Δαφνη Ευτυχια Αρθουρος

Something to ponder on your way to the polls.

From the Quotation of the day mailing list, 2004-02-04:

"I have already intimated to you the danger of parties in the State, with particular reference to the founding of them on geographical discriminations. Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party generally.

"The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries which result gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of public liberty.

[...]

"And there being constant danger of excess, the effort ought to be by force of public opinion, to mitigate and assuage it. A fire not to be quenched, it demands a uniform vigilance to prevent its bursting into a flame, lest, instead of warming, it should consume."

-- U.S. President George Washington, in his Farewell Address, 1796. (Submitted to the mailing list by Ray Jones 2004-01-19.)

Just in case anyone needed a reminder (animation TTTO "The Time Warp". Thanks to syntonic_comma for pointing it out.)

I've heard on the radio that there have been long lines at the polls in some parts of the country and at some times of day. Here in Union Square, inside Baltimore, it took me eighteen minutes. As it turned out, I could have shaved several minutes off that time, since there were parking spaces available near the polling place, but then I would've had to cope with feeling silly for driving a mere two blocks. (Five minutes to walk out, eight minutes to stand in line and vote, five minutes to walk back.) There were people about three times as far away as they legally had to be (which put them at the bus stop, which I suspect is the reason they cose that spot), trying to hand out Kerry/Edwards/Mikulski (senator) fliers but I waved them off, saying I'd already decided to vote that way and didn't need convincing. I didn't notice anyone supporting the other side. I'll drive past on my way to rehearsal and see how busy they look then.

I don't know whether I hit a slow time (I did try to), or they're just being extremely efficient at this polling site (there were a lot of officials and/or volunteers directing, assisting, and waiting to be asked questions) or turnout in my neighbourhood is low. I forgot to ask how the turnout numbers were looking when I was there. Baltimore, unlike the rest of Maryland, is using the older voting machines that they used last time.

Elsewhere in Baltimore, up on North Avenue at the intersection for the ramp to get on I-83 N, a young man was wearing a sandwich board that said, "THE END IS NEAR! VOTE!"

Now the waiting.

An outsider's perspective on the election

[Edited to add:] In case anyone missed it, y'all need to peek at theferrett's election prediction based on omens derived from recent sporting events. (I haven't heard news reports of any recently-risen dead people yet, but I'm guessing they'll mostly show up after dark...)