Drinking Liberally

Talking Liberally Progressive Parley
by Seth Pearce, Living Liberally Blog

Part of Living Liberally's mission has been to promote engagement and collaboration among progressive organizations. To fulfill this goal we at Living Liberally have decided to feature interviews with people involved in different parts of the progressive movement. Hopefully, through these interviews, we can learn about what progressives are working on today, and get a little more in depth about what its like to be a part of the progressive movement.

Our first interviewee, Daniel Mintz, is in Research and Development at progressive powerhouse MoveOn.org Political Action. He currently lives in Brooklyn and every once in a while shows up at the Original Drinking Liberally. Enjoy!

Seth Pearce: So, what did your parents say when your organization was condemned by the US congress?
Daniel Mintz: I think, they, like a lot of people, were just blown away that with so many huge problems to tackle, the US Congress decided to spend so much time talking about a newspaper ad. Just like, whether you agreed or disagreed with the ad, what a manufactured controversy.

SP: What exactly do you do at MoveOn?
DM: Officially, I'm in charge of Research and Development, which is to say that I'm the R&D dept. (we're a pretty tiny shop). What that means in practice is that I get to have my hands in lots of cool stuff that we're trying out.

SP: Stuff John McCain would know how to use?
DM: Not so much.

SP: People think of MoveOn as this big shadowy progressive organization, running some kind of secret progressive world order- what are some specific things that MoveOn is working on right now?
DM: Ha. What are we working on right now?...Let's see...We're getting ready to run a massive get out the vote operation in the fall, hundreds of paid organizers working with tens of thousands of volunteers. We'll be essentially combining our 2004 program, Leave No Voter Behind, where people in swing states canvassed their neighbors, with our 2006 program, Call for Change, where MoveOn members across the country made more than 7 million calls to voters in key House and Senate races.

We're also working on FISA: Right now, we're asking thousands of MoveOn members to call their senators every day to tell them not to cave on the FISA "compromise".

And we're running a National Day of Action for an Oil-Free President at gas stations across the country in a few weeks. McCain is pretty darn tight with Big Oil. Many of the more than 100 lobbyists associated with his campaign are lobbyists for Big Oil. We wanted to highlight those ties and push for our next president to free himself and us of our dependence on foreign oil. So we're holding hundreds of gas station rallies where thousands of MoveOn members will show up at local gas stations to rally and call for a real, progressive solutions to the energy crisis.

Follow across the jump for more fresh Mintz.

Conventional wisdom says that Obama
caved on FISA & talked up faith-based programs
because he's appealing to "Independents."

Who knew independents oppose the Constitution?

Obama HAD to disavow Wes Clark's comments --
though Clark only questioned his experience as leader
& specifically honored his courage and will --
since "dishonoring" McCain would turn off independents.

Who knew independents are so ill-informed?

And McCain keeps saying he's a "maverick"
as he continues his "Straight Talk Express"
because these words appeal to independents.

Who knew independents liked slogans so much?!

If "independent" voters read only the spin,
& don't read the Constitution or the news,
maybe we shouldn't ask them to decide elections.

Or maybe "independent" really means something else.

And maybe "independent" candidates
who shy away from principled stands
aren't what we're looking for either.

It's time we take strong positions,
stop listening to the media's darling tales,
and Declare our Independence...from "Independents."

Celebrate the holiday in the most American way:
sharing an evening of spirited discussion
as you share a few pitchers of liberal libations
at your local progressive social club.

DRINKING LIBERALLY
Find - or start - a chapter near you.

Happy 4th of July!

Drinking Liberally Shot of Truth
by Seth Pearce

Today, we here at Living Liberally are both extremely proud and slightly saddened. We're saddened because we are losing our two Lincoln, NE chapter leaders for the next month.

However, our sadness is quickly overcome by how proud we are of what Paul McFarland and Troy Johnson are doing for the next couple weeks.

Early this morning, Troy and Paul left for California, to serve as Helicopter Flight Engineers fighting the California wild fires. As Paul related us in an email last night, they're going as part of a group of trained Nebraskan aircrews eager to assist the Californian firefighters who are unfortunately running out of resources, dealing with all the fires out there.

As liberals, we know it is a proud day when we see our friends, who've talked about politics and the issues that face our country at their local Drinking Liberally chapter, turn their words into action. They put their daily lives aside and went all the way to California to help out their fellow Americans in need.

Sacrificing to help those who are suffering is key part of being a liberal, whether it means fighting wild fires like Troy and Paul, helping out good people like Darcy Burner when tragedy strikes, or voting for progressive candidates who will work for better healthcare for poor families, getting our troops out of Iraq and fighting global warming, (or else Troy an Paul will have to go out and do natural disaster rescue work every month).

Troy and Paul, you guys are true patriots and are most definitely Living Liberally.

The Charlotte, NC chapter of Living Liberally city leaders to the National Conference September 5-7.

(Dick Cheney will not be wearing his hunting vest to Charlotte in September, so the proverbial ducks should be safe.)

We booked a hotel that the telecoms haven't 'bugged' yet. We've reserved a meeting space that will double as the holding cell for Rove and his buddies from the White House come January. We found an airport shuttle that runs on a clean-burning 75/25 mix of organic beer and wine. And finally, we promise to count every single Living Liberally libation drunk, er, vote cast here in Charlotte!

