Arguments Against a Recount

Republican Daniel J. Evans gives some good reason's why not to have a hand recount in the Washington Governor race. I find his arguments to be persuasive, I wonder though if he would be making them if it was Rossi who was behind by 42 votes? That of course is the test of principles. That being said, I don't think that this means the Democrats who are asking for a recount are unprincipled, rather that they have different principles. As I noted to some friends in during the 2000 recount, the positions of the parties were remarkably similar to their overall philosophies. From a general point of view, Republicans tend to think that people should succeed or fail on their own merits and failure should not be rewarded by the government cleaning up after you. Democrats on the other hand have a general belief that failure is not a persons fault and the government should have a 'safety net' for when you screw up. This of course was mirrored perfectly in the dispute about what should be done about failed or mispunched votes. The cynic in me of course wonders if this alignment of positions with philosophy was in fact due to principles or if it was simply happy chance that their principles matched the most favorable position for them each to take.