Fables of the reconstruction

What You Should Know

In the hospital waiting room:

The National 5/29

Not to scale.

The First Black President Nominates the First Hispanic Supreme Court Justice

And the first black President hands the Republican Party a dilemma: Further alienate the country's fastest-growing minority group or abandon their "Party of No" resistance strategy at the first test?

It's like the Civil War wreath-laying thing for Memorial Day. Yes, Obama continued the practice of honoring the dead traitors. It's an expression of his avowed Lincolnism - malice for none, charity toward all.  But he also began the practice of sending a wreath to the memorial to African-American Union soliders - the ones that the Confederates would routinely murder or enslave if they managed to capture them. The contrast is nice and instructive.

It's so nice we elected not just the smart one, but the shrewd one.

Local Programming: Drinking Liberally Center City Tonight 6-10 p.m.

Come out to Drinking Liberally this week and join in the speculation on who Obama's Supreme Court pick will be (and whether the vetting questions include, "Indefinite detention, yes or hell yes?").

Tuesday, May 26th
Drinking Liberally Center City
6 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Triumph Brewing Co.
117 Chestnut St. (between Front and 2nd Streets)
Philadelphia, PA 19106.
Meet at the upstairs bar.
$3 beers, $4 wine, $5 well drinks all night.
Happy hour food specials: $4 pizza app, half-price burgers.

Triumph Brewery is conveniently SEPTA-accessible via the Market-Frankford El (2nd Street station), all the buses that turn around at or near Penn's Landing (12, 17, 21, 33, 42, 48), and a few other buses that pass nearby (5, 25, 47, 57). Driving directions are here.

Send In Your Event Suggestions
Like all civic-minded liberals, we're here to promote democracy and citizen engagement in the political process, especially if there is beer involved. Whether it is or not, forward any area events for the week to the Philly DL organizer by Sunday to have them included in the weekly email.

Help Us Promote DL
Spread the word to your liberal friends to sign up for a group of like-minded people who get together every week to have fun and talk about what's happening in progressive politics right now. Please forward this email to those who might be interested in coming out and Drinking Liberally.

Windmill

Sister Rosetta Tharpe performing "Up Above My Head", ca. 1961. Check out her move at 1:46:

Dad Wore Grey or Blue

I should have realized there are lots of people still alive today whose fathers fought in the Civil War. The last Union widow died only in 2003. And I guess that site implies there is at least one Confederate widow still alive.

It's the 21st century and we still have the living reminders of the 1860s. I find that amazing.

Official Returns

I just saw a judge give a victory speech under a disco ball in a gay bar. He was, really, the family values candidate.

Primary Election Day in Philly

Personally, here is how I am voting (people I strongly support in bold):

• D.A. - Seth Williams
• Controller - Brett Mandel
• Supreme Court - Jack Panella (unopposed)
• Superior Court (pick 3) - Anne Lazarus, John Younge, Robert Colville
• Commonwealth Court (pick 2) - Daniel Bricmont, Linda Judson (anyone but Jimmy Lynn)
• Court of Common Pleas (pick 7) - Dan Anders (must!), Angeles Roca, Christine Adair, Joyce Eubanks, Donne Woelpper, Diane Thompson, Sharon Williams-Losier
• Municipal Court (pick 4) - Dawn Segal, Christine Adair, Charles Hayden,Pat Dugan
• Ballot Question #1 - Yes.
• Ballot Question #2 - Yes.

Local Programming: Drinking Liberally Center City, Primary Edition

Come out to Drinking Liberally Philadelphia this week. Tuesday night will be interesting as we watch the returns from the primary elections. Do you know who you are voting for yet? As you know, Drinking Liberally does not do endorsements. But Young Philly Politics poster thomast has created a very handy spreadsheet of endorsements by local newspapers, professional organizations and progressive interest groups.

Also, we'll be keeping an eye out for whether Obama announces his nominee for the Supreme Court. The word is that the announcement will be next week, but long-shot candidate Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm is visiting the White House tomorrow, so there may be a surprise.

