Fellow Liberal Drinkers-

As most of you surely know, this coming Thursday is both the next scheduled meeting of DL: Mount Airy + the night when Barack Obama officially accepts the Presidential nomination of the Democratic Party. As such, DL is joining up with Sen. Obama's Philadelphia campaign offices to watch the convention at North by Northwest, 7165 Germantown Ave.

The event officially begins at 5:00 PM, is expected to start picking up at around 7:00 PM (which is, conveniently enough, the usual time when we start imbibing), and Sen. Obama is set to accept the nomination at ~ 10:00 PM. We're hoping for a good turnout, from Liberal Drinkers, Obama volunteers (I suspect that this list will overlap considerably, as it does in my case), and for newcomers as well.

Fellow Liberal Drinkers-

Please join us at the Mermaid Inn (7673 Germantown Ave.) as we discuss the news of the day. To wit...

* How much does Obama's mid-east trip help his campaign?
* Does McCain really *want* to make us think that he's an older, somewhat dimmer George W. Bush?
* Will someone actually wake McCain before September?
* What October Surprise does the GOP have in store for us this year?

All this and more, Thursday (7/24) at 7:00. Be there, or be a tesseract.

Drink to Democracy!
-Z

Fellow Liberal Drinkers-

Come one, come all, and come thirsty to the Mermaid Inn (7673 Germantown Ave.) Thurs. at 7:00 and kick off the 4th of July a few hours early with your favorite liberal friends. Provide yourself with reinforcement of your liberal understanding that the Declaration of Independence is one of the best liberal statements of principle in human history. And get ammo to shove in the faces of conservatives who try to tell you that the US is a fundamentally conservative nation, rather than the inherently revolutionary one it was and needs to be again.

Drink to Democracy!
-Z

Fellow Liberal Drinkers-

Join us at the Mermaid Inn (7673 Germantown Ave.) tonight at 7:00 PM as we drink a toast to Dennis Kucinich for bringing articles of impeachment against George W. Bush. Remember: be there, or be a rhombus.

Drink to Democracy!
-Z

Fellow Liberal Drinkers-

Please join us Thurs., 6/5, at 7:00 PM at the Mermaid Inn, 7673 Germantown Ave., for the latest installment of Drinking Liberally, Mount Airy. I intend to distribute for discussion Chalmers Johnson's article "Our 'Managed Democracy,'" on the recommendation of DL member Christiaan Morssink. The implications of this article should, at the very least, deeply trouble any patriotic American, and its warnings should definitely be heeded. I figure we'll also kick around more ideas for a Democratic VP nominee.

So, come one, come all. And, as always...

Drink to Democracy!
-Z

Fellow Liberal Drinkers-

Please join us at the Mermaid Inn (7673 Germantown Ave.) Thurs. at 7:00 PM as the national Living Liberally organization celebrates its 5th anniversary. Who knows, maybe one of us will wind up as Obama's VP nominee. OK, probably not, but you won't know unless you show up, will you?

Please join us and...

Drink to Democracy!
-Z

Fellow Liberal Drinkers-

OK, I've sent out enough stuff this week, so I'll keep this short + sweet. Please join DL at the Mermaid Inn (7673 Germantown Ave.) at 7:00 PM as we discuss the never-ending Democratic primary season, local politics, + whatever else floats your collective boat.

Drink to Democracy!
-Z

Fellow Liberal Drinkers-

I'm nothing short of thrilled to say that, with my work situation far more settled, I am able to announce the relaunch of Drinking Liberally: Mount Airy [insert sound effect of wild applause + cheering here].

I look forward to discussing some weighty issues, such as...

is HRC's remaining in the race when it's all but impossible for her to be the Democratic nominee a good thing, a bad thing, or a disastrously bad thing?

will the so-called 'liberal press' ever notice that John McCain has preacher buddies who make Jeremiah Wright look like a flag waving patriot?

who will Obama pick as his running mate? My money (metaphorically speaking, of course) is on Bill Richardson, but I'd like to see what others think.

So, please join us at the Mighty Mermaid Inn, 7673 Germantown Ave., at 7:00 PM this Thursday (5/15), as we once again...

Drink to Democracy!
-Z

Fellow Liberal Drinkers-

Please join Drinking Liberally: Mount Airy at the Mermaid Inn, 7673 Germantown Ave., at 7:00 PM this coming Thursday (4/3), as we discuss the ongoing saga of the Democratic Primary. Will the Dems once again manage to snatch defeat from the ravening jaws of victory? Are we ready for 100 years in Iraq if Senator McNuts wins? And, if he does win, does the Mermaid have enough strong drink to drown all our sorrows?

