An astronaut, miles above the Earth in a spacecraft voted in the American election with an encrypted ballot. I thought that was wonderful. On the other hand ruthless gerrymandering has discouraged thousands of US citizens from getting to the polls in person. The President has spent huge amounts of time trying to discredit mail-in voting.

Polling stations have been closed, constituency boundaries have been re-drawn to ensure a certain outcome, and in one case at least there is only one dropbox in a whole (large) county. If you don’t have a car, cannot drive owing to age or ill health, or there is no public transport, you can be deprived of your vote unless ballots are mailed to you. Nonetheless, many poor people and minorities have voted in huge numbers. The response from the populists has been that the voting is fraudulent – a fraudulent lie in itself.

Epicurus would not be surprised at the gerrymandering etc, (he disliked politicians) but would rejoice in the fortitude and determination of people who, somehow or other, have still managed to vote and exercise their rights as citizens, and in huge numbers. Well done! And thank you to the poll workers, too! Democracy at work! (But we haven’t seen the last of those who would rob us of peace of mind or our rights as citizens, whichever party you voted for).

………..Three hours later: Relief!! Maybe now some peace and quiet.