Drinking Liberally

The Liberal Lion knew about Speaking Liberally,
with oratory that carried his brothers' echoes
as his own roar resounded over 4 decades.

He knew about Voting Liberally as he pushed
immigration reform, healthcare, civil rights,
workers rights, equal rights through his career.

He knew Drinking Liberally, a little too well,
& as he came to drink a little less liberally
he emerged as a true symbol of Leading Liberally.

Ted Kennedy knew about living liberally
...and his legacy will liberally live on.

Join tonight for a toast to the Liberal Lion
as you share memories & share a drink or two
at your local progressive social club.

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

We liberal drinkers love two things: drinking and politics.

The intersection of pub-gathering and political collaboration has been and always will be integral to understanding of American history -- pubs provide a comfortable social environment that has continued to inspire collaboration and change amongst ourselves. From the catalytic moments of the American Revolution to the tough-questioning we give public officials who attend Drinking Liberally meetings, spirits and politics have been partnered through the ages.

But this partnership has recently taken a turn for the worst.

Brands like Johnnie Walker, Guinness and Smirnoff have launched an expensive advertising campaign to defeat our efforts at healthcare reform. There have been moments when the healthcare debate has driven some of us to drink, but little did we know we were funding the opposition. We need to let these companies know we are not pleased.

Join us in telling liquor companies to stop attacking reforms that would help, among others, those who produce, serve and consume their libations. In the name of American Pub Politics, raise your voice along with your progressive pint, and pass this on to your other drinking buddies.

Let's toast to reform and the companies who support our interests, take care of their workers, and respect the needs of their loyal customers.

Check out these liquor companies who are working toward progressive change in their own communities.

Senate Republicans sat on their hands
on healthcare, energy & economic stimulus,
and then set off for a nice summer break
...only to face TV attacks at home.

Conservative Dems tried to play decider,
for coal companies, against public option,
& it was so tiring they went on vacation
...where they met the Town Hall insanity.

And the Dem leadership with big majorities
couldn't push for reforms America needs.
So it was time they took a recess
...during which they're pilloried daily
by their own caucus, the right & TV news.

The one good thing about these Town Halls:
they make our lawmakers eager to get back to DC
...and to get back to work.

Just shows that if you want to enjoy summer
you gotta finish all your classwork first.

Toast the summer as we roast the lawmakers,
share your views as your share a little booze
at your local progressive social club.

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

The Oklahoma City chapter began rather organically—a group of friends, all leaning to the left, start talking about politics at their local bar. Chapter leader Tom Holland reflects, “I found out the same thing that others before me had already discovered: we were all reading the same book. Not necessarily the same page or paragraph, but definitely the same book. Of course the book was one you would find on the left side of the shelf.”

Senior citizens benefit from Medicare,
government-run socialized healthcare...
yet oppose government involvement in healthcare

Americans with health coverage from HMOs
where bureaucrats, not doctors, make decisions
fear a public option because they say
bureaucrats, not doctors, would make decisions.

And now Americans are scared of Death Panels.
Seriously, a satirist couldn't make that up.

I'd say America needs to have its head checked
...but our health plan probably doesn't cover it.

If we can't get medicine, then get a drink,
which is almost as good, and twice as healthy
at your local progressive social club.

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

This week, Drinking Liberally caught up with our Los Angeles chapter to share some exciting news with the rest of our progressive brothers and sisters...

Hillary got more primary votes than Bill ever did
but he's the one able to sweet talk North Korea
while she's caught trading juvenile insults with them.

Gore got more votes in 2000 than Clinton ' 92 or '96
but when Al's reporters were in trouble,
the captors welcomed the ex-Prez, not the ex-Veep.

Obama rocked a landslide; Clinton never had a majority.
But Bill's the charmer that opens Pyongyang;
Barack can't even sweet-talk conservative Senate Dems.

Maybe Bill should become Ambassador to the Blue Dogs
...& tell them to stop holding healthcare prisoner.

Though Clinton may be smarter than revisiting that fight.
Compared to healthcare, North Korea is easy...

Share international & domestic views
over international & domestic brews
& lift a liberal libation with like-spirited lefties
at your local progressive social club.

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

The Congressional GOP forced stimulus bill changes
then voted against it in near unanimity,
despite President Obama's active wooing.

Most Republicans oppose Sotomayor,
they hold up the Employee Free Choice Act
and are raring to kill the energy bill
regardless of Obama's bipartisan outreach.

Now they cherish the chance to block healthcare
and have declared it will be "Obama's Waterloo,"
even as the White House says it wants GOP on board.

What does it say when the President is able
to get an arrestor and arrestee to calm down,
reach out to each other & share a beer...
but can't get the GOP to reach across the aisle?

Simple: he needs to invite them to have a beer.

Who knows what'd happen if they all drank liberally?

Maybe they'll show up at a chapter near you?
Raise a glass, raise your voice & raise some hell
as you always do with left-minded libation-lifters
at your local progressive social club.

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

Prez is pleased he got GOP support de-funding the F-22;
but the greater challenge is funding healthcare reform
which is threatened by members of even his own party.

Dems cheer that they barely beat a repeal of gun control;
harder fight's getting Senators up-in-arms over gun rights
to give a damn about Americans' rights to healthcare --
medicine as much as muskets; pills, not just pistols.

The Dems congratulate themselves on Sotomayor's hearings --
a qualified judge said nearly nothing to win GOP approval.
Not staying silent, making a case for a real public option,
that's the greater work that scares & eludes the majority.

Congratulations, Dems, you've done the easy stuff --
now getting hard work done is a sign of Healthy Government.

And we know you're healthy...you have great health insurance
...from the government. Now share with the rest of us.

A beer may not improve your health,
but a night of liberal drinking will lift your spirits,
so come on out and share brews and views
with your local progressive social club.

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

The “Official Unofficial Drink of the Obama Administration,” as decided by Drinking Liberally’s National Contest, was the Hope Float. The Drink consists of Baileys, Butterscotch Schnapps and Crème de Cocoa, and was concocted by Cass Chulick of the Spartanburg, South Carolina chapter. This week we profile the Spartanburg chapter as it celebrates its first birthday.

Cass Chulick, a chapter leader for Drinking Liberally Spartanburg, was first recommended to Drinking Liberally by her therapist, who thought she might need a social outlet after the tragic loss of her boyfriend to cancer. Cass brought along her friend, Kevin Justus (who is also a chapter leader for Spartanburg), and together they attended a meeting of the Greenville, SC chapter, about 45 minutes away. They had a wonderful time and couldn’t believe they had all these “instant friends who think like we do…in South Carolina!”

After making the trip to the Greenville chapter’s meeting a few more times, bringing along more friends and even Cass’ parents, they started to question why they were making the drive to Greenville when so many of them were from Spartanburg in the first place. Cass’ dad, Al Chulick, took the first steps to make the first meeting of the Spartanburg, South Carolina chapter happen.

The first year was nothing short of a successes. “It has been a truly amazing year to host Drinking Liberally in a conservative southern town,” said Cass. “The gratitude that has been expressed by the folks who have found us this past year is outstanding.”

New chapters can learn from Spartanburg’s experiences. In the beginning, meetings would sometimes amount to just two to four of them hanging out at the bar, wondering if they were wasting their time. But after promoting their chapter on MySpace, spreading fliers around town, and hearing the encouraging words of Justin Krebs at the Living Liberally National Conference (where he noted that, in the nascent days of the original DL in New York City, it was sometimes only two people sipping at Rudy’s), they decided to press on. Now, when the Spartanburg chapter gathers at the Hickory Tavern, between six and fifteen people show up, and that number is anticipated to grow.

“Spartanburg appears to be becoming more progressive,” says Cass. The town had their first Gay Pride March this year, the number of local liberal bloggers is growing, a co-op grocery store is in the works, and they even held a pep rally, “Stand Up for Spartanburg” this spring, where community members got together to celebrate their Spartanburg pride and find ways to better their home. The changing environment in Spartanburg is setting the stage for a fantastic second year of growth and prosperity for this great Drinking Liberally chapter down in South Carolina.