I think your analysis is close to home, but with one huge caveat: it really only applies solidly to the white working class, which is these days only about half the working class (though it depends on how you define "working class"). The black and hispanic working classes, which are a large portion of the country, are strongly organized within the Democratic Party, though the hispanic working class is a bit more split.
There are plenty of disconnects between them and the white middle-class wing of the party as well, especially around issues like gay marriage and separation of church/state, which tend to be seen as "rich white liberal" issues. But I think it's a bit more complicated than simple conservatism, and it's often more than balanced by significant left-leaning sentiment on economic issues. There is, for example, huge support for social safety nets, welfare systems, socialized healthcare, etc., among the non-white working class. If you put single-payer healthcare to a referendum in black working-class neighborhoods in Atlanta or Brooklyn, it'd pass by lopsided majorities. So I think the left wing of the Democratic party is fairly well in tune with that portion of their concerns, but most of the party is arguably out of touch by not being left enough on economics, promoting more of a middle-class, centrist liberalism that's roughly ok with the economic status quo and not very interested in major social-justice initiatives.
There's also no real cultural understanding between the GOP and this segment of the working class: a good showing for a Republican is 10% of the black vote, almost all of it coming from the wealthier portion (i.e., they only connect on class issues). But I agree that the Democratic connection is not great, either, especially if you take the national party; they're often seen as economic-centrist social liberals, less bad than the GOP but not really willing to fight for the working class on economics (or at least not succeeding at doing so).
> They're just, apparently, completely unable to actually get those initiatives through Congress.
There is a Progressive Caucus in Congress but they just don't have the numbers to pass anything, especially with a refusal for any sort of compromise from the Right. And there are simply too many Blue Dogs that will tow the line in the middle.
If someone were a "liberal", it would be best to get progressive candidates in Congress, not just any Democrats.
There are plenty of disconnects between them and the white middle-class wing of the party as well, especially around issues like gay marriage and separation of church/state, which tend to be seen as "rich white liberal" issues. But I think it's a bit more complicated than simple conservatism, and it's often more than balanced by significant left-leaning sentiment on economic issues. There is, for example, huge support for social safety nets, welfare systems, socialized healthcare, etc., among the non-white working class. If you put single-payer healthcare to a referendum in black working-class neighborhoods in Atlanta or Brooklyn, it'd pass by lopsided majorities. So I think the left wing of the Democratic party is fairly well in tune with that portion of their concerns, but most of the party is arguably out of touch by not being left enough on economics, promoting more of a middle-class, centrist liberalism that's roughly ok with the economic status quo and not very interested in major social-justice initiatives.
There's also no real cultural understanding between the GOP and this segment of the working class: a good showing for a Republican is 10% of the black vote, almost all of it coming from the wealthier portion (i.e., they only connect on class issues). But I agree that the Democratic connection is not great, either, especially if you take the national party; they're often seen as economic-centrist social liberals, less bad than the GOP but not really willing to fight for the working class on economics (or at least not succeeding at doing so).