A lot of the top brass in the Democratic party knows that is progressivism takes hold, the splits the party instantly. The donors won't donate and things will be a shytshow (one that technically can benefit Republicans). They basically do what they can to section them off and make sure things don't get too progressive otherwise the old guard risks losing all the connections they have made specifically after Clinton. Unions used to be the lynchpin of the Democratic party but they took a massive dive after Raegan. Unfortunately a bad situation became a codependency as a lot of top Dems won't that donor money. They were complicit in a lot of ways in the gamification of politics and the increasing financial stakes and now can't back down lest they all find themselves out of jobs AND spitting a losing/lying message against a wing that wants to tax their asses back to the middle class.
Dems like Clyburn are not all bad legislatively but they are the "Do just enough" party 99% of the time. Incrementalism has lead us to the facism we are facing. Voters are stupid: they want big changes. Often that means voting for big idiots who make horrible changes. Dems are slow and steady and play by an old playbook and they have NOT found a way to combat conservatism and growing money since Newt Gingrich changed politics in the early 90s.
The promises of long and steady doesnt work any more, because the world is changing fast
Plus when Republicans get in and wreck shyt, Dems let some of it rock when they get back in power
Now, they cant really use the excuse of we aint got the votes or this is unconstitutional after Trump
Agree with most of everything else you said
