Friday, November 04, 2005
A Friday Fit for Royalty
A. Camden Walker @ 2:02 AM
Forecast: Room Temperature
Yes it may be hard to tell you stepped outside this afternoon...with highs of 72 to 76. Don't have a chance to bid farewell to Prince Charles & the Duchess of Cornwall on the West Lawn? They head to San Fran today under cobalt blue skies... so let this perfect Washington day be ambassador for you. Talk about Capital Weather!
Democracy: Not for Weather Wimps
Without a doubt, weather influences Election Day turnout. Assuming fair weather is a universal desire (a positive connotation widely held in society)in which to more easily traverse to one's polling place-- turnout should be higher on a sunny, mild Election Day. Rain (or snow, etc.) tends to thwart new voters, rare voters, or less mobile voters to get to their polling precinct. This could arguably extend to an incumbent's likelihood of holding on to his/her position. Change-of-guard (candidate or political party) is difficult when weather is bad. A strong base of each party, for instance, will desire to express their political opinion no matter what the weather.
If there is to be a turnover into opposing-party hands--or to unseat an incumbent candidate--more often than not weather must make it "easy" for those who don't regularly vote. I have known many to complain that after a long workday raw, cold rain makes it all that much more "difficult" to "schedule in" voting before or after work. Again, there are those that weather is never a deterrent on Election Day-- but the equilibrium of these attentive voters is difficult to tip one direction or another if hesitant voters are inconvenienced by weather conditions. I, for one, do hate getting my ballot wet. Heed hidden meta-message to VOTE ON TUESDAY. Yes, you. Weather won't be a factor at all in DC!
So, by this conventional wisdom, would Sen. Harry Reid think twice before voting Closed-Session on a rainy day? This damn sun is charging up the solar-powered Democrats!
Yes it may be hard to tell you stepped outside this afternoon...with highs of 72 to 76. Don't have a chance to bid farewell to Prince Charles & the Duchess of Cornwall on the West Lawn? They head to San Fran today under cobalt blue skies... so let this perfect Washington day be ambassador for you. Talk about Capital Weather!
Democracy: Not for Weather Wimps
Without a doubt, weather influences Election Day turnout. Assuming fair weather is a universal desire (a positive connotation widely held in society)in which to more easily traverse to one's polling place-- turnout should be higher on a sunny, mild Election Day. Rain (or snow, etc.) tends to thwart new voters, rare voters, or less mobile voters to get to their polling precinct. This could arguably extend to an incumbent's likelihood of holding on to his/her position. Change-of-guard (candidate or political party) is difficult when weather is bad. A strong base of each party, for instance, will desire to express their political opinion no matter what the weather.If there is to be a turnover into opposing-party hands--or to unseat an incumbent candidate--more often than not weather must make it "easy" for those who don't regularly vote. I have known many to complain that after a long workday raw, cold rain makes it all that much more "difficult" to "schedule in" voting before or after work. Again, there are those that weather is never a deterrent on Election Day-- but the equilibrium of these attentive voters is difficult to tip one direction or another if hesitant voters are inconvenienced by weather conditions. I, for one, do hate getting my ballot wet. Heed hidden meta-message to VOTE ON TUESDAY. Yes, you. Weather won't be a factor at all in DC!
So, by this conventional wisdom, would Sen. Harry Reid think twice before voting Closed-Session on a rainy day? This damn sun is charging up the solar-powered Democrats!
Tropically Terse
In the Northwestern Caribbean one area of "cloudiness & showers" is being slightly
eyed for very slow development, if any, over the weekend. Note that we still have 26 days left in the Atlantic Tropical Season. November averages a tropical system every other year, just like the month of June. This season's opening month (June 2005) which also averages 0.5 storms/year, had 2 tropical storms form: Arlene & Bret. In the last 50 months of December, there have also been 6 tropical systems in the Atlantic. Steve alerted us last night to New Orleans' Levee problem.. so let's hope the next month or so yields no activity near the central Gulf of Mexico.
- There have been some great spots suggested for viewing Fast-Fading Foliage here on CapitalWeather.com comments. Be sure to head out to Hagerstown, Harpers Ferry, Skyline Drive, Annapolis, atop the National Cathedral, or strolling along the Potomac wherever you can!
- Saturday morning looks beautiful in downtown DC (53ยบ & clear) if you are training for the AIDS Marathon in SW. Not to be mistaken for a cold Eastern European "covert prison," beforehand (by 8am) be sure to "camp out" for early morning National Christmas Tree Lighting tickets at The Ellipse.
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