memeorandum: ‘Nostradamus’ of Middle East predicts unprecedented crisis for Obama in 2011 (Bridget Johnson/The Hill)

4:50 PM ET, January 2, 2011

Top Items:

GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS ON REPEAL.... At least we know what one of the first bills to receive a vote will be in the new House. … Maybe so. But there's almost certainly a realization on everyone's part that House Republicans are doing this for show. If passed, their repeal measure …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Agence France Presse, Washington Post, The Huffington Post, No More Mister Nice Blog and Prairie Weather

Bridget Johnson / The Hill:

Healthcare repeal bill coming before Obama's annual address — The incoming chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee said Sunday that Republicans will bring up a healthcare repeal measure before President Obama even delivers his State of the Union address this month.

Discussion: Outside the Beltway, Right Pundits and Weasel Zippers

Kendra Marr / The Politico: House GOP plans two-pronged assault on health law

Gschwarzcnn / CNN:

TRENDING: GOPer calls Obama administration ‘corrupt’ — (CNN) - The incoming House Oversight and Government Reform chairman on Sunday tried to clarify his recent remarks to Rush Limbaugh where he called President Obama “one of the most corrupt presidents in modern times.”

Discussion: Cubachi and skippy the bush kangaroo

Mike Lillis / The Hill:

Issa says he won't investigate White House job offer to Sestak — The incoming chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said Sunday that he won't investigate the Obama administration for offering a job to a Democratic House member to keep him out of a Senate race.

Discussion: Ben Smith's Blog, The Politico, CNN and Taegan Goddard's …

Bridget Johnson / The Hill:

New GOP lawmaker gets first taste of clash with House Dems — An incoming Republican freshman got a taste of his Democratic opposition in the House before the 112th Congress even convened. — Rep.-elect Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) appeared on “Face the Nation” Sunday with Tea Party favorite Michele Bachmann …

Discussion: The Politico

Imtiyaz Delawala / ABCNEWS:

Goolsbee to Tea Party: ‘Playing Chicken’ With Debt Ceiling Vote is ‘Insanity’ — Forcing Country into Default Would Create ‘Financial Economic Crisis’ Worse Than 2008 — President Obama's top economic advisor, Austan Goolsbee, warned today against “playing chicken” with raising the country's debt ceiling …

Discussion: Outside the Beltway

Jimmy So / CBS News:
House Will Have Tough Time With Bipartisanship

Discussion: Little Green Footballs

Kate Zernike / New York Times:

Tea Party Activists Angry at G.O.P. Leaders — As Tea Party politicians prepare to take their seats when the 112th Congress convenes this week, they are already taking issue with Republicans for failing to hold the line against the flurry of legislation enacted in the waning weeks …

Discussion: Little Green Footballs, Left Coast Rebel, Outside the Beltway, Balloon Juice, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Mediaite, Prairie Weather, The Impolitic, CNN, Washington Post, AMERICAblog News and Newsweek

Bridget Johnson / The Hill:

‘Nostradamus’ of Middle East predicts unprecedented crisis for Obama in 2011 — The Middle East's answer to Nostradamus said that President Obama will be confronted with situations “never faced by previous presidents” in 2011. — Michel Hayek, who delivered his predictions live on New Year's Eve …

and breaking:
Millions tune in for 2011 predictions

Discussion: Scared Monkeys

Nicholas D. Kristof / New York Times:

Equality, a True Soul Food — John Steinbeck observed that “a sad soul can kill you quicker, far quicker, than a germ.” — That insight, now confirmed by epidemiological studies, is worth bearing in mind at a time of such polarizing inequality that the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans possess …

Discussion: protein wisdom, JustOneMinute, NewsBusters.org blogs, Pirate's Cove, ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/* and The Moderate Voice

Joe Camel / The Blaze:

IT'S