Justin Krebs's blog

The Republicans scream that reconciliation --
a process by which a majority gets things done --
is a "parliamentary trick"...while a small minority
holds the Senate hostage with the filibuster threat.

They shout & stamp & wheeze & wince
that Democrats are undemocratic to consider it
...while they refuse democratic up-or-down votes
on critical appointees with no real opposition.

One Senator can obstruct extended unemployment benefits
& another can put holds on hundreds of measures,
wasting our time, money & chance to improve our country.

If reconciliations is a "parliamentary trick"
at least it makes progress -- a political treat.
And it's time Dems go Trick-or-Treating.

Let's wreck their silly notions with reconciliation
& show that Washington actually can work.

I'd toast to that.

Join your friendly neighborhood liberal drinkers
to talk polls & pols, elections & distractions
at your local progressive social club.

DRINKING LIBERALLY
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After running on healthcare in '08,
& working on it for most of '09,
Senate Dems & the White House seem to realize
it only counts if they actually pass reform
...even if it's "only" with a majority vote.

Reacting to the Tea Party & Scott Brown win,
Dems need to see they can't run as "populist"
unless they pass real regulations on the banks
that still profit while Americans are out of work.

And after running time and again for gay rights,
Dems are finally working on Don't Ask, Don't Tell
which makes the GOP runs the other direction.

We know Obama's got a great running game
...now it's time he proves he can pass.

And since the GOP is running away & taking a pass
Obama just needs his own majority to get in line.

Join us for a run of good conversation
as we pass around a pitcher of liberal libations
at your local progressive social club.

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

A Republican winning Kennedy's seat
had odds of one-in-a-million.
Then Scott Brown won.

Getting any GOP support in the Senate
would happen once in a blue moon.
Then the jobs bill passed.

So watch out if you say that healthcare
has a snowball's chance in hell...
you might end up with a face full of slush.

A full-day bipartisan healthcare meeting
seemed less likely than Snowpacolypse 3
yet maybe the President't 6 hours on C-SPAN
will pull a masterful snow job after all.

He may not need a snowball's chance in hell
...just a snowball's chance in DC.

Come out to toast a liberal libation
to the fact that healthcare is still alive
& that the Senate passed something this week
with your like-minded left-leaners
at your local progressive social club.

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

A handful of Senate Dems finally call for reconciliation
to let the majority that was elected pass a public option
but the healthcare industry will spend whatever it takes
to buy our democracy & make whatever they can.

Regulations to rein in the rampant recklessness
of a financial industry that imploded our economy
gets watered down as Senators of both parties angle
for cash from the Wall Street banks they would regulate.

And as Congress meanders toward moderate measures
to remedy the Supreme Court's decision on corporate money,
those corporations will spend what they can now
to ensure their ability to spend even more.

While a Party of No & hapless majority paralyze the Senate,
centrist Senators like Evan Bayh play to the middle,
don't show leadership, hedge, hem & haw,
preventing progress & letting corporate interests win.

So it's not so sad saying "Bye, bye, Bayh" --
in the battle whether it's government "by" the people
or whether corporations "buy" the government --
you gotta take sides...you can't take a bye.

Toast bye to Bayh as you buy a drink
& let the evening pass by as you share a think
with like-minded lefties and liberal libations
at your progressive social club.

DRINKING LIBERALLY

Threat of a filibuster by a 41-seat minority
has prevented any Senate work on legislation
for jobs creation, financial reform or campaign finance
...well before Snowmageddon sent our reps home.

An unprecedented move by a bitter Senator
holds up 70 appointments to help run the government
freezing any progress in Washington
...& that was before Snowpocalypse hit.

Despite bipartisan hand-holding by the President,
the idea the GOP'd have a hand in healthcare
had a snowball's chance in Hell
...even before snowballs flew through DC.

Snowstorms may bring our lives to a halt
but Snow Jobs bring DC to a freeze every day.

Senate protocol's even more crippling than an Act of God.

They might find excuses not to do their jobs,
but we'll do ours: braving the cold & warming the night
with political pals, liberal libations & cozy conversation
at your local progressive social club.

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

The President asked Dems not to run for the hills.
Since then they've folded on financial reform,
skipped out on healthcare & generally stayed quiet.

He called upon the GOP to do more than say No.
Then in one voice, they all said No.
Does a double negative make a positive?
No -- it just makes them more negative.

Meanwhile, AIG awards excessive bonuses,
corporations push for more "personhood" rights
& Goldman awaits record pay-outs.

Our representatives aren't representing us,
but they are taxing us to support corporations
...you can see where the Tea Party gets its anger.

Yet, I'm not drawn to this week's Tea Party Convention
...I'll skip the Tea Party -- but I do need a drink.

Vent your anger at politicians & profiteers
as you share a beer instead of tea --
call it the Keg Party...and make it yours
at your local progressive social club.

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

President Obama's address prioritized jobs,
but he made time to address Dems on their job:
to use their large Congressional majorities
& do their duty, not run for the hills.

