That's why I mentioned investment. Communication is a tough skill to develop. The Dems don't need to communicate complex truths, they need to boil their issues down to emotional appeals. It sucks that it's necessary but it's a time-tested strategy and it's just how human brains work.

It's worked for progressives in the past (i.e. Teddy and FDR were great at image building, messaging and making emotional appeals, although of course it was a very different time)

The GOP has dozens if not hundreds of will funded think tanks and this is one of the things they excel at. The Dems haven't been short on money historically, but they've blown most of it on short term planning while the GOP's been playing the long game. Because it's not just their media empire, they have a permanent ground game in every state whereas the Dems only spin theirs up a few months before an election.