Tuesday, May 19th
Drinking Liberally Center City
6 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Triumph Brewing Co.
117 Chestnut St. (between Front and 2nd Streets)
Philadelphia, PA 19106.
Meet at the upstairs bar.
$3 beers, $4 wine, $5 well drinks all night.
Happy hour food specials: $4 pizza app, half-price burgers.

Triumph Brewery is conveniently SEPTA-accessible via the Market-Frankford El (2nd Street station), all the buses that turn around at or near Penn's Landing (12, 17, 21, 33, 42, 48), and a few other buses that pass nearby (5, 25, 47, 57). Driving directions are here.

Police On My Back

The followup on the post yesterday:

Lower Merion police caught two suspected bank robbers who attempted a getaway via SEPTA yesterday afternoon.

A man who claimed he had a gun robbed the TD Bank at 401 W. Lancaster Ave., Haverford, at 12:54 p.m. and escaped on foot, police said. Pursuing police found paint from the bank money's exploded dye pack on the steps of the Haverford train station and arrested a man walking by himself about two blocks away, on Montgomery Avenue near Woodside Road, who had "traces of dye on his arm," a police news release said.

A witness at the train station told police the arrested man had been with another person who got on the eastbound R5. SEPTA held that train at the Ardmore station, and police arrested a woman passenger found with the bank's money, police said. Police did not release the names of the suspected robbers.

Via the reliable source, this is how it went on the train:

A young African-American woman gets on at Haverford, carrying a drawstring sack. She sits down in front of a middle-aged black woman who is on her way home from work in Bryn Mawr. The older woman sees the young one looking around nervously, "talking with her eyes".

"Are you okay?", she asks.

"We just robbed a bank," she says confidingly. A beat to absorb this information. "We do it all the time out here. They don't have security in the banks."

A moment passes while the young woman continues to look agitated. A young white man notices and asks her what's wrong.

"Nothing," the young woman says.

The train is stopped in Ardmore and the police take her off. Later, the older African-American woman says, "Just because I'm black, she thinks it's okay to tell me she just robbed a bank?"

Local Programming: Drinking (Coffee) Liberally Mt. Airy Sunday at Noon

Sunday, May 17th
Drinking (Coffee) Liberally Mt. Airy
Mt. Airy Drinking Liberally meets every Sunday, at noon, at Infusion Coffee + Tea (7133 Germantown Ave.), from noon until 2:00 PM.

Send In Your Event Suggestions
Like all civic-minded liberals, we're here to promote democracy and citizen engagement in the political process, especially if there is beer involved. Whether it is or not, forward any area events for the week to the Philly DL organizer by Sunday to have them included in the weekly email.

Help Us Promote DL
Spread the word to your liberal friends to sign up for a group of like-minded people who get together every week to have fun and talk about what's happening in progressive politics right now. Please forward this email to those who might be interested in coming out and Drinking Liberally.

Department of Really Bad Ideas: Forging Homeland Security "Photography License"

I appreciate the impulse, but this was a fucking stupid thing to do.

See? The Suburbs Are the Real Hellhole

Via a reliable source, a woman got on the R5 train in Bryn Mawr or Haverford and told the person she was sitting next to, "I just robbed a bank." She was met by the cops at Ardmore station and arrested with a bag full of cash.

Local Programming: Get Your Ethnic On

The 9th Street Italian Market Festival, Saturday May 16th and Sunday May 17th, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.:

The Upper Darby Greek Festival, May 15th, 16th and 17th:

 

Video of the Day

Seriously, What Did You Expect?

So, Joe Torsella is not going to primary Specter. That leaves Congressman Joe Sestak, who is just as conservative as Specter but the nitwit "progressives" don't hate. Yet.

And Can I Get a Ticket?

So I'm at lunch today and get a wrong-number phone call from the guy who is driving the Black Eyed Peas for their gig tomorrow at the Susquehanna Bank Center. They're in Bordentown and the driver has no clue how to get to Camden, so I get on Google maps and give him directions.

He was a nice, polite Southerner and was appreciative of the help, but he couldn't get me tickets.

Obama Attacking on Health Care

Speaker Pelosi announced today her intention to bring a health care bill to the floor of the House by the end of July, before the summer recess. I think what's likely happening is the Obama administration is pressing for fast action, for two reasons: Obama's personal popularity is not going to get any higher, and he's able to use that tool to sell the bill. Secondly, the opposition is just getting its strategy together, and the sooner the issue is engaged, the less likely they can engineer another 1993-style campaign to stop reform. Right now, conservatives and Republicans have never been less credible or well-liked, and their messaging just sucks. Obama's at his strongest, the opposition is at their weakest, and although health care is a complex issue, Obama has decided the best outcome is to move forward immediately rather than wait for the perfect bill.

The question is what Obama considers to be nonnegotiable in the bill.

Local Programming: Drinking Liberally South Philly Tonight

Wednesday, May 13th
Drinking Liberally South Philly
6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
South Philadelphia Tap Room
1509 Mifflin St.
Philadelphia PA 19145
Directions or take the Orange Line to Snyder.

Send In Your Event Suggestions
Like all civic-minded liberals, we're here to promote democracy and citizen engagement in the political process, especially if there is beer involved. Whether it is or not, forward any area events for the week to the Philly DL organizer by Sunday to have them included in the weekly email.

Help Us Promote DL
Spread the word to your liberal friends to sign up for a group of like-minded people who get together every week to have fun and talk about what's happening in progressive politics right now. Please forward this email to those who might be interested in coming out and Drinking Liberally.

Local Programming: Drinking Liberally Center City Tonight 6-10 p.m.

Tuesday, May 12th
Drinking Liberally Center City
6 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Triumph Brewing Co.
117 Chestnut St. (between Front and 2nd Streets)
Philadelphia, PA 19106.
Meet at the upstairs bar.
$3 beers, $4 wine, $5 well drinks all night.
Happy hour food specials: $4 pizza app, half-price burgers.

Triumph Brewery is conveniently SEPTA-accessible via the Market-Frankford El (2nd Street station), all the buses that turn around at or near Penn's Landing (12, 17, 21, 33, 42, 48), and a few other buses that pass nearby (5, 25, 47, 57). Driving directions are here.

Send In Your Event Suggestions
Like all civic-minded liberals, we're here to promote democracy and citizen engagement in the political process, especially if there is beer involved. Whether it is or not, forward any area events for the week to the Philly DL organizer by Sunday to have them included in the weekly email.

Help Us Promote DL
Spread the word to your liberal friends to sign up for a group of like-minded people who get together every week to have fun and talk about what's happening in progressive politics right now. Please forward this email to those who might be interested in coming out and Drinking Liberally.

Local Programming: Drink to Your Health! Meetup

Monday, May 11th

Drink to Your Health Meetup
We want Quality and Affordable Health Care! And we're tired of politicians claiming otherwise! The rhetoric is that youth in this country don't care about having it and that's why we go without it. That's why we have enormous hospital bills when something goes wrong or stress over routine doctor visits..because we Want to??

Drink To Your Health is a group of dynamic folks that gather for drinks and discussion on health care issues. Come to share your health care story, vent amongst friends, get caught up on current policy, for great discussion or just to meet local progressives.
5:00 pm – 7:00-ish
Locust Rendezvous
1415 Locust Street, Philadelphia
RSVP on Facebook or Meetup.

ACLU of PA and Anthony Romero on LGBT Rights Tomorrow Night

Join the ACLU of Pennsylvania’s Greater Philadelphia Chapter for a frank discussion about the current state of LGBT rights and what we can do to ensure equality for ALL Americans.

Featuring:

Anthony Romero

Anthony Romero, Executive Director, National ACLU
Stephen Glassman, Chair, Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission

When: Monday, May 11, 2009, 7:00 p.m.

Where: The Hub, Cira Centre , 2929 Arch Street, Philadelphia
(across from 30th Street Station) Directions and parking information

You are invited to attend a wine and cheese reception before the program beginning at 6:15 p.m. at the same location.

