| With a razor-thin majority, Democrats take control of the Senate; US allies breathe a sigh of relief as Biden assumes the presidency. Tonight's Sentences was written by Gabby Birenbaum. | | | | | | | With Ossoff, Padilla, and Warnock seated, the era of a 50-50 Senate begins | | | | | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images | | - Newly inaugurated Vice President Kamala Harris swore in Sens. Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Raphael Warnock (D-GA) on Wednesday, giving Democrats control of 50 Senate seats, with Harris serving as the tiebreaker. [CNN / Alex Rogers]
- With the Senate secured, Democrats now have full control of government for the first time since 2010. [Washington Post / Amy Gardner and Erica Werner]
- Ossoff and Warnock campaigned in Georgia on the promise to achieve Democratic priorities — such as $2,000 individual stimulus checks. Now that they're seated, Democrats have an opportunity to do exactly that. [NBC News / Sahil Kapur]
- The narrow majority leaves no margin for disagreement within the Democratic caucus, giving moderates like Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) lots of political clout. [New Republic / Walter Shapiro]
- Republicans maintain — for now — the threat of the filibuster, which requires 60 votes for most bills to move forward. But Democrats only need 50 votes to pass policy through the budget reconciliation process, which can include much of Biden's stimulus proposals. [Vox / Dylan Matthews]
- The filibuster has become a sticking point in thus-far failed negotiations between new Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to create a power-sharing deal. [The Hill / Jordain Carney]
- Democrats will get control of committee chairmanships and the agenda, with committee membership likely divided evenly between the parties. But with McConnell demanding a promise of filibuster protection before agreeing to a deal, the chamber has not yet set its rules. [Reuters / Susan Cornwell]
- Assuming no internal division, Democrats can confirm Cabinet and judicial nominations without Republican support. [Associated Press / Andrew Taylor]
| | | America's allies welcome the return of a stable administration | | - Leaders around the world, from Germany to Canada to Iran, expressed excitement at the inauguration of President Biden, with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen tweeting, "The United States is back. And Europe stands ready." [Al Jazeera]
- The EU has already invited Biden to a summit, with leaders projecting relief at the return of a partner who can collaborate on the global challenges that the coronavirus pandemic and climate change present. [Associated Press / Lorne Cook]
- Biden is already enjoying higher confidence ratings in France, Germany, and the United Kingdom than President Trump ever held there. [Vox / Jariel Arvin]
- German leaders are hoping to usher in a new era of transatlantic cooperation over enforcing penalties on China, trade agreements, and climate change. [Deutsche Welle]
- While allies were eager to leave the unpredictability of the Trump era behind, Biden cannot erase the international chaos Trump wrought. Rejoining the Paris climate agreement means more than a signature — and countries will wait to see the level to which the US will commit to its goals after years of ignoring them. [CBS News / Mark Phillips]
| | | | | | | President Joe Biden emphasized unity while enumerating the many challenges facing the country in his inaugural address. | | | [Washington Post / Aaron Blake] - Palm Beach officials are weighing whether Trump will be allowed to live permanently at Mar-a-Lago, a potential violation of the club's contract with the town. [Palm Beach Daily News / Andrew Marra]
- Inauguration fashion ranged from floor-length power color coats for Vice President Kamala Harris, first lady Jill Biden, and former first lady Michelle Obama to Sen. Bernie Sanders's quickly memed "practical grandpa" ensemble of an oversize parka and hand-knit mittens. [Vox / Terry Nguyen]
- Residents of Thulasendrapuram — a small village in southern India and the birthplace of Kamala Harris's maternal grandfather — celebrated her inauguration by watching live, cheering, "Long live Kamala Harris!" and setting off fireworks. [Associated Press / Rishi Lekhi and Aijaz Rahi]
| | | | | "I know the forces that divide us are deep and they are real. But I also know they are not new. Our history has been a constant struggle between the American ideal that we are all created equal, and the harsh, ugly reality that racism, nativism, fear, demonization have long torn us apart." | | | | | | | | | | |
Vox's Nisha Chittal walks us through Kamala Harris's background and explains why Americans still struggle to talk about multiracial people. [Spotify / Nisha Chittal] | | | | | | | | |  | This email was sent to edwardlorilla1986.paxforex@blogger.com. Manage your email preferences, or unsubscribe to stop receiving all emails from Vox. If you value Vox's unique explanatory journalism, support our work with a one-time or recurring contribution. Vox Media, 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036.
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