"The problem is that the "useful idiots" inevitably became Democrats."
I agree with what you say. IMHO, the biggest problem facing the Dims is that their base is a big conglomerate of single-issue fanatics, all of which are factions whose only interest is THEIR OWN single issue. The only issue they can agree on is that a far Left candidate is most friendly to their own, individual single issue. I like the way they run their campaigns, i.e., they lose all the time.
We need to help them become more consistent. : )