June of 2012 will see the annual Netroots Nation conference take place in Providence, Rhode Island. For those on the East Coast who've balked at previous conferences: this is your chance to meet people from across the country, whom you can let your hair down with (in my case, both strands of it).
This is an annual political convention for left-of-center people – but it's hard to think of another gathering for Democrats that will offer so much for those not in leadership positions (nor who are major donors). There will be seminars, Congressional leaders, noted authors eager to sign books, sponsored dinners, perhaps an open bar, new documentary films are premiered, roundtable discussions, reporters from newspapers and TV … and for your entry fee, you’re invited to it all.
Again, for those in the Northeast: if you wait for it to be in your own city, you may wait forever. I have attended four of the six conventions so far, myself, and would like to describe why it is worth-your-while. P.S. - former MSNBC host Keith Olbermann is already confirmed as a speaker at next June's gathering.
But first .... well, you-know-the-drill:
Top Comments appears nightly, as a round-up of the best comments on Daily Kos. Surely you come across comments daily that are perceptive, apropos and .. well, perhaps even humorous. But they are more meaningful if they're well-known ... which is where you come in (especially in diaries/stories receiving little attention).
Send your nominations to TopComments at gmail dot com by 9:30 PM Eastern Time nightly, and indicate (a) why you liked the comment, and (b) your Dkos user name (to properly credit you) as well as a link to the comment itself.
Bill Clinton spoke to us at the 2009 event in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and former Vermont governor Howard Dean has spoken at several gatherings (including last year) and we have also had Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Barbara Boxer and others. In addition, I've had a chance to meet General Wesley Clark, the former Nixon aide John Dean and several members of Congress in person. And you'll be shocked, SHOCKED to learn that in the evenings there are numerous attendees .... ummm .... drinking(!) at the hotel bars (or nearby taverns).
The entire 2011 agenda is at this link which you can scroll through - obviously, the keynote speakers and events will not be the same for 2012 (and you can certainly expect more New England/Northeastern elected officials to attend next year).
There is a registration fee for the conference (as the rental for a convention center is not cheap). For next year it is set at $235/person, and will go up as the event draws near.
For those folks for whom that is a bit much (or cannot get off from work for Friday) they do offer day-passes (which usually range around $100) which you could use for, say, Saturday. Just keep in mind that from Friday-Saturday, there is free breakfast and lunch offered (and sometimes dinner and drink events) paid for by sponsors, throughout the day. The first year (2006 in Las Vegas) we were treated to a surprise night out by soon-to-be Virginia senator Mark Warner, with a shrimp bar and other delights. And so after the registration fee, you need not have to reach for your wallet all that often.
And finally – even if you walk in not knowing a soul – you will be able to find kindred spirits quite easily. At Chicago in 2007, I rode in on an airport bus with a retiree from Cape Cod, whose husband could not attend and was apprehensive about attending alone. Sure enough: when we saw each other two days later, she had several business cards of people from her area, and had already been invited to two dinners. The same can happen to you: especially if you attend seminars on subjects close to your heart - "birds of a feather" caucus events especially lead to friendships.
As to next year’s event - you'll like Providence; the Rhode Island Convention Center - which I have attended conferences at before - is directly in-between the two union hotels (the Biltmore and the Westin) in the very heart of downtown. The Biltmore is an older, individualistic grand-dame style of hotel, while the Westin is a more modern style – but having stayed at both, either will meet your needs.
The convention center/hotels are a not-long walk from the Amtrak station (if you have just a wheeled suitcase) or a very short cab ride otherwise - station exterior/interior shown below:
And those hotels are literally just steps from the (outdoor) Kennedy Plaza bus station in the city center. For northern New Englanders: if you have bus service in your area to Boston, just change at the South Street station for a bus to Providence (as Peter Pan Lines has frequent service throughout the day).
You can fly to either Providence or Boston and take the bus from the airport. In each case: just be sure to ask for “Kennedy Plaza” (downtown) as the regular Providence terminal is on the western outskirts of town - Kennedy Plaza (shown below) is the following (and last) stop.
