You would be hard pressed to find someone who isn’t disappointed with this year’s presidential election. Some people are astounded that Donald Trump became the nominee to the Republican Party despite loose ties, at best, to Republican policies and ideals. Some people are lamenting that the Democrats put up Hillary Clinton, and there is a plethora of reasons they can point to as their reason for said disappointment. Some hardcore Bernie supporters are disappointed that Super Delegates played such a significant role in candidate selection. Many mainstream Republicans are disappointed at how ideologues have turned a storied political party into a radical, extremist outlet. But the real tragedy isn’t any of this; the real tragedy is that America had a chance to do something amazing, and failed to do it. As a result, they left an entire generation of voters without a place to go.

There was an energy in the air this year. As the election launched earlier than ever, we saw young people, who are typically apathetic and uninvolved, come alive. There was a true opportunity for a grassroots movement. We have two major political parties, both with outdated platforms; both desperate for new blood; both with the chance to take hold of these young and energetic voters, and reignite American Political Discourse.

Republicans had a steeper hill to climb, without a doubt. Thirty plus years of right-wing policies have moved the party very far away from the mainstream of American values. The Party has become whiter, richer, and more religious than ever. The Party has taken hardline stances, and abandoned the founding principles of cooperative government and compromise in favor of “My way or no way” politics, obstructionist agendas and a general dismissiveness for what Americans want; choosing rather to push the agenda they want. The mess of this party was clear when seventeen people announced their candidacy for the highest office. The fact that the National Party lacked the organization and structure to have a few credible and impressive candidates was obvious to the politically astute, while the layman was shocked at the side show without really knowing where to file it all. As the contest went on, the discourse fell to the lowest possible levels, where attacks on even genitalia were included in the discussion.

Meanwhile on the Democratic side you had Obama voters, who eight years ago were energized with the Progressive agenda they were promised, who now sit disappointed at the fairly moderate positions that the Administration took. Four candidates began the race, and quickly it fell to just two. The Goliath that is Hillary Clinton, and her political network that has been cultivated over the past thirty years. The David that is Bernie Sanders, whose thirty years in politics have not made him famous, have not made him rich, but those who know him love him. From the beginning everyone knew the result would be Clinton, but they held on desperately for the hope it wouldn’t be. Bernie Sanders ignited a fire in the younger Millennials, a group of people who have lived in a world or war and political gridlock. A group that desperately wants Progressive ideals to rebuild the domestic policies of the country. A group who wants to grow up and get a job, build a life of their own, but are running a rat race with hidden obstacles at every turn.

But now those young voters are lost in the wind. This was the election where the largest generation in America, the Millennials, where up for grabs. Outnumbering the Baby Boomers, these are the people what will direct the country for the next 50-60 years. Both parties had the chance this year to tailor their party platforms to win these voters now. To win the hearts and minds of an entire generation, to create party loyalty and ensure their party's long term success.

But that didn’t happen. What we got instead was a doubling down of the hard right ideologies of the Republican party that alienated not only younger voters, but Hispanics (an ever growing demographic), further alienated Black voters, and have just about declared war on women in America. We've got a Democratic party that refuses to admit their own failures or shortcomings. They have become more elitist, more self righteous, and more entrenched in political favors and nepotism. So now what we have is the first female Presidential candidate in history who doesn’t excite young women. We have a Republican nominee who terrifies more people than he inspires. Now at this critical juncture in American politics we have two candidates that no one wants, and a country desperate to be involved yet with no incentive to do so.

The real tragedy here is that with the opportunity to truly make America great by engaging our citizens and expanding the democratic process to more people, we doubled down on the same nonsense that got us here, and now we are expected to care anyway about a system that just showed us it will never change, regardless of how loud our voices get.