Free & open to the public. No RSVP needed.

Questions? Contact us at [email protected] or 215-592-1513 x122.

Local Programming: WTF Edition

Graffito at Jessup & Fitzwater.

The Market Never Fails

I am continually amused by the ads that show up in Duncan's RSS feed:
Hey, I was just thinking I need some carbide thread!

Can They Both Lose? Please?

The Great Grandstander, Mike Nutter, calls for the resignation of the members of the Board of Revisions of Taxes. They refuse. Nutter gets to look like a populist as he hikes tries to hike property taxes and, even if he were successful in ousting the board, nothing would change in the corrupt way taxes are assessed and collected in this city - it would just be corruption that is more under Nutter's control.

Local Programming: Young Philly Politics Happy Hour For Seth Williams + Ray Murphy's 30th

Friday, May 8th
Ray Murphy 30th Birthday Party and YPP Happy Hour for Seth Williams
Dan Urevick-Ackelsburg of Young Philly Politics will be hosting a happy hour benefiting progressive D.A. candidate Seth Williams and to celebrate the 30th birthday of YPP frontpager and Liberty City Democratic Club co-chair Ray Murphy. RSVP here.
6 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Stir Lounge
1705 Chancellor St.
Philadelphia, PA

Local Programming: Drinking Liberally West Philly + PZ Myers Lecture

Thursday, May 7th
Drinking Liberally West Philly
6 p.m. - 9 p.m.
The Blarney Stone
3929 Sansom St.
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Parking nearby or take the train or trolley.

Thursday, May 7th
PZ Myers Lecture: "The Complicated Truth About Haeckel's Embryos"
PZ Myers, an associate professor of biology at the University of Minnesota Morris who is best known for his popular science blog Pharyngula, will speak at the University of Delaware in Newark, Delaware. His talk, titled "The Complicated Truth About Haeckel's Embryos", will present a history of embryology that reveals how scientists have integrated the theory of evolution with development. He will also address how the ideas have been grossly distorted by creationists to create an illusion of contradiction. The focus of this talk is on the philosophy of science and how theory informs observation/experiment and vice versa. Hosted by the University of Delaware Secular Student Alliance.
7 p.m.
University of Delaware Gore Hall, Room 205
West side of S. College Ave. (between Amstel Ave. & S. Delaware Ave.)
Newark, DE 19711

Send In Your Event Suggestions
Like all civic-minded liberals, we're here to promote democracy and citizen engagement in the political process, especially if there is beer involved. Whether it is or not, forward any area events for the week to the Philly DL organizer by Sunday to have them included in the weekly email.

Help Us Promote DL
Spread the word to your liberal friends to sign up for a group of like-minded people who get together every week to have fun and talk about what's happening in progressive politics right now. Please forward this email to those who might be interested in coming out and Drinking Liberally.

Local Programming: Drinking Liberally South Philly + Philly for Change Meetup

Wednesday, May 6th
Drinking Liberally South Philly
6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
South Philadelphia Tap Room
1509 Mifflin St.
Philadelphia PA 19145
Directions or take the Orange Line to Snyder.

Wednesday, May 6th
Philly for Change Meetup
Philly for Change holds its May meetup on Wednesday night. Attending members will be able to vote on PfC's endorsements for City Controller and Philadelphia judges.
7 p.m.
The Tritone
1508 South Street

Philadelphia, PA

Send In Your Event Suggestions
Like all civic-minded liberals, we're here to promote democracy and citizen engagement in the political process, especially if there is beer involved. Whether it is or not, forward any area events for the week to the Philly DL organizer by Sunday to have them included in the weekly email.

Help Us Promote DL
Spread the word to your liberal friends to sign up for a group of like-minded people who get together every week to have fun and talk about what's happening in progressive politics right now. Please forward this email to those who might be interested in coming out and Drinking Liberally.

Blogfight!