Besides the row-after row of Italian restaurants on Atwells Avenue in Federal Hill (a cab or local bus ride away) there are two brewpubs in downtown – Union Station as well as Trinity Brewhouse – within easy walking distance, and I highly recommend both. Memo to Cheers & Jeers management: these are two prime choices for the annual C&J dinner.
True, this is nine months away - but when you are vacation planning for next year, do give some thought to including this in your travel plans. If you're a political junkie, this is an excellent event to whet your appetite - and especially with the 2012 elections following just a few months later, you'll be at the center of all of it. The Netroots Nation site is at this link and can help you plan out a visit.
Now, on to Top Comments:
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From tardis10:
In the diary by Steven D about the photograph of a woman who is in the 1% yet is standing with the OWS movement, walk2live offers a great detailed response to a RW meme, concluding with: "Donations are for things you want to promote. Taxes are for things we all need to have".
From princesspat:
In the diary by RonK about Conservative Science Denial in Local and National Media: Shockwave has a graph that sadly clarifies the American attitude re: science.
From Psychodrew:
In a diary suggesting that a Mossad (Israeli intelligence agency) conspiracy was behind the plot to assassinate a Saudi diplomat in America, I wrote a snarky comment that I'd heard that Jews built the Titanic ..... and then hikerbiker had an awesome reply!
And from Ed Tracey, your faithful correspondent this evening .... ....
From last night's debate liveblog - darthstar offers this rundown of the GOP hopefuls.
In today's Midday Open Thread commenter Loge likes what he sees from Tennessee GOP Rep. Curry Todd - a major proponent of allowing gun owners to carry firearms in bars (but, alas, arrested for DUI and possession of a handgun while under the influence). "Curry Todd is the first Republican I've seen in a long time who practices what he preaches. He wants to mix guns and liquor and, by God, he means it".
The first time that freshman congressman Joe Walsh (R-IL) made the news for his child non-support: the jokes likening him (to the namesake James Gang/Eagles guitarist and his song titles) flew fast and furious. But in today's diary by Vita Brevis recounting the congressman's latest feeble excuse - there were no attempts at humor. Instead, a frustrated mumtaznepal tells of a friend who lives in Walsh's 8th district, allows that she 'probably voted Republican' in 2008 ..... and has heard nothing of her congressman's scandal. "This is the voter that is electing these people. Completely, 100% uninformed."
Lastly, here is Top Mojo from yesterday .....
1) Bwahahahahaha by LaFeminista — 183
2) She's a good person, by asterkitty — 135
3) Hurm...I beg to differ;) by CatJab — 127
4) Boston's own Henry David Thoreau by coquiero — 122
5) I'm still right by blue aardvark — 113
6) Don't know what to say, other than: by Richard Cranium — 107
7) Tipped for your "Awesomeness" by LaurenMonica — 105
8) Oops. Must not have been the handpicked focus by LamontCranston — 96
9) This is how powerful this #Occupy * * WS is. by BeeDeeS — 94
10) Eh, some of us care about accuracy and truth. eom by Geekesque — 92
11) . by DRo — 92
12) I Was Watching This Week Sunday by webranding — 89
13) I don't hate the 1%... by hillbrook green — 85
14) I will see your tip, and raise you and lol by MinistryOfTruth — 83
15) 'Commonsense solutions for America' by Magnifico — 80
16) what to do about this: by G2geek — 79
17) How shit like this isn't already illegal by psilocynic — 76
18) Reports Of Violence Can Lead To Real Violence by bernardpliers — 69
19) It just goes to show... by CharlieHipHop — 67
20) tipping point ahead by crystal eyes — 67
21) I agree BWAHaHaHaHa!! by MikeTheLiberal — 66
22) Somebody will be along in a minute by Richard Lyon — 65
23) Not to mention he's a real team player by Mogolori — 64
24) I'm glad you mentioned that! by ruleoflaw — 64
25) Be careful, Jesse by NyteByrd1954 — 62
26) Good to know where he stands. Thanks for that. by Hillbilly Dem — 61
27) giving interviews to trusted news outlets by BOHICA — 61
28) Hard working capitalists by Dallasdoc — 61
29) Menino is a Democrat by Magnifico — 60
30) Yes. O'Keefe is a fugitive, basically by MinistryOfTruth — 60