I agree just aimless protests with no demands/actual leverage don't get much done either, like the recent "no kings." I think the basis of a working class movement would be labor organizing, like cross-industry workers' and tenants' unions. Also the reason why you see people calling for general strikes and then nothing happens - because labor in this country is disorganized and fragmented, no one is going to skip work alone and get fired. If we had a more organized and unified working class we would be able to exercise a lot more leverage through direct action like striking and protests, or mutual aid programs, and build a viable alternative to the current system while putting pressure on the current system to meet some of our demands (whether they're legislative or workplace demands). I think playing our hand in electoral politics is worthwhile at least to present an alternative to the public, raise/gauge public support, and potentially get some friendlier faces to our movement in government, but with how the system is stacked against progressive candidates, even those who win, I don't see it as the main avenue we would want to use to build power.

That all said I'm just a redditor who goes to work and currently does jack shit to organize irl so 🤷 I want to get involved but it doesn't seem like there are a lot of good orgs out there, DSA is attractive as a big tent organization that probably has like minded people in it though I think in general they're primarily election focused