Driving in today's weather and hydroplaning like the Slo-Mo-Shun V got me thinking about an old wives tale that was taught in school. When it rains, Democrats don't turn out to vote. A study cited in the St. Petersburg Times says as much stating that one inch of rain can depress Democrat vote totals by as much as 2.5 percent.
With the strong storms of a Pineapple Express dumping several inches of rain and causing flooding - natives around here refer to this as normal November weather - the theory of rain hampering Democratic get out the vote efforts will be put to the test. Scattered showers are expected to keep up until tomorrow on Election Day.
This is particularly important since King County, which is heavily Democratic, still relies so much on polling locations. One can almost hear the conspiracy theories now. After using his weather machine to direct Hurricane Katrina at New Orleans, President Bush has fired it up again to deluge Seattle.
Living in the Puget Sound region one can argue that voters here have gotten used to our liquid sunshine be they Republican or Democrat. But one can also say that there are significant numbers of Democrats who have moved up here from California, New York and elsewhere that haven't grown their insulating coating of moss yet. These are the same folks who sit eagerly around the television to watch Danger Jim Forman explain why it's raining and why it's such a newsworthy occurance in the fall and winter.
Just to be safe the local GOP faithful should slip on their moccasins, grab their tom-toms and perform a rain dance.
Update:
If a rain dance sounds like too much cardiovascular exercise, Republicans can call up the local FM stations and request one of the 800 popular songs which involve rain.
Personal favorites:
Kentucky Rain, Elvis Presley
Let it Rain, Eric "Slowhand" Clapton
Blame it on the Rain, Millie Vanilli (for you Burner and Cantwell fans)
It's Raining Men, to "honor" the misdeeds of many prominent Republicans who helped the cause this year...
A Hard Rain's a-Gonna fall, Bob Dylan
November Rain, Guns and Roses
Update:
Thanks to the rain knocking out my Internet it looks like MicheleDeRoise beat me to the punch on this at the Public Blog. Maybe it's Cheney who is the one aiming the GOP Weather Destructo Machine...
Posted by DonWard at November 06, 2006 03:13 PM | Email This1. Democrats melt when water is applied.
2. Democrats are less likely to be affluent, and less affluent people are less likely to vote.
We are, however, one of the few states where exit polls have indicated that those making over $50,000 a year are more likely to be Democrats than those making under that amount.
It will be interesting to see, but somehow I have my doubts that this will suppress Democratic turnout any more than GOP turnout.
(As a solidly swing independent, I have to say that anyone who wouldn't go to the polls because of just a little flooding should move to California! We're already overpopulated as it is. The rain's part of why I live here!)
Posted by: Alcon Nighthawk on November 6, 2006 03:48 PMWhat do you mean? Not all of this state is VBM.
Posted by: Alcon Nighthawk on November 6, 2006 04:49 PMBrian, wouldn't you still have to go out in the rain of you hadn't mailed your ballot by now?
Posted by: Bill Cruchon on November 6, 2006 04:56 PMDitto.
Posted by: Organization Man on November 6, 2006 08:37 PMSo I just did me some talking to the sun
And I said I didn?t like the way he got things done
Sleeping on the job
Those raindrops are falling on my head, they keep falling
But there's one thing I know:
The blues they send to meet me won't
defeat me.
It won't be long till happiness sleps up to greet me.
Raindrops keep falling on my head but that doesn't mean my eyes will soon be turning red.
Crying's not for me cause I'm never gonna stop
the rain by complaining.
Because I'm free.
Nothing's worrying me.