Drinking Liberally

These folks are interesting. The premise is “An informal, inclusive weekly Democratic drinking club. Raise your spirits while you raise your glass, and share ideas while you share a pitcher. Drinking Liberally gives like-minded, left-leaning individuals a place to talk politics. You don't need to be a policy expert and this isn't a book club - just come and learn from peers, trade jokes, vent frustration and hang out in an environment where it's not taboo to talk politics.
Bars are democratic spaces - you talk to strangers, you share booths, you feel the bond of common ground. Bring democratic discourse to your local democratic space - build Democracy one drink at a time.
This was the call for the July 21, 2005 gatherings:
Can a Bad Judge of Character Find a Judge of Good Character?
This may be W's first Judge,
but he has a long history of judging.

W judged Chalabi trustworthy about WMDs
& soon after we accused Chalabi of betrayal.

W judged Putin as a man with a good soul
& soon after reprimanded Putin
for backward steps in Russian democracy.

W judged that any administration member
involved with the leak would be fired...
& soon after defended Karl Rove.

Not sure if Roberts is a Judge of Good Character,
but no doubt: Bush is a Bad Judge of Character.

Which doesn't instill a lot of faith in Roberts...

Come share a drink and share your views
-- and we promise not to judge you --
in the company of like-minded liberals
at our weekly Democratic drinking club.

Find, or start, a chapter near you.

Who is Ron Paul and Why Should We Listen to Him

Do you believe in individual rights?
Do you believe our government should stop meddling in the internal politics of other countries?
Do you believe government should live within its budget?
Well, meet Ron Paul. He is a libertarian, a citizen-legislator in the mold of the founding fathers. Who knows if he will run for a larger office, but what he has to say is worth reading. How refreshing, an America where we are all free, that has all its bills paid, and that minds its own business.

Definitions I Needed Years Ago

I just started reading In the Company of Liars by David Ellis. At the end of the first or second chapter, I came on a quotation to this effect:
Philosophy: questions that cannot be answered.
Religion: answers that cannot be questioned.
This is absolutely the best reason why it is bad politics to mix government and religion. (Or should that read, "This is absolutely the best reason why it is bad government to mix politics and religion?") Would someone please convey this simple message to George Bush and the Republicans? Granted that they are getting votes in the short run, but it is at the cost of democracy and civility in our public discourse and their use of religion is nothing less than cynical. The same applies to the nattily attired television ministers like Revs. Jackson, Robertson, Dobson, and sometimes Graham.

Santorum's New Communications Guy?

Maybe this guy could get a job with Senator Rick Santorum if he can just beat the rap in Florida. As you may have noticed, Mr. Gaybasher Homophobe Santorum has a betrayer on his staff.

The Difference between Democrats and Republicans

Am I hopelessly biased, or is this little story an apt summation of the difference between the lives and priorities of Democrats and Republicans? We just returned from a week in Hilton Head, where I counted 79 Bush-Cheney bumperstickers and 0 Kerry-Edwards stickers, so I may be hypersensitive to the notion that Republican and privileged are synonymous terms. I know there is a movement to encourage wingnut political Christians to move to South Carolina and take it over, but what I saw in Hilton Head was more an enclave of privilege. And these folks don't seem to be sending their children to fight their war.