I'm not going to buy the book, but I hope someone else does so I can see what Eric Boehlert says about sexist, Obamaholic "progressive" bloggers. It's good to know that some things never change: liberals fighting liberals.

Update: David Sirota takes the gold medal in the Giant Prick competition:

I note this as an example of deliberately dishonest and slanderous content that I will request a user get banned for, whether that user displays that dishonesty and slander in Quick Hits, in a comment or in a diary. This is a site that respects facts and integrity - when users soil this site with lies that they know are lies, they are hurting the entire community by hurting the community's general credibility.

This is from a front page post at a major liberal blog about a diarist.

Local Programming: Drinking Liberally Center City Tonight 6-10 p.m.

Tuesday, May 5th

Happy Battle of Puebla Day!
Drinking Liberally Center City
6 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Triumph Brewing Co.
117 Chestnut St. (between Front and 2nd Streets)
Philadelphia, PA 19106.
Meet at the upstairs bar.
$3 beers, $4 wine, $5 well drinks all night.
Happy hour food specials: $4 pizza app, half-price burgers.

Triumph Brewery is conveniently SEPTA-accessible via the Market-Frankford El (2nd Street station), all the buses that turn around at or near Penn's Landing (12, 17, 21, 33, 42, 48), and a few other buses that pass nearby (5, 25, 47, 57). Driving directions are here.

Send In Your Event Suggestions
Like all civic-minded liberals, we're here to promote democracy and citizen engagement in the political process, especially if there is beer involved. Whether it is or not, forward any area events for the week to the Philly DL organizer by Sunday to have them included in the weekly email.

Help Us Promote DL
Spread the word to your liberal friends to sign up for a group of like-minded people who get together every week to have fun and talk about what's happening in progressive politics right now. Please forward this email to those who might be interested in coming out and Drinking Liberally.

Local Programming: Seth Williams Volunteer Party Tonight

Monday, May 4th
Seth Williams Volunteer Party
Seth Williams, the leading progressive candidate for Philadelphia District Attorney, is holding a volunteer party and meeting for those who have been involved in his campaign or who are interested in helping out as the May 19th primary approaches. Details here and on Facebook.
7:30 - 10 p.m.
Finnegan's Wake
537 N. 3rd St.
Philadelphia, PA

Local Programming: Zoe Strauss's I-95 Show Sunday 1 p.m.

You should definitely come out tomorrow:

Strauss is self-taught, the first person in her family to graduate from high school. Her work has been compared to that of Walker Evans and Robert Frank, and collected by museums. But her most meaningful show will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. tomorrow under the I-95 overpass at Front and Mifflin, as it has been for the last eight years, 231 new and favorite images affixed to the concrete pillars.

Copies of the photos, as always, are $5 each, one per customer.

This is the penultimate I-95 exhibit. "Ten years, then I think I'll be done," says Strauss, who views the space and the general public's inclusion as integral to the event, the impersonal industrial space juxtaposed with the intimacy of the artist's labor.

I Must Have Missed That Memo

Shorter Michael Kinsley:

Even though Bush denied ordering people to be tortured and covered up the fact that he did, we're all responsible for it because he won the 2004 election. Prosecute yourself first!

Local Programming: Drinking (Coffee) Liberally Mt. Airy Sunday at Noon

Sunday, May 3rd

Drinking (Coffee) Liberally Mt. Airy
Mt. Airy Drinking Liberally meets every Sunday, at noon, at Infusion Coffee + Tea (7133 Germantown Ave.), from noon until 2:00 PM.

Help Us Promote DL
Spread the word to your liberal friends to sign up for a group of like-minded people who get together every week to have fun and talk about what's happening in progressive politics right now. Please forward this email to those who might be interested in coming out and Drinking Liberally.

Poor, Oppressed White Men

Mark Halperin reveals the big problem with Obama replacing Souter with a woman:
I love that the "white man" depicted is from a stock photo site. It doesn't matter to Halperin which white man gets the job, so long as one gets the job.

Souter to Retire

I figured Specter switching was part of a Supreme Court deal, but damn, that was fast.