I'm pretty sure often these things go forward because they are expected to fail. Your base and the single-issue voters notice and reward you for 'trying', but t

I'm pretty sure often these things go forward because they are expected to fail. Your base and the single-issue voters notice and reward you for 'trying', but the general public does not really remember or care about that time 3 years ago you voted for a bill that never passed. Gives some flavors of brexit, which was not an expected or desired outcome by the PM who ultimately called the referendum.