The Metropolist

The Power of the Pour

Today's Newsday sings the praises of Drinking Liberally...and it's not alone.

NYC politicians went on record lauding liberal libations. My two favorite quotes:

"Frankly, this is what we need." - State Sen. Eric Schneiderman.

"I think it's terrific to bring young people together to help energize Democrats and recapture our city, state and country." City Council Speaker and Mayoral candidate Gifford Miller.

More than 60 chapters in 30 states...and growing...

Will it be too weird or too predictable? An Easter Miracle in the Making

When I realized the Schiavo case was coming to a climax during Easter week, I couldn't decide at first if that was too weird or too predictable.

The would-be theocrats certainly enjoy it this way. The rhetoric will heat up through the weekend. Death and rebirth, sacrifice and faith -- it's all there. The photos have taken on a heightened end-of-days quality.

And if Terri Schiavo should find her peaceful end tomorrow -- on Good Friday -- I have little doubt that Jeb Bush will find a way to ignore her right to death with dignity, her husband's wishes, medical experts and public sentiment and reinsert the tube on Sunday...

...a true Easter miracle.

Why are they playing with death?

The ways in which this is horrific or so obvious they hardly need to be stated: the Schiavo family has been suffering with a personal tragedy for 15 years. It's not black-and-white when parents and husband want to make different choices. But it is clear that it's not my business.

So why has it become my government's business? My media's business? Why do I find myself hitting refresh on nytimes.com for the latest update?

Because, morbidly, I keep hopping that the next headline to pop up will tell me that the poor woman, in her vegetative state, will finally find peace.

I don't like the person I've become when I hit refresh on a web browser to wait for word of a death.

But then when I see the banner headline on nytimes.com -- the breaking news that a court has rejected the appeal -- I just sigh that really the headline is saying, "Forget the war in Iraq. Forget everything."

It's all so sad.

Higher Standards, Double Standards...What's the Difference?

Bush calls for Syrian troops to leave Lebanon
while preparing more of our own for Iraq.

Bush calls for a nuclear-free Iran
while contemplating US bunker-buster nukes.

Bush calls for democratic institutions abroad
while distributing fake news, using phony stats
& renominating rejected judges at home.

After all, the US abides by a higher standard...
a double standard's higher than 1 standard, right?

Who says Bush doesn't know how to do math?

Find a true higher standard: of conversation,
of collaboration & of camaraderie
at this week's Democratic drinking club.

This week, a special treat: St. Pat's Day.
As he chased the snakes out of Ireland,
we'll chase the snakes out of Washington...
...only our task is harder.

DRINKING LIBERALLY
Rudy's - 9th btw 44th & 45th
Every Thursday - 7:30 onward

Every Tuesday in Williamsburg
First Wednesdays in Park Slope
Third Wednesdays in Astoria
54 across America
& more coming soon.

The strange brew of politics and barrooms

The fact that the Boston Globe article about Drinking Liberally begins with a reference to Humphrey Bogart is about as cool as the fact that there's an article about Drinking Liberally in the Boston Globe.

Bad News, Good News

"The bad news is that most of my colleagues are craven" explained State Senator Eric Schneiderman at this morning's Drum Major Institute panel on the unions and progressive politics, featuring SEIU International President Andy Stern. "The good news," continued the consciously provocative and proactive anomoly, who helped guide the Dems to last election's pick-ups in the GOP-controlled State Senate, "is that most of them can be intimidated into voting in the interest of working New Yorkers."

That's why we enjoy Senator Schneiderman.

Work. That was the catch word. Stern insisted on policies and politicians who honored work. It's a compelling word, and a useful theme for Democrats to sound as they try to protect regular Americans -- by opposing bankrupt bankruptcy bills or boosting the miniscule minimum wage.

But how to honor work is a question that our side is still wrestling with. Schneiderman accused Unions of too-narrowly acting upon the interests of their members instead of on behalf of a broader progressive vision. While that's not always the case, his main piece of evidence is compelling: 1199 did endorse Pataki in '02.

It was enjoyable seeing a few people generally on the same side of the spectrum wrangle for 90 minutes. We need that kind of debate within our ranks. It makes our product stronger.