If I tilt my head one way I see it as not that close a call, and if I tilt my head the other way I'm appalled by how many yea votes there were. But, then, more than a handful is going to seem like too many to me (with the understanding that none is unrealistic). As has been pointed out, it's a diversion and a waste of time, but that's not enough to make me dismiss it with a hand wave. Now that it didn't pass, it can be an irritation.

I hear ya, about letting the vines wither; tempting. And polarization seems to me to be increasing a lot, although possibly I'm just becoming more aware of it.