I lean to the left, voted for the Democrat, and wanted her to win.

I’m ashamed that the first black president will be succeeded by someone who led a racist birther movement and is supported by the KKK.

But despite the number of factors that lead to this election outcome, some of which are valid, many which are not, the Democratic Party largely has themselves to blame.

They dropped the ball.

The twist ending to this election is that what was supposed to be a civil war in the Republican Party is actually something that will certainty now take place in the Democratic Party.

Democrats need to recalibrate and figure out what happened, and what they stand for.

From my point of view, there are a number of things that need to be changed going forward.

I think Hillary Clinton would have made a fine President.

But the reality is that she was a truly awful candidate.

Her campaign will become the textbook “what not to do” for future campaigns.

The people around her cared more about protecting her than lifting her up and making her a successful candidate.

In an age where authenticity mattered, she was too scripted, and not human enough.

She carried enormous baggage, made many mistakes, and seemed out of touch with what the electorate was really feeling.

I support a DNC “drain the swamp” effort.

Replace everyone.

Get people who will follow a mandate, be fair, and not become an extension of another campaign.

A sticker found on a transformer box in Juneau, Alaska. Photo Credit: Ryan McFarland/ Flickr (Cc By 2.0)

The way Bernie Sanders was treated by the DNC was shameful.

The way the DNC tried to shoe in Clinton for the nomination is a disgrace.

Clinton was treated as the incumbent nominee by the party before the primaries even began.

The party forfeited a lively, spirited primary process with a number of interesting candidates to back an establishment candidate with enormous baggage and a likability problem.

Why they took the risk on an accomplished but incredibly flawed candidate, when it was so important to conserve President Obama’s progress for a new term, I will never understand.

It was status quo politics, elitism, and people are rightfully sick of that crap.

Clinton’s ideas were generally the right ideas.

She had vast knowledge of world and domestic issues that Trump does not have.

If that wasn’t clear before, it certainly will become so during his administration.

The problem was with communication and perception.

Perception is reality.

If there was one piece of advice I could offer to change this for democratic candidates in the future, it would be this:

Democrats, stay away from Hollywood.

Stay away from celebrities.

Stay away from elites.

Stop associating yourself with big money interests.

Appeal to the average working person that Trump intercepted.

It felt like every other week Clinton was having a celebrity fundraiser in Los Angeles or New York.

Celebrities don’t represent most people.

The Democratic Party needs to shed the perception that it is for elites and minorities only. Photo Credit: Georgia Democrats/ Flickr

They don’t represent me.

Instead of taking the message to Wisconsin, which Clinton didn’t visit once as the nominee, and then lost, she chose to have a big money event with elites somewhere.

What a missed opportunity.

Wisconsin and Michigan should have been won.

And no one gives a shit about celebrity endorsements by the way.

We don’t care what Eva Longoria thinks about politics, or that Lena Dunham likes Clinton.

No one on the face of the earth should use a celebrity endorsement as a major factor in choosing a candidate.

Stop encouraging it.

No more $30,000 per plate dinners with George Clooney in the Hollywood Hills.

Clinton doesn’t need their money.

She had enough of her own.

No more concerts with Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, or Beyonce.

No one is impressed.

People are tired of elitism, and I am, too.

The bells and whistles do nothing, people just want someone who will listen to them.

Take the message to the people, and make clear that your interest is to stand up for them.

Michael Moore posted on Facebook that the Democratic Party needs to be returned to the people.

He’s right.

Moore has been right about this election all along.

Nearly everyone else wasn’t.

I’m optimistic real change will happen.

I think we are in for some major disillusionment about Trump, and in the meantime, the party will have the opportunity to fix the issues, re-evaluate their strategy, and come back stronger.

It needs to.

RISE NEWS is a grassroots journalism news organization that is working to change the way young people become informed and engaged in the world. You can write for us.

Cover Photo Credit: Georgia Democrats/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)

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