Howard Dean’s presidential bid may have fizzled in 2004, but Democracy for America is still alive and kicking. The local chapter, aptly titled Democracy for Utah, still meets monthly and maintains an excellent blog and calendar.

D4U’s president, Carrie Ulrich, visited DL last night and told us about a weekend training workshop put together by Democracy for America. DFA is trying to ensure that we continue to elect progressive leaders in 2007 and beyond. The training if for anyone involved in a progressive group, running for office, working to elect someone, local activists, and grassroots supporters.

Visit Democracy for Utah’s website for more information or www.dfalink.com/uttraining to RSVP and pay online.

The Nation magazine is looking for submissions for a new book that will serve as the coast-to-coast guide to progressive America.  Your submissions will help your fellow liberals passing through, as well as help Utah fight that backward, borderline-southern state reputation we have.  Ok, maybe it won’t help our reputation - not with our legislature doing everything in their power to keep that reputation.
From the folks at The Nation:

“The book will identify all manner of unique, offbeat things: Chicago’s finest political saloons and San Francisco’s neighborly coffee houses; where to find fair-traded coffee beans; green markets, slow foods and anti-fast-food activists; humane-raised meats; radical, feminist, gay and African-American bookshops and clubs; feminist erotica, consenting-adult sex clubs and singles clubs for politically committed people; music stores, festivals and venues; progressive summer camps and play groups; anti-sweatshop organizations and non-exploitive clothing makers; progressive realtors, therapists, ministers, rabbis, undertakers and cemeteries; community radio stations, liberal commentators and talk shows; a Left-Thumbed Guide to the Blogosphere; writers rooms, writers unions, writers programs and writers retreats; alternate energy sources, and cohousing developments; activist churches, mosques and temples; real alternative weeklies, socially zines; left history tours and tourists.

“Being that we’re talking to Drinking Liberally, it would also be good to get people to nominate their meeting place for our social section, but they would need to justify why their bar should be included above and beyond the fact that DL meets there X nights a month — for instance: the bartender/owner is an vet with anti-Bush views  and every local protest march ends here, or it’s rumored that Dylan stopped in for a drink on his way to play the cotton fields of Mississippi, or this is the first bar to host integrated music nights, or some storied bit of liberal folklore, you get the point.”

Our very own Salt Lake City mayor has been in the national news a lot lately. His calls for impeachment have been publicly vocal since his August 30th speech at the City/County building peace rally. Later he took on “Fox and Friends”.

Rocky then gave speeches in Washington D.C. and Washington State, as well as back here in SLC laying his case for impeachment at every turn.

Then there was the whole Hannity fracas in which Rocky was set to appear on “Hannity and Colmes”, but Rocky was canceled at essentially the last minute. Hannity said he would debate Rocky any time and would even come out to Salt Lake to do it, but has since been looking for any excuse not to debate.

Rocky took on Bill O’Reilly, and by all accounts came out looking like the bigger man.

At this rate, Rocky could soon become a household name outside of Utah.

The number of Salt Lake liberals subscribed to our e-mail list has grown  by leaps and bounds - nearly 400 at last count.  With so many new members we felt it was time to find out what the state of our little union is.

We’ve created a short, ten question survey where you can anonymously tell us what you like and what you don’t like about DL SLC - even if you’ve never been out to a meet-up.

Please take a couple minutes to let us know what you think at: http://drinkingliberallyslc.org/2007-survey/index.php?sid=1

There are two pages of questions; after you finish the second page, don’t forget to click “Submit”. Once you’ve finished, go ahead and celebrate your little accomplishment by pouring yourself a favorite drink.

One of my favorite drinks from our recent Liberal Mixer was Mike’s “Shock & Awe”; and he even wrote up a little description for the drink which I thought made the drink that much better: