The previous entry was my attempt at a "counter-factual" scenario -- that is, a scenario based on the present-day reality, but with a critical element changed. In this case, it was a scenario in which Clinton managed to eke out a victory in November of 2016.

I asked myself how, realistically, would the heavily-partisan and anger-infused political environment react to a Clinton victory? Would the Republicans in Congress simply shrug and say, "okay, she won, back to business" or would they escalate the policy of obstruction that they had embraced during the Obama presidency? Would the Democrats, already feeling some ambivalence about Clinton, develop the righteous energy we see in the blue states today, or would they scale back any expectations and hopes they might have had?

Some things would certain (from my perspective) be much better: no Ajit Pai, no Scott Pruitt, no Betsy DeVos, no withdrawal from Paris Accords or Iran Nuclear Treaty, etc. But it would by no means be a bright sunshiny day... and the longer-term consequences might even be worse.