> the Democrats are ineffectual by design

In many situations, those who have morals and scruples will be ineffectual when faced with an adversary who has none. Biden didn't "clean house" because he believes in the rule of law, and believes that if he'd done that, he should go to jail, even if he wouldn't.

Not everyone has an ethical code that only exists because they're afraid they'll go to jail if they break it. Some people just don't think it's ok to do the wrong thing.

Put another way: if you become the monster you're trying to fight, that's often not materially different from the monster winning in the first place.

Having said that, I do think that Democrats should fight a little dirtier sometimes. I think that would be possible to do without becoming that monster.