Dear Hillary Clinton,

As a supporter since 2008, I feel a moral duty to reach out and express a few views on why I think this election cycle is taking an awry path, and what more your political genius can do to shift the tides.

At this point, Trump is the ringleader of the “direction” and “tone” of everyone’s campaigns. Everyone, including yourself, are primarily on defensive mode?—?always directly engaging Trump’s antics. This approach is puerile, not the high road, and only feeds the media frenzy.

Please clarify to your constituents that a major reason for the perceived lack of your trust is coming from Republicans who still do not want a woman to ever be president?—?you need to make women pay attention to this, but?—?and this part is key?—?subtly. How do you do that without justifying someone to claim you are “pulling the woman card”? By embracing your Democratic/Liberal base. Remind people that no one will ever give the chance for a woman presidency unless we detangle this election.

You are the greatest and most qualified woman with a mass of power, and you have lived out the majority of your career. It is time to draw your focus on single women and mothers, as well as the older divorced women in desperate financial situations. Very few men in politics are taking responsibility for the issues of caring for women in need, and providing the tools necessary to nurture a new generation of youth. We need you to empower mothers, and generally, a maternal attitude toward the world. What does this mean? It just means you should not shy away from taking more risks in your views and dropping the typical politician façade. And, most of all, the golden ticket to making Trump look pathetic?—?especially after mainstream media has succumbed to being his perfect soapbox?—?could be stating your intention to be the grown-up in the room, and that issues on our hands are more serious than constant exchange of jokes and mockery.

My second group of points: Make it clear to people that this election is not a matter of Bernie vs. You?—?it is a matter of Democrats against lunatics. If we Democrats don’t work together, especially on making Congress Democratic, nothing will ever progress. Here’s the biggest truth: even if you may not like Senator Sanders, you and everyone need to realize he can be helpful. Please emphasize your common ground with him. For instance, you worked on single payer healthcare. Obamacare has flaws. This should be a clear, obvious opportunity to approach him more seriously as a VP, and set him up to work out healthcare and social issues?—?this would be strategic, since these social issues are the primary source of Sanders’ appeal to millennials. Furthermore, please bring Senator Elizabeth Warren into your circle, as the expert crusader on bank corruption and tax reform. We know you have bank friends and need to maintain your ties with various groups because any successful politician needs immense monetary support and insurance against systemic elimination. But you still have power here. Since YOU will be the one bringing them into your loop, you can also have weight on how much Sanders and Warren raise their voices?—?thus, you can gain trust and appeal among the groups who view you as too intertwined with the existing establishments, without severing ties with your wealthier allies. The extra mile here would be also bringing in Michelle Obama and Jill Biden for the Black communities, and the military communities. Peddle the anti-war views through empathy for all our hurt veterans, and increasing attention and awareness of their struggles, such as PTSD and handicaps from physical injuries. Show a commitment to taking care of military families, as well. Even stronger, target the point that many of the young men and women recruited and tossed out onto the frontlines to fight our bloody wars are from poorer Black and Hispanic communities, who serve for reasons including education and citizenship, and return feeling invisible in the fabric of society.

Ultimately, you need to show loyalty to all groups of people. And, it IS possible without isolating many other groups. You are a genius politician, but you really need to embrace your party base, and let it be well known that you are open to being held accountable by your rational critics.

So, when Trump attacks immigrants and minority groups, you must indirectly counterbalance by reinforcing the image of America as a multicultural society. Talk about cultures?—?not the differences, but rather the commonalities. For instance, Persian and Jewish people have more in common in terms of culture and history, compared to what is projected in news and politics by feuding extremist leaders. Open everyone’s minds to a society full of individuals clearly from various backgrounds, yet still, under one nation, flag, and guiding principles of our Constitution, can be united.

Overall, please dismantle the Republican fear machine, which always leads to another war, another economic plummet, and endless polarization. For the people who claim you are equally a war-monger, remind everyone that even the least war-inclined Democrats were duped by the arguments in favor of Iraq/Afghanistan. Pay more attention to what younger people want. Nowadays, they care more about education and their future; there are more women and minorities becoming extremely capable, who are trying to genuinely sculpt an impactful coming generation. These individuals all need to at least feel rewarded. Encourage incentivizing intelligence and logical passion for issues that matter, and discourage providing more credit and attention for some of the least important contributions to society (i.e. idiocy, bigotry, and elitism). It is ridiculous that a country with so much technology and opportunity still has rising mental health problems, suicides, etc.
We have progressed infinitum in technology, yet, absurdly, we managed to regress in humanity.
When Democrats are united the party will be in its most intelligent and humane frame of mind.

We have had enough of ambitious politicians, who come off as reptilians. You have the chance to show that you can appeal to just about any sane person in this country who knows they at least do not want something like Trump in any position of power. In a “normal” election cycle, individuals who dislike their two party options could stay neutral and opt out of voting without too much fear. But this cycle is obviously different?—?dangerous, in your own words. And the only way to prevent it is your being strategic in some new ways. Do not underestimate how much you can shake the world in a more positive fashion?—?people will appreciate your effort and outcomes toward this legacy; generation after generation, you will be admired for your strides.

Sincerely, with all due and ample respect,

Kimia