I've got one more "Liberal Mixology" drink recipe book, which will go to the first Liberal Drinker in attendance this week. No, Joanne, you don't count (she runs the Mermaid).

Drink to Democracy!
-Z

Fellow Liberal Drinkers-

Please join Drinking Liberally: Mount Airy at the Mermaid Inn (7673 Germantown Ave.) tonight @ 7:00 PM as we continue our discussion of the Democratic primary, whether or not the country can survive another 8 years of GOP misrule should Sen. McNuts steal the election, + what the proper way is to pronounce 'Smithwicks.'

Drink to Democracy!
-Z

Fellow Liberal Drinkers-

Please join us at the mighty Mermaid Inn, 7673 Germantown Ave., from 7:00 PM - whenever, as we continue our quest to discover the truth. What truth to we seek? Why, the truth about who is the best candidate to return Constitutional rule to the United States. The truth about who best to restore the good name of our country, after 8 years of its being so badly sullied by he who shall go nameless. The truth about who best to prevent yet another theft of an election.

So, come one, come all, and join our quest for the truth! Or perhaps, in the words of Jack Nicholson, 'YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!' Then again, liberals are good at accepting and handling the truth; it's conservatives who like to change the truth to fit their own, distorted vision of how things should be.

Thurs. night, 7:00 PM - whenever, at the Mermaid Inn, 7673 Germantown Ave. Be there, or be a rhombus.

Drink to democracy!
-Z

Fellow Liberal Drinkers-

Well, it's been a long time since last we met. I hope we all had fun during the December holidays, and that we kept our political wits razor sharp to boot.

We'll need those wits going into what seems to be a wide open, fierce fight on both the Democratic and Republican sides. Why do we need our wits when we're not candidates? To debate their pros and cons, of course! Clinton vs. Obama vs. Edwards- who's the real hope for progressives in this country? Giuliani vs. Romney vs. Huckabee vs. McCain- who's more likely to destroy the country? Did anyone even care that Fred Thompson dropped out? People thought that they were getting Arthur Branch; instead, they got a dried up stick. And will the good people of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania have any say in who gets nominated?

So, come one, come all to the Mermaid Inn, 7673 Germantown Ave., at 7:00 PM tonight, as we discuss the primary jousting + sample their tasty brews.

Drink to Democracy!
-Z

Fellow Liberal Drinkers-

We had great turnout for the last DL before Thanksgiving, which was very encouraging. Then, we had really poor turnout for the first DL after Thanksgiving, which was very discouraging.

Ladies and gentlemen (and I use the terms loosely), we still need to get consistent turnout for DL: Mount Airy, or I'll be left with little choice other than to fold the chapter.

It's not as if there's a lack of things to discuss. On the local side, we still have the subject of an incoming Mayor, as well as the discussion of a challenge to Vince Fumo for PA Senate. On the national front, the latest National Intelligence Estimate's disclosure that Iran isn't currently pursuing nuclear weapons does not seem to have even slowed the Bush regime's rush to a war which will make the Iraq imbroglio look like a training exercise. And we still have a purported Democratic favorite who thinks that running as Bush Lite will get her elected.

Fellow Liberal Drinkers-

The year is drawing to a close, + a new Mayor prepares to enter office. What do the next 4 years hold for Philadelphia? What will be John Street's legacy? How will events on the national stage effect things in Philadelphia? And, how can we shake up the local Democratic Party to make it more of a progressive force than it is?

Come one, come all, and discuss these and other subjects at the Mermaid Inn, 7673 Germantown Ave., tomorrow (Thurs.), 11/29, at 7:00 PM. Special treats too: more buttons, and even copies of the new book _Liberal Mixology_ will be available.

Drink to Democracy!
-Z

Fellow Liberal Drinkers-

The subject has been raised of moving DL to another location. While I, personally, am a big fan of the Mermaid, + greatly appreciate the way in which Jack, Joanne, + Karen have welcomed us, others have expressed concerns about it being somewhat off the beaten path, or lacking a sizable menu.

This being the case, I'd like to open the floor for other suggestions of places for us to meet. I have only two major requirements:

1) The venue must be in, or close to, Mount Airy
2) The venue must welcome what could well be a large, rowdy group that will stay a long while

A third consideration can be that the venue would help to increase our membership, either by being more convenient for our current membership or by attracting new participants.

Again, I *like* the Mermaid Inn, + favor remaining there. But I'm also a firm believer in majority rule, so I welcome suggestions.

Drink to Democracy!
-Z