I dig a good beer and a heated political debate. And I found a spot to do both — at the same time.



There is a rising national progressive movement that is taking over spots for those folks politically left of the center to meet and plot to take over the world. One local arm of this revolution, Drink Liberally, meets at the Hub.



Though drinking liberally is nothing novel in the fine city of Tacoma, Drinking Liberally is. Conceived in 2003 by two friends in New York as a means for young Democrats to talk politics over a pint, the organization has flowed across the country ever since; some 230 DL chapters have fermented in 45 states.



The rotating Drinking Liberally venues has found a permanent home at The Hub every second and fourth Wednesday of each month, beginning at 7 p.m., hosted by Melissa Thompson and Traci Kelly.  Drop by this Wednesday and chat about the politics of the day, whether it’s the stimulus package, health care or the role the presidential dog selection will have on the White House’s ability to form a working partnership with Republicans.



Since more than a few dozen liberals attend these events, there have been a few Republicans in the crowd to not so much debate the merits of the ruling party’s platform as just chatter about politics, community and down a few cold ones.



If you go, you will likely not be able to tell the operatives from those who drank the liberal Kool-aid. I speculated that the Dems in the crowd would be drinking wheat brews, hefs and organic pales to go along with their optimistic outlook with their party finding its footing after wandering in the wilderness for the last eight years, while the elephant-tie wearers would be drinking the darker stuff to get themselves from sober to not so sober as soon as possible to mask the pain of the last election. Apparently I was wrong. There have been Republicans seen drinking a hef or two and even spotted laughing at previous events. Stereotypes apparently aren’t ironclad.



“I don’t know if there is too much difference between what Republicans drink and what Democrats drink,” Hub General Manager Jason Gatliff says. “It is just a great group of people who get together to talk and exchange ideas and perspectives. I think the drinking helps that out a lot. I haven’t seen it get too heated.”



But there is a lot of laughter and political joke telling. The Tacoma events are hosted by Melissa Thompson and Traci Kelly (co-host of “Equal Time for the Progressive Side,” a political radio show on KLAY 1180 AM, equaltimeradio. org, as well as a member of the National Women’s Political Caucus and Pierce County Democrats.



There, of course, is also a chapter in Thurston County. It meets at 7 p.m. on the first and third Monday of the month at Bally Hoo Irish Pub & Restaurant, 316 Schmidt Place in Tumwater, across from the former Olympia Brewing plant. This one is hosted by Bruce Lund and Barry Piercy.



Learn more about liberal gatherings in Tacoma and the free world by going to the mother ship at livingliberally.org.



[The Hub, second and fourth Wednesday, 7 p.m., 203 Tacoma Ave. S., Tacoma, 253.683.4601]