The Senate carved out an exception to a decades-old rule that requires a supermajority of senators — 21 of the 31 — to bring bills up for floor debate.The move is intended to ease the passage later in the session of a politically divisive voter ID bill.

The exception will allow a simple majority of 16 senators to start debate on that single issue only, which requires voters to show government-issued photo identification before casting ballots at the polls. The change was supported by 18 senators, all Republicans, and opposed by 12 Democrats and one Republican.

President-elect Obama believes that we, as Americans, have a responsibility to help our communities and fellow citizens. In summoning a new spirit of service, he is calling on us to make an enduring commitment to our neighborhoods. On Martin Luther King Day, Monday, January 19th, President-elect Obama has encouraged all Americans to participate in some type of service in their community.

Linda from the FLA Politics-blog writes about her plans to pay forward.

President-elect Barack Obama’s economic recovery plan ran into crossfire from his own party in Congress on Thursday, suggesting that quick passage of spending programs and tax cuts could require more time and negotiation than Democrats once hoped.

digby from Hullabaloo refers to that matter:

we saw that he’s going to be lead liberal kabuki dancer in the revival the Democratic musical comedy called “How To Succeed In the Village Without Really Trying.

Michael Rubens Bloomberg is an American businessman and politician, and the current Mayor of New York City. He is currently listed on the Forbes 400 as the eighth-richest American, with a net worth of US$20 billion, as the founder and 92% owner of Bloomberg L.P., a financial software services company. A lifelong Democrat before seeking elective office, Bloomberg switched his registration in 2001 and ran for mayor as a Republican, winning the election that year and a second term in 2005.

The Kentucky democrat posted a video of Mayor Bloomberg talking to the CNN about what is going on overseas.

We need more folks like Mayor Bloomberg and Neal Lazarus on the cable news channels daily to give them the facts.

According to Mary L. Dudziak from the Balkinization-blog Barak Obama has announced a plan to stimulate the economy by creating 2.5 million jobs over the next two years. According to Mary L. Dudziak from the Balkinization-blog over 1000 historians have sent a letter to President-Elect Barack Obama, urging him to keep gender equity in mind, particularly in light of the way women were often left out.