Mark Twain, whose spirit is with me on this election day as on so many other occasions, once encountered a man whose utter devotion to one party struck Twain as ludicrous, if not downright slavish. Consequently, he says, "I have never voted a straight ticket from that day to this. I have never belonged to any party from that day to this. I have never belonged to any church from that day to this. I have remained absolutely free in those matters. And in this independence I have found a spiritual comfort and a peace of mind quite above price."

Perhaps needless to say, I follow the great man's example to the letter. If I must vote for either of your houses, a plague on both of them, I say. Happy Election Day.