I can't for the life of me understand why voters are underwhelmed

Like Steve Benen, I'm trying to wrap my brain around the notion that Dems holding a vote on something with which the majority of Americans agree with them is a bad idea before an election.

"People felt like, Why rock the boat on a good situation?" the Senate source told Greg. "People weren't sure how having a vote would effect that dynamic. We would have lost Democrats on certain aspects of the vote. Who knows if the media would cover that as Democrats being splintered? In a way the good polling gave people faith that we don't need to do anything on the issue because we're already winning."

I've read this a few times, trying to understand the logic, but it eludes me. Dems could have forced a pre-election showdown with Republicans on an issue where voters are siding with Dems. The majority decided not to do the popular thing, though, concluding that supporting a popular idea but not voting on it is enough to curry favor with the public.

Because a few "Democrats," like Nelson and Webb, oppose raising taxes on 2% of the population that's reason to fear a vote? Why vote on anything at all then?

Look, I realize the midterm is important, that the alternative to a Democratic Party majority is a one-way ticket to hell, and that we have to work hard to get out the vote, but I can also understand why a lot of people just don't give a damn this time around. These guys are pathetic.