The Keystone XL pipeline: Obama is still considering whether to approve this project — most analysts think he won’t — but the American people have made up their mind. Basically every poll shows around two-thirds of Americans support its construction (65-22 percent in the most recent Washington Post-ABC News poll). Yet Obama is not heeding those polls.

The 20-week abortion ban: A Washington Post-ABC News poll last year showed Americans approved of shortening the window for abortions from 24 weeks to 20 weeks — and by a margin of about two-to-one, 56 percent to 27 percent. Even 60 percent of women supported it.

A balanced budget amendment: The most recent polls on this idea, from 2011, showed Americans approved of this idea 72-20 (Fox News poll) and 61-28 (NBC/Wall Street Journal poll).

Eliminating affirmative action in college admissions: While Americans generally support some kind of affirmative action, that doesn’t apply to college admissions. A June 2013 Washington Post-ABC News poll showed Americans disapproved of it 76-22 percent. The Supreme Court recently affirmed Michigan’s ban on affirmative action in college admissions.