As millions of Americans feared the day when Donald Trump moves back into the White House, even with this dreadful loss and deeply depressing reality, there are reasons to maintain a feeling of hope for the future.
It is true that Trump is now off to the races, issuing a flurry of presidential executive orders, reversing many Democrat policies and laying waste to President Joe Biden's decades-long legacy.
It is also true that Democrats will need to suffer through four years of conservative hell and weather bad policy after bad policy.
But all is not lost.
While unfortunately, people like Trump can become president, thankfully, that presidency comes to a final end after four years of his second term.
And that is where the hope is to be found.
If Democrats take advantage of the next four years to do some soul-searching, to understand where we went wrong and why the American public turned their backs on the Democratic Party, then there is a serious opportunity to win back the White House in 2028.
But for that to happen, Democrats must buckle down and begin the process of rebuilding from the ground up.
Democrats must first focus on the party itself. What does it stand for? What are its guiding principles? Who do we want to see as the next leader and who do we want to see as decision makers?
Once the party has arrived at an agreed-upon level of cohesion and unity, and has decided on direction and messaging, it can move on to the next step which is rebuilding its voter and fundraising base.
In the recent election, many working-class voters distanced themselves from the Democrat Party, believing the Republicans could better deliver what they need. Right or wrong, these voters felt rejected and now is the time to win them back.
Democrats must now develop and properly communicate sound policies that will directly benefit working-class Americans. By focusing on issues such as job creation, wage growth, and healthcare affordability, for instance, Democrats can appeal directly to voters' needs and likely win their future support.
Democrats must address inflation and the cost of living. Average American families cannot afford to pay bills, and many have been forced to cut back on groceries and gas.
Democrats must focus on healthcare as well. Millions of Americans are currently uninsured as they are unable to afford the high monthly payments.
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