The Democrats didn't just lose the presidency. They also lost the House and Senate. Because a Republican president will be appointing the next Supreme Court judge(s), Democrats have also lost the judicial branch. Democrats have in fact lost all branches of government. Having won almost exclusively on the coasts and in urban pockets, one could argue that they're merely a regional party rather than a national one. It would be a fair argument to make. The question now on almost every left-leaning American's mind, Democrat or otherwise, is this: what comes next for America's largest liberal party?

Here's the thing: Democrats have been losing ground for a long time now. Not ideologically (more Americans than ever agree with most of their principles), but politically. It has gotten so bad that Democrats lose even when they win. For example: Barack Obama won a sweeping victory in 2008, but his party quickly forgot about the promises made to middle Americans and lost ground in 2010. Another perfect example is this year: Hillary Clinton won the popular vote, and yet she lost the election. Why? Because she and the rest of the party forgot about middle America.

These losses don't have to be in vain. Democrats can learn from this. And they must, if they ever want to win again. No longer can this be a party of coastal liberal elites, but it must become a party for everyone. The following are just a few lessons that must be learned from this election:

Identity Politics have got to go. One of the greatest criticisms about Donald Trump was that his rhetoric focused almost exclusively on white Americans, and demonized minorities. He divided America up into 'us' and 'them,' and as a result incited racial tensions. This is a perfectly fair criticism to make, and it holds truth. But it's only half the story. Democrats for years now have laser-focused on identity politics, hoping to energize a coalition of minorities and far-left social justice warriors. In the process, they have forgotten about white blue collar workers, leaving the concerns of that particular demographic on the back burner. Any middle Americans that criticize this strategy are accused of racial insensitivity, or of having 'white privilege.' But just as GOP rhetoric has inflamed the racial divide, so too has this Democratic rhetoric. We have seen this throughout President Obama's tenure, and while both sides blame the other the truth is that both Republicans and Democrats are equally culpable. Americans are tired of it. There is nothing wrong with being sensitive to the plight of immigrants, and it is true that racial minorities are at a disadvantage. That needs to change. But these facts cannot, and do not, outweigh the suffering of blue collar workers in rural and suburban areas throughout the country. One cannot trump the other. We need solutions that work for everyone.

Progressive policies are the future. There is no question about this. Americans want progressive and populist policies. They want average Americans to be the top priority in any decisions made, be they economic, foreign, environmental, etc... Americans are tired of the upper-class political establishment and are willing to vote for anyone who strikes them as a warrior for the average Joe. If Trump doesn't follow through on his promises to lift up the average American, Republicans may face the wrath of the American voter in two years. The midterm elections in 2018 will be the perfect time for the Democrats to run fresh new faces who genuinely believe in progressive policies. Should they do so, they stand a good chance of retaking the Senate and making serious gains in the House. And then of making Trump a single-term President in 2020.

Communication is key. Bernie Sanders best format during the primaries wasn't the debates, it was the town halls. When he is speaking directly to the American voter, he shines brightest. During the primaries he actively engaged his supporters, reaching out across social media platforms and holding a whole host of smaller town hall events. By doing this he energized his supporters and brought them out by the tens of thousands to his rallies. Trump followed a similar strategy and continues to engage his supporters even after winning the election. While we have yet to see if he's sincere or not, what matters is that he at least came across as authentic and genuine. These were qualities that Clinton desperately lacked, and indeed most establishment politicians today lack. To my memory, the closest things she ever really did to small and personal town halls were a whole host of private fundraisers. That's the sort of thing that turns Americans right off.

The values and political views of young Americans matter. The youth in this country just so happens to be the future. In the next few years, millennials will become the largest voting bloc. Their input matters and their support can and will swing elections one way or the other. During the primary stages of the presidential election, young voters overwhelmingly supported Bernie Sanders and the progressive/populist agenda that he represented. As presented by a Washington Post article from back in June, more millennials voted for Sanders than for Trump and Clinton combined. And the margin wasn't even close. Between the three, Clinton actually got the least number of youth votes. Fast forward to the general election, and the numbers according to NPR suggest that not only was the youth vote depressed this year in comparison to the last couple of elections, but the young people that did vote supported Clinton in lower numbers than they did for President Obama in both of his elections. Overall the youth turnout was down by 5%, and in the key swing states that cost Clinton the election - Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin - the drop was even greater. In Michigan, it was down by the national number (-5%), but in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, the dip was significantly larger: a whopping -19% and -20%, respectively. Considering Clinton's losses in those states were narrow, it is not farfetched to suggest that a higher youth turnout could have flipped the results in those states to her favor and allowed her to win the election.

Truth be told, I could go on and on. Undoubtedly, political scientists will be studying this unprecedented election for years to come. Though I'm no expert, I am confident that they will be citing similar findings to what I just presented here. The point is, the Democratic Party needs to be heavily revamped. It's time for the old guard to learn from the American people and pass on the torch to new leaders with new ideas. Or they don't, and instead continue to lose. Your choice, Democrats.