You underestimate the amount of "not caring" that is about to be happening, but perhaps the Democrats do too. Trump has done as much as he can with the shutdown, and forcing blue states to pay out SNAP benefits isn't going to do anything in the long-run either except allow Democrats to use the fact, "We paid you your benefits when the evil Republican wouldn't!"
Independents and normies are starting to jump off, and I don't see Trump getting them back—especially if Trump loses the Tariff debate in SCOTUS. We're looking at a really fucked up situation here soon, and the nation quite literally can't afford to keep shutdown going any longer. Next week, you and I are going to start feeling the effects of this. You and I can stomach a little pain, but how about your cousin's wife? Or your colleagues at work?
This transcends optics at this point. Trump can't not afford to have a major economic crash tied to his presidency. If we get the hit now, and SCOTUS doesn't strike down 65, we lose our re-districting advantage and we lose 2026. Trump becomes a lame duck, and Democrats get to blame him for everything in 2028.