:: Senate votes 52-42 to release the remaining TARP funds to Obama.
“WASHINGTON — President-elect Barack Obama’s economic agenda advanced rapidly in Congress on Thursday as the Senate voted to release the second half of the financial industry bailout fund and House Democrats unveiled an $825 billion fiscal recovery plan aimed at putting millions of unemployed Americans back to work.
The Senate action, by a vote of 52 to 42, spares Mr. Obama a messy legislative fight just as he takes office and gives him a $350 billion war chest to further stabilize the financial sector.”Source: NYT
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:: Palin, the deeply ugly twit, snubs Obama.
Be sure to read the Mother Jones article.
I am working on a new article re Sarah Palin, that covers this, as well as all the other stuff going on around her now. It will also include the post that I once retracted on Inspire Emotion, titled "Sarah Palin to Friends - "So Sambo beat the bitch!"". Why? I do not want to have to deal with this woman in 2010, 2012, or any other year. We need to defeat her NOW.
“On the night before Barack Obama is sworn in as the nation's 44th President, his inaugural committee will host a series of dinners honoring public servants it deems champions of bipartisanship. To be feted are Vice President-elect Joe Biden, Colin Powell, and John McCain, whom Obama vanquished last November. At the McCain dinner, the GOP senator, who managed to suppress his bipartisan tendencies during the hard-fought 2008 campaign, will be introduced by one of his closest Senate confidants: Senator Lindsey Graham. But McCain's No. 1 booster during the last year will not be among those hailing McCain. Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, his controversial running-mate, will not attend the dinner, Bill McAllister, a Palin spokesman tells Mother Jones.”Source: Mother Jones
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:: Hillary Clinton confirmed in committee as the next Secretary of State, with the Democrats remarking that her leadership "would mark a turn from warfare toward diplomacy".
Her confirmation now requires a full Senate vote, but she is expected to be easily confirmed there too.
“The 16-1 approval by the committee paves the way for a full Senate vote after President-elect Barack Obama takes office on Jan. 20. Clinton is not expected to hit any major roadblocks, with Republicans and Democrats alike praising her acumen on the issues.”Source: HUFFPOST
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:: A novel concept: citizen activism acted upon by the White House.
On change.gov, the transition team has launched a new project, "Citizen's Briefing Book". The premise is rather extraordinary, and certainly unprecedented in the annals of American history.You must read the full article, and check out Citizen's Briefing Book for yourself.
“The venture aimed to create a virtual white paper, authored by engaged citizens, to pitch ideas to the incoming administration. Topics that were voted the most popular would make there way to Obama's desk.
As lines of Oval Office communication go, the concept is certainly novel. There are, usually, very few avenues by which individuals can directly engage the president. The Obama team is seeking to not only open up that the pipeline of communication but democratize it as well.
On Wednesday, the president-elect's team took the next logical step in the process: posting a video reply to some of the more popular suggestions made by website viewers. In a nearly four-minute YouTube clip, chair-designee for the White House Council on Environmental Quality Nancy Sutley, addressed issues on green jobs, mass transit and energy efficiencies.”Source: New York Magazine
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:: Right-wing TIME columnist calls Obama supporters "creepy" in issue to hit stands tomorrow.
What a biased, asinine, right-wing HACK. And the GOP whines incessantly about "liberal media bias". *rolling eyes*
“Ramesh Ponnuru, the rightwing Time columnist, writes in the issue coming tomorrow that Obama zealots “are probably harmless,” but “they sure can be creepy.” He explains, “There is no recent analogue to the madness—er, hopefulness—that has seized Obama’s fans. Some journalists have been comparing him with F.D.R. and even Lincoln … Conservatives harrumph at all this adulation. Before declaring his greatness, we insist that we should wait for him to accomplish something for the country … In some of his supporters, we see the spectacle of secular-minded folk looking for a messiah. … This fever will break because that’s what fevers do. Its sufferers are probably harmless. They sure can be creepy, though.””Source: Greg Mitchell - E & P Pub
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:: Congress to vote on the release of the remaining $350 billion in TARP funds today.
This is the vote that Obama has threatened to veto if it is not approved. Although the media has made it sound as though there is not enough support for Obama in this vote, I think that he will easily achieve a victory here.
“If Obama wins the release of the second half of that fund Thursday, it will be in part because Bush's economic advisers aren't making the pitch again.
Instead, it is Obama's economic team that has fanned out across the Capitol. Their lobbying effort culminated in a closed-door meeting Wednesday between Senate Republicans, top Obama economic adviser Larry Summers and incoming White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel.
"These folks have much more credibility already than Secretary Paulson," Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., said, referring to the Bush administration's treasury secretary, Henry Paulson.”Source: HUFFPOST
AP photo by Charles Dharapak
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:: Former head of faith-based initiatives for Gov. Ted Strickland arrested on morals charges.
Eric McFadden was arrested yesterday on morals charges that once again shed the light on the hypocrisy of the religious politicians.
“Gov. Ted Strickland's former director of faith-based initiatives faces seven felony prostitution charges, including some involving minors, according to Franklin County Jail records.”Source: Dayton Daily News
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:: January 15 on Media Matters: 
- Fox News' Kilmeade wondered if Browner will "have a hard time getting confirmed" -- but position doesn't require confirmation
- On Morning Joe, Buchanan did not acknowledge Bush official's reason for saying U.S. military tortured detainee
- CNN's Brown, Yellin ignore Republican senators' support for Geithner
- Hannity criticized gay Episcopal bishop for "partisan hatred," but called partisan Rev. Falwell a "very dear friend"
- MSNBC continues to host Hitchens to target the Clintons
