1. My theory as to why the democrats dominated politics in the early 20th century was that it was partially due to what they delivered:
-public services like electricity
-social safety net
-regulation to curtail the excesses of banking and speculation and bring stability
Actually, republicans held the white house for 6 terms in the first half of the 20th century. Democrats held it for 7 terms (which, admittedly is more than the republicans, but not exactly "dominating".)
(ETA: I should also point out that the political environment was quite different back then... back then, the republicans often had the greatest appeal to african american voters, "evangelical voting blocks" were less of a thing, etc.)
And even if people liked the social programs back then, it was a very different period in history. Back then, there were fewer media outlets, information was a lot more tightly controlled, etc. Now, you have 24 hour cable shows, internet sites, and twitter, all available to push narratives that can have no basis in reality. Had all those things been available back in the 1930s, instead of people praising FDRs "New deal", you would have half the country screaming about how his programs are "on the road to communism" and he is in a wheelchair because he is really a cyborg under the control of Stalin.
3. The Democrats also achieved #1 by demonizing the wealthy. Lately I have been closely looking at the posts for the craziest Trump supporters and there is a distinct anti-wealth sentiment behind a LOT of it. I have even read people who seem to think that the Republicans are the party of the working man (sic) and the Democrats preserve the status quo for the wealthy. Democrats need to fix this ...
But that's the thing about the MAGAchud... some may be "anti-weatlh", but they voted for the republicans, the people that passed the "tax cuts for Millionaires" act when Trump was president.
Its this logical disconnect that Republicans have managed to turn into success.
Re: People not understanding ACA and Obamacare are the same thing
4. Perfect example. It makes a case for some kind of simplification of government, introduced with a general benefit... but maybe not a UBI. The Democrats have to play the politics ...
Government is complex. Not really sure if that sort of "simplification" is possible.
5. "Far Left" in Americaspeak means pushing for reparations and transgender in bathrooms. It's f***ed. Huey Long, LBJ, and FDR were big, loud, FAR LEFT populists.
But that's the problem.... The republicans are doing their upmost in painting even a moderate democrat as a "radical far-left commie". Even Biden and Hillary Clinton (who were very moderate) got tarred with the same brush.