It's about that time, City Leaders. Register for our National Conference today!

Which Drinking Liberally chapter has been "Kayaking Liberally" with The Swamp Girls?

I don't know.

With the start of the new Living Liberally Blog, we've decided that each month, we want to highlight one of our over 260 awesome chapters.

And so... for the month of June... we've decided to featured... drumroll please... well not really since the answer is in the title... time for you to look at the title... Yes, you guessed it: Springfield, Illinois!

Just this month, Springfield, home of our buddy Abraham Lincoln, celebrated their third anniversary, and it has been quite an exciting first three years. Will Reynolds started Springfield DL in June 2005 with high ambitions. In fact, Will made a try for a Sangamon County board seat.

Since its inception, Springfield DL has outgrown two venues and now meets every Thursday at Brewhaus, right down the block from the old State Capitol where Barack Obama announced his candidacy for President last year. In addition, they meet to Drink Coffee Liberally (Buzzing Liberally?), two Saturdays a month at the Trout Lily Cafe.

Springfield DL, and its current host Kathy Mehuys, epitomize the intersection of culture and politics that Living Liberally seeks to create. They've been visited by local and congressional candidates, including one who tried to unseat "Bush yes-man John Shimkus (Dimkus)" in 2006. They've also attracted local musicians, including a member of America's premiere psychedelic cowboy band New Riders of the Purple Sage.

Springfield DL, we want to thank you for exemplifying local liberal leadership and contributing to the national cause.

And now... some good ol' psychedelic cowboy rock'n'roll:

Contribute to the national network here!

Admit it. You’ve always wanted to say, "Yeah, I’m a card-carrying liberal. You got a problem with that?" Lucky for you, Living Liberally has a way for you to do just that.

Our newest project, The Liberal Card, proves you’re a liberal and helps you save liberally, too. For just $25, you’ll get a personalized card that proudly proclaims your liberal status. And while we’re sure that being able to wave around your Liberal Card is enough to make you buy one, there’s more. A whole lot more.

The Liberal Card also gets you discounts to places that allow you to shop, dine and drink with a clear conscience. From a free beer at Rudy’s the original home of Drinking Liberally to phone service from CREDO, we’re hooking you up big time.

Plus, by supporting our partner businesses, you’re helping support the larger liberal community, too.

So check out www.theliberalcard.org to order your card, and find places where you can use The Liberal Card liberally.

Drinking Liberally Shot of Truth
by Richard Rozzelle, Drinking Liberally: Greensboro

Remember that hubbub a couple months back surrounding Michelle Obama's statement, "For the first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of my country."? Of course you do. Cindy McCain won't let you forget it.

Well, this week I am ready to say that for the first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of America ... the band. You remember America ... folk rock band from the '70s. They hit their stride with songs like "Tin Man" and "Sister Golden Hair," then really went down hill in the '80s with "You Can Do Magic."

I've never been a huge fan of America. They made some crucial mistakes here and there along the way. Questionable leadership at times. Periods of misguided facial hair. Forays into Western wear.

But then last week, as I was walking through the Death Valley desert, sweating, not really sure where I was heading physically or mentally, I got America's first and greatest hit stuck deep inside my head.

I've been through the desert on a horse with no name.
It felt good to be out of the rain.
In the desert you can remember your name.
'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain.

I latched onto that song. Repeated it over and over. Made up new lyrics for the parts I didn't know, and essentially let it set my outlook.

It was at that point when I realized that for all its flaws, America can be great. It can speak truth. And if you go back the early works, you'll find something remarkable.

Progressives are excited what a President Obama
could do with a Democratic majority in Congress...
while the Dem Senate pushes phone company immunity
& Obama joins in the capitulation.

The Left argues McCain's bad for the Courts,
but when the Justices limit the death penalty,
Obama's among the first to criticize the ruling.

And while we're excited that Obama's candidacy
could energize down-ticket victories,
Obama endorses a pro-war Dem in a primary.

There's an incredible mood that's Pro-Bama...
but moves like this make us groan "No, 'Bama!"
Maybe he's just starting off Slow-Bama
-- here's to hoping he'll Grow-Bama.

In many ways, he's so right.
Now we have to make sure he's so Left as well.

Share frustrations, ideas & a pitcher to two
with like-minded liberals over a libation
at your local progressive social club.

DRINKING LIBERALLY
Find - or start - a chapter near you.

We at Drinking Liberally constantly remember the dangers of drunk driving. As it says above, "as you drink liberally, always drink responsibly."

But there are some special interests, that oppose groups trying to stem the issue of drunk driving. And it just so happens, that one of those special interests happens to be run by Cindy McCain.

The company [Hensley, chaired by Cindy McCain] has opposed such groups as Mothers Against Drunk Driving in fighting proposed federal rules requiring alcohol content information on every package of beer, wine and liquor.

Hensley has run afoul of health advocacy groups that have tried to rein in appeals to young drinkers. For example, the company distributes caffeinated alcoholic drinks that public health groups say put young and underage consumers at risk by disguising the effects of intoxication.

It's a problem when the special interests take over the white house, let alone the lincoln bedroom, especially when those special interests are advocating against organizations like MADD, who valiantly fight against a the terrible problem of drunk driving.

Unlike Cindy McCain's company, Drinking Liberally wholeheartedly supports efforts to prevent drunk driving. But then again, the McCains haven't really been our side in the past, have they?