Change of Venue

Hi Paradisiacs!

via Dawn, our Drinking Liberally guru:

Well folks, it appears that New World Brewery has a DJ that's starting around 9pm tommorrow night. The sound checks usually start around 8pm, and it's difficult to poke fun at Republicans with all that noise in the background.

So I figure we'll just meet at 8pm at Tampa Bay Brewing Company instead. It's right around the corner from New World and the address is 1812 N. 15th Street. We've got a big 'ol table reserved in the upstairs section of Tampa Bay Brewing Company, so bring your friends, family members, evil twins and invisible friends.

See you all there!

And, regarding my previous post, Steve Clemons @ The Washington Note (via Markos, Atrios, Jeralyn, Josh, etc.):

An uber-insider source has just reported the following to TWN (since confirmed by another independent source):

1. 1-5 indictments are being issued. The source feels that it will be towards the higher end.

2. The targets of indictment have already received their letters.

3. The indictments will be sealed indictments and "filed" tomorrow.

4. A press conference is being scheduled for Thursday.

The shoe is dropping.

Hah! Just in time for Tampa's own Drinking Liberally!

Perfect Timing

Atrios links to this Reuters story:

Lawyers in CIA-leak case say charges possible this week

By Adam Entous

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Federal prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald appears to be laying the groundwork for indictments this week over the outing of a covert CIA operative, including possible charges of perjury and obstruction of justice, lawyers involved in case said on Sunday.

Top administration officials are expected to learn from Fitzgerald as early as Monday whether they will face charges as the prosecutor winds up his nearly two-year investigation, the lawyers said.

Fitzgerald could convene the grand jury as early as Tuesday to lay out a final summary of the case and ask for approval of possible indictments, legal sources said. The grand jury hearing the CIA leak case normally meets on Wednesdays and is scheduled to expire on Friday unless Fitzgerald extends it.

Fitzgerald's investigation has focused largely on Karl Rove, President George W. Bush's top political adviser, and Lewis Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, and their conversations about CIA operative Valerie Plame with reporters in June and July of 2003.

Her identity was leaked to the media after her diplomat husband, Joseph Wilson, challenged the Bush administration's prewar intelligence on Iraq. The White House initially denied that Rove and Libby were involved in any way in the leak.

Asked whether he was taking part in a final round of discussions with the prosecutor's office, Rove's attorney, Robert Luskin, said: "I'm just not going to comment on any possible interactions with Fitzgerald."

Atrios is hoping the announcement of any indictments is made on Tuesday simply because the Philly Drinking Liberally group is meeting that night. However, we all know Patrick Fitgerald is waiting until Wednesday because our Tampa Drinking Liberally group is meeting THAT night, October 26, 2005 at 8pm at New World Brewery at 1313 E 8th Ave in Ybor City. There's free parking on both sides of the building and Wednesdays at New World are "Blue Moon Wednesdays." A pint of Blue Moon Belgian White Ale is only $2.50. The hefe weizen is another good choice.

Hope to see you all there!

A tax by any other name...

Talking about Tax

Ian Welsh @ BOP points to an article about Canadian taxes by Linda McQuaig @ The Toronto Star

his conclusion:

The same thing, by the way, is true of the US - at the current time the US system is either a flat tax one, or slightly regressive. People who try and tell you that the rich pay more taxes as a percentage of their income (never mind wealth) are simply lying to you; they are attempting to make income tax into all taxes.

For the past thirty odd years the privileged have gotten richer and everyone else in the US has treaded water in terms of income, while taking on more and more debt. The picture in Canada is better, but not a lot better.

But if you take one thing away from this article I would ask that it is this: never, ever, allow anyone to act as if income tax is the only tax and anytime someone does, know that you are dealing with someone who is lying to you..