At some point, I hope enough Republicans can side with Democrats to curb absolute presidential power.

It does look like the president is accumulating absolute authority. At the national level, we are pretty close to a dictatorship of executive orders. Congress and Supreme Court have been allowing this.

If enough Republicans, in Congress, vote with the Democrats on certain measures to curb presidential power, that could still limit the president. This means there is still power in taking moderate positions that can bring a few Republicans to side with the Democrats.

As for more far to the left Democrats, the Democrats need all the votes they can get. The big tent should try and be as inclusive as it can, but a strategy of moderate votes can gain traction in the current situation.

My personal lifestyle is still quite different than mainstream American consumerism, for the most part. It may be radical in a different way. Not traditionally far to the left, but it's still outside the norm. In the long run, I still think things like my own lifestyle of minimalism are the best roads to a sustainable future. I may be bias to my own lifestyle, but that seems like the best somewhat radical strategy. It's radical in a different way than most people's definition of the radical side of left politics.