He asked Republicans to do their job as well
which means doing more than just saying no
as the Senate moves on healthcare, the economy
financial reform, energy & climate change.

As he showed flashes of why we elected him --
telling a compelling story, calling for progress
& stepping from the sideline to be a leader
-- Obama seemed at last ready to do his job.

For all the talk of creating American jobs,
Prez & Congress need to start with their own.

It's time for DC to get back to work
so Americans can get back to work too.

Did you cheer or jeer? Delight or despair?
Share your thoughts on the State of the Union
as you share a drink & a toast to our future
at your local progressive social club.

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

(Note: DL encourages you to drink, and vote, responsibly.)

Obama's State of the Union address

Take a sip:
- The state of our union is "strong"
- Obama says "jobs"
- Obama makes reference to Joe Biden
- Obama says "health care"
- Obama says "hope"
- Obama says "change"
- A standing ovation from Congress
- Obama says "Afghanistan"

Take a shot:
- The state of our union is anything but "strong"
- Obama says "now, there are those who would say/suggest..."
- Joe Biden makes a hilarious facial expression
- Obama introduces one of his guests to the chamber
- Obama refers to "the previous administration"
- Obama mentions "Wall Street"
- Obama mentions "Main Street"
- Joe Wilson yells at him
- Nancy Pelosi looks pained

Take a big gulp:
- Obama refers to Joe Biden by nickname or something like "no one
messes with Joe"
- Someone besides Joe Wilson yells at him
- We see Michelle Obama's arms
- The state of our union is "strong, if..."
- He directly references the NJ and VA gubernatorial elections
- Obama defends Bernanke or Geithner by name (someone has to bail out
the price of your drink)
- He directly references the Massachusetts Senate election

Chug in agony:
- More than one Republican yell at him in a coordinated effort
- Joe Biden makes a gaffe when it's not even his speech
- The state of our union is "umm...well.."
- He decides to delay health care reform
- The camera pans to Scott Brown
- He mentions the spending freeze (must be jagermeister or some other cold shot)
- He extends our commitments in Afghanistan/Iraq

Celebratory toast:
- He uses the word "liberal" or "progressive" in a positive context
- Republicans boo at him
- Obama goes ahead with reconciliation on health care
- Obama moves to reinstate the public option
- Obama promises to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell
- Obama promises troops out of Iraq or Afghanistan in the next six months
- Obama positively references FDR
- He chides lack of congressional leadership
- He mentions our moral responsibility to Haiti
- He pushes ahead on a green-collar economy
- Obama upbraids the Supreme Court for the Citizens United verdict

Finish your drink
- Obama yells back
- "The state of our union? Are you fucking kidding me?"
- He declines to run for re-election
- He decides to abandon health care reform
- "Face it, progressives - you have nowhere else to go."

The Republican Response

Take a sip:
- A reference is made to socialism
- A reference to teabaggers

Take a shot:
- A reference is made to communism
- A proud reference to being the party of No

Take a big gulp:
- A reference is made to fascism
- They play populism with the bailout

Chug:
- A reference is made to Nazism
- They refer to Scott Brown or Sarah Palin

Finish your drink:
- "The President is Hitler"
- They play dog-whistle racism tactics

Did the sure-thing win for Ted Kennedy's seat tumble
because of an inspiring candidate for the Dems?
Because Congress is full of uninspiring Dems
who prefer procedure to progress, donors to voters?

Was it because the GOP got a small-but-vocal base excited?
There are tea partiers everywhere, ready to rumble,
while many progressives still wait for results.

Was it because a year into Dem-controlled DC
we're still out of jobs & healthcare, in two wars,
while banks & Blackwater are back at the table?

Or was it that Dems had no real game plan
& treated their commanding majorities
like they had a slim victory & the narrowest margin?

Whereas the GOP will now act
like it has a commanding 41-59 majority.

We can ask, "What's the matter with Massachusetts?"
But it's a problem we need to answer in all 50 states.

Come out to debate & drink, sneer & strategize,
as you share a night, a talk & a pitcher or two
at your local progressive social club.

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

We sometimes hear an impulse towards isolationism.
Then an earthquake in Haiti reminds us
the role America needs to play around the world.

Economic meltdown, expensive bailouts
get Senators talking fearfully of deficits.
All of a sudden, as relief efforts are needed,
we remember what is more important than money.

We fight over rights of immigrants & border security
but looking to our neighbors in Haiti,
we realize these are silly political arguments
compared to the real value of human lives.

While we engage in nation-building in Afghanistan,
let's hope we invest in rebuilding Haiti,
our neighbor, who would welcome the aid.

As our attention & prayers turns to relief efforts
we know some things are more important than Tiger Woods

Let's remember that & turn our thoughts & hearts
to relief efforts to improve lives year-round.

You can donate to Doctors Without Borders
to support the relief effort:
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/

You can also call on the President to grant
"Temporary Protected Status" to Haitian refugees:
http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/haiti/?r=5173&id=7342-708625-sm38fdx

And you can join us tonight to share ideas
on how we can help the world not just today
but how we can be a positive force every day
at your local progressive social club.

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