry over the prospect of passing the Immigration bill, are of a different mind.