Top Comments: Drinking Liberally 2019 edition

Another choice for meet-up groups, after the jump …..

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Every few years, I take a moment to urge readers to attend some sort of meet-up in their region … and especially if they live in a red zone region. Here on this site, you will read of Daily Kos meet-ups — the nonpareil Bill in Portland Maine runs some humdingers, and hopefully others are within reach. And of course, Netroots Nation takes place in Philadelphia in a few weeks.

Of course, there are other meet-ups available. Or maybe it’s your local political organizations. Either way — it’s fun to celebrate good times with like-minded souls. And, it’s much easier to cope (in bad times) when you have friends to help lighten-the-load.

But if there is no such gathering, then consider Drinking Liberally— which has been around for over fifteen years now (in the wake of the disappointing GWB re-election campaign of 2003-2004) which has since grown into a much larger organization. The concept is that the early political history of the American colonies was formed in taverns (Sam Adams was a brewer as well as activist).

For the individual who wants just to socialize, it's the perfect setting. Or if you wish to become more politically involved, but don't feel up to knocking on the door of party headquarters ... well, this is a relaxed, easy way to begin.

There is no membership, no need to pay anything besides what you may spend on beverages (and perhaps food) and no need to RSVP ... just show up, stay as long (or as little) as you desire. Some groups have weekly gatherings, some 2x/month and still others (like our group) just once-a-month.

And I can tell you that many people have exchanged business cards over the years at our gatherings. Sure, hiring a land surveyor may not involve any sort of liberal politics … yet when unsure about hiring contractors, why not a fellow traveler?

I have hosted a chapter in two separate locations in my region since 2004 …. and just hosted one last night. We discussed everything from the upcoming mayoral elections in town, to the repeal of capital punishment in New Hampshire. And we would probably have delved into national politics, as well.

But in addition to some of the regular attendees … we had a Cory Booker field organizer join us. In the run-up to the debates (and primary season), he will not be the last one, if history is any guide. In addition to answering our questions on his candidate, he related some stories (as a Florida resident) about Red Tide Rick and other Sunshine State follies. All in all, a productive night.

Next month (with the abundance of sunlight) … not only will I be attending my own chapter gathering in Week #3 … but also a sister Granite State chapter in Nashua in Week #1, then my old friends in Norwich, Vermont (a different locale than when I was its host in Hanover, New Hampshire) in Week #2 and also to see author Bill Scher at his weekly gathering in Northampton, western Massachusetts. When he released this 2006 book of his, he went on a tour of liberal gatherings …. and came to our chapter gathering first.

And in 2017, he got a surprise:

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I mentioned that the original D/L concept has expanded (and I have even heard of informal offshoots like Knitting Liberally in some places). In some locations there is an objection to the word drinking (and you need never imbibe any alcohol, I should hasten to add) yet other offshoots have followed:

Drinking Liberally is a project of Living Liberally, an organization which builds progressive communities through social networks and events. Living Liberally also runs Laughing Liberally, the political comedy project; Screening Liberally, a series of socially-conscious films; Eating Liberally, events with good gab and great grub; and Reading Liberally, book tours for progressive authors. Living Liberally is a New York-based LLC, led by a team in NYC and fueled by the energy of hundreds of volunteers and partners around the country.

(Clockwise) Laughing, Screening, Drinking, Eating, Reading

The national organization plans on holding its annual Celebration this autumn in NYC and will launch its revamped website (which has been lackluster in the past, I must admit) at that time. If it is on a weekend I can attend, I will do so (and hope to meet anyone in the area).

There is also an annual chapter host/assistant conference, with mostly public events (along with a pure business meeting) that — like Netroots Nation — meets annually in different locations. I can’t always swing making Netroots and this in the same year, but have attended in Salt Lake City, Charlotte and last year’s gathering in Savannah, Georgia … the weekend after the mid-term election (so we did, uhhh, drink liberally). This year’s event will coincide with the annual celebration. Here is a photo-blog of the 2010 chapter host conference in Salt Lake.

Getting off my soapbox: if you plan on attending Netroots Nation, I hope that we’ll have a chance to meet. Late note: at NN in Philadelphia, there will be a Laughing Liberally Comedy Jam on the Thursday evening at 7:30 PM.

     Sláinte !!!

Let’s close with a 1990 John Mayall ballad, with the late Northern Ireland guitarist Gary Moore sitting in.

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Now, on to Top Comments:

Nothing from the field this evening.

And from Ed Tracey, your faithful correspondent this evening ........

In the diary by ericlewis0 about your-friend-and-mine Roger Stone daring the judge in his case to revoke his bail for breaking his gag order — first, annieli shows a more contemporary photo of Stone honoring his idol …… while bubbanomics counters with an archival photo of Stone ... with his idol.

And in the front-page story about the horrific Roy Moore launching his campaign to win the US Senate seat from Alabama (that he lost to Doug Jones in 2017) … Elwood Dowd is the first to ask about a possible challenge from a former Senator.

TOP PHOTOS June 19th, 2019 Next - enjoy jotter's wonderful *PictureQuilt™* below. Just click on the picture and it will magically take you to the comment that features that photo.

(NOTE: Any missing images in the Quilt were removed because (a) they were from an unapproved source that somehow snuck through in the comments, or (b) it was an image from the DailyKos Image Library which didn't have permissions set to allow others to use it.)

And lastly: yesterday's Top Mojo - mega-mojo to the intrepid mik ...... who rescued this feature from oblivion:

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