I have to flesh it out but I keep being struck by the contradictory nature of American elections and how frankly nonsensical it all is and it returned me to this (from Wikipedia)
If this and similar studies are accurate it means a significant number of Americans can read what's on a page and repeat it back to you, but couldn't tell you what it means or draw anything from it. If it is the case that people can read but not understand than no wonder Americans are so clueless - they're thinking at the level of twelve year old children.
I think coming out of this election one of the things we should be doing is organizing for the collective education, both political and general. It's no wonder that communists of yore prioritized workers schools, study groups, newspapers, etc. Illiteracy is a tool of the imperialist because it allows people to wallow in ignorance and uncritical thought. We should be organizing study groups (and schools where possible) for the people in our lives to study, appreciate, and create not just theory but also art, music, literature, etc. of both the expressly political and seemingly apolitical varieties. As long as we are engaging with people and challenging them to think for themselves they will come closer to socialism.
These groups can also serve as the basis for actual organizing which is the second thing that we as a society need to learn. We must make change if we want it, politicians and bureaucrats will not do it for us. This is especially true in the workplace where workers have come to rely on government intervention or legal contracts for far too long into a time when capitalists do not care and will only respond to actual labor action.
and 
talking about 3rd parties