I have to go to work so this will be short.

If Hillary Clinton wants to be a better candidate that can actually rally the party in November, she really, really, really needs to do a better job of understanding why so many young people are voting for Bernie. And she really needs a better answer than this.

When asked yet again this morning on Morning Joe why she thinks so many young people are voting for Sanders, including young women, Hillary had this to say:

“Look, I was young once. It's exciting to be, in effect, protesting.”

Now I get it. It can be frustrating to be asked the same question over and over. But she keeps losing by HUGE margins among young voters and it’s been getting worse not better. Last night the exit poll I saw had her losing young voters 87-13.

Her response was dismissive, aloof and tone deaf. She is basically saying that the millions of people who are out there donating, phone banking, canvassing and voting are “just protesting.” They’re so young and naive. They didn’t understand that this nominating contest was over before it started. They don’t understand that due to the huge web of fundraising and wealthy donors that the Clintons essentially bankroll and own 33 of the state Democratic parties. They don’t understand that none of the super delegates are changing even if the pledged delegates go Bernie’s way. But you know, it’s cute and adorable they are out there protesting all of this.

But Madam Secretary, when you phrase it that way don’t you have to ask yourself the following:

”Why would millions of people feel the need to protest you?”

Here’s what I think Hillary has to do between now and November if she wants those young voters to come out and vote for her in November.

Get fucking real.

Literally.

First and foremost, young people have always been good bullshit detectors. But today’s young people aren’t relying on just the mainstream media and five second sound bites that they choose to show us. I don’t know why the exit polls aren’t even asking this but the BIGGEST gap isn’t age or race in this election. It’s the media gap. If you look at other social scientific studies about what groups tend to rely more or less on TV versus online news, they match up pretty well with the groups Clinton and Sanders are winning. Young people, of course, are the most likely of all to be unplugged from TV news AND savvy with social media and looking things up on their own.

And relying on social media means that young people don’t need CNN or MSNBC to play them the full video of when Clinton defended DOMA or spoke in favor of the Iraq War. They can see the full list of paid speeches and speaking fees. They know about your Super PACs. And we don’t believe for one second that she’s really committed to regulating companies that gave her millions of dollars.

You want our votes? Just be honest. Say yeah, the current system benefits me. I’ve played it really well. You don’t like the game but I’m a master at playing it. And no, the game isn’t changing. I know your’e mad but I’m the best you’re gonna get in such a fucked up political system which is no longer a democracy. Get over it. You have to raise this money to win. And NO Congress is ever going to touch the power of the 1%. And yeah, I’m for free trade deals in Panama cause it helps me and my rich friends stay rich and get richer.

That would at least be honest.

Then she could talk about making sure the right rich people are in charge so that we have oligarchs who are at least racially and gender inclusive. Because yes, an oligarchy run by inclusive people is better than one run by racist, homophobic xenophobes. And we would hold our noses and vote for it.

But young people can smell inauthentic, disingenuous rhetoric a mile away. If you won’t give us the revolution we need, at least give us the honesty we deserve.

I, for one, could get behind an honest campaign for a kinder, gentler oligarchy if it’s my only other choice come November. But not if you dismiss me as a “protest” voter and keep lying to my face by saying you’re the one with the real plan to rein in Wall Street.

I’m not a protester. I’m a voter. And I hope like hell we can vote establishment politicians the hell out and have a real choice in November