Congressional Democratic leaders could face a significant backlash from members of their liberal base should they compromise with the White House over funding for a border wall.
“We just don’t see any reason why Democrats should be compromising,” Heidi Hess, the co-director of liberal advocacy group CREDO Action, told The Hill on Thursday. “This is Trump’s shutdown over a wall that is going to do nothing, that he promised Mexico would pay for.”
Hess went on to describe the border wall as “a symbol” of Trump’s stance on immigration.
“We actually have an opportunity and a mandate as Democrats and progressives to really show what we stand for and how we’re willing to stand up for our values and not compromise them,” she said. “It’s certainly our belief that what [incoming House Speaker Nancy] Pelosi and [Senate Minority Leader Chuck] Schumer should do.”
“Americans overwhelmingly voted for Democratic control of the House to put a check on Trump on exactly this kind of reckless behavior,” added Charles Chamberlain, the chair of grassroots progressive group Democracy for America.
“Democrats need to stand up for American values and a check on Trump, over and over again, as many times as they have to, to defeat the worst policies of this administration,” he continued.
“That’s what we’re expecting them to do and if there’s brinksmanship from Trump that causes damage to America, that’s on Trump.”
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