1/9 Roundup: Dissent in the Ranks, Missiles and Bombs, BO Won't Part with his Blackberry

Leader: Dissent in the Ranks

- Nancy Pelosi anticipates a House vote on Barack Obama's stimulus a week after inauguration, but despite Obama's speech pushing the plan yesterday, it's far from clear that he'll even have the full support of his own party. Some Senate Democrats complained that the package is not aggressive enough, and many take issue with the significant portion of the proposal devoted to tax cuts. 

- John Kerry, for one, doesn't object to the tax cuts so much as he thinks they're a lower priority than some other spending objectives that have been left out. Barney Frank agrees: "I have some difference because I think they may be doing too much tax-cutting and not enough direct spending from the standpoint of immediate job creation."

- Paul Krugman also thinks the plan falls short. In an occasionally wonky but excellent piece, he says the plan isn't nearly big enough.

Economy

- Tim Geithner is getting ready to retool the financial bailout, most notably by expanding TARP to cover small businesses, municipalities, and homeowners.  He may establish a bureau within his Treasury department to oversee TARP.

- Meanwhile, on the Hill, senators were negotiating with Citigroup on a deal that would permit bankruptcy judges to renegotiate mortgages in situations where the mortgage costs more than the house. This is an important step toward keeping people in their homes.

Politics

- In 2010, Sen. Kit Bond is done.  The race to replace is already begun.

- William Lynn, a former Undersecretary for Defense, and presently a VP at Raytheon, will serve as Robert Gates' deputy Secretary of Defense.

International

- A large roadside bomb in Afghanistan killed 18 people near Kandahar province, including five American soldiers. GeneralDavid Petraeus spoke in Washington yesterday, arguing that a major,sustained military push is needed in Afghanistan to prevent the countryfrom spiraling out of control and into violence.

- The UN and international aid groups have continued their criticism of Israel, saying they have not been able to reach injured civilians. Several aid workers have been killed, causing those same groups to curtail their activities. Also, this eerie account of an injured Palestinian fighter seeing paradise and martyrdom in the misery around him is a must-read.

- Ukraine agreed to let Russian inspectors monitor the westward flow of gas, and Moscow agreed to turn the nozzles back on.  A whole lot of Eastern Europeans will be warmer this weekend.

One More Thing

- Regarding his blackberry, Obama to Secret Service: You can pry it from my cold dead hands.

- News Flash: Belgians are lazy.

- Last, if you're like me, this will make you giggle: