So, I don't think you are entirely wrong, but I think you (and by extension, all americans) are out of luck on that front. There is not a single democratic candidate who, if elected with a supermajority in congress and a supportive supreme court, that would turn around the economic situation in the US from the course it's on.

You can get some wins with social issues and foreign policy, and tinker around the edges of the economy, but even if Sanders or AOC became dictators tomorrow, their stated goals, while being light years ahead of Trump or any Republican, would not reverse the decline in living standards for the majority of Americans.

For the issues most Americans care about most, their pocket book, lesser evil is all there is or will be for the foreseeable future.

I assume you think that's a gotcha to me, but "average voter" is a phrase, not a specific person. It's meant to describe the general zeitgeist/trend of what most people are doing. Most people are not strong progressives by leftist Lemmy standards. That's fairly non-controversial. I'm trying to engage in good faith here.