""It's not the radical or the most agitated element of the base that feel that way" anymore, said one House Democrat, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to offer candid thoughts about the political dynamics of the shutdown. "Now, it's the mainstream of the Democratic party that's saying, 'We've given [Trump] every opportunity and he's shown no willingness to do this, so now we have to take more radical measures.'""
"Axios has reported throughout the year how Hill Democrats have been besieged by an increasingly angry base demanding that they " fight harder" and "do something" about Trump. In February, shortly after President Trump's inauguration, it was voters blowing up Democrats' phone lines with demands to "fight back" against DOGE. In March, it was angry crowds gathered at town halls to chew Democrats out for purportedly not doing enough to resist Trump, which some lawmakers compared to the rise of the Tea Party."
An increasingly angry Democratic base is pressuring elected officials to take more radical, confrontational measures against President Trump. Voters have repeatedly urged lawmakers to "fight back" through phone calls, town-hall protests and demands for direct action. Lawmakers report heightened frustration from repeated sidelining by the White House, including rescissions and other maneuvers that have intensified tensions since December. Some Democrats now view aggressive tactics, including a shutdown fight, as necessary responses to perceived bullying and institutional marginalization. The political fight has become both personal and political for many Democratic officials, aligning their anger with that of their constituents.
Read at Axios
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