However, the wave of supporting proclamations gave Santa Anna the justification he needed to close Congress and repeal the unpopular legislation.
Many Democrats have balked at the bill, siding with the Republicans, especially those facing difficult re-elections in congressional districts where they are hesitant to support unpopular legislation.
He used his position in Parliament to highlight the colonial objections to the Quartering Act of 1765 and other unpopular legislation.
Foreign assistance, with us since the Marshall Plan, has been perhaps the most unpopular legislation to come before Congress for some years.
It swiftly moved to introduce politically unpopular legislation to kill trust conversions by imposing a new tax.
This in turn prevents politicians from sneaking unpopular legislation through, piggybacked on legislation which is more likely to pass.
It was not enhanced when he supported unpopular federal legislation requiring farmers to plant less wheat, part of an international agreement aimed at addressing worldwide oversupply.
Government ministers, including Howard, felt the Coalition's new Senate majority should be used to implement the potentially unpopular legislation.
But the Government called out the "backwoodsmen" - peers who usually do not attend - and got the unpopular legislation through unchanged.
The government will have to face several hurdles before it gets this unpopular legislation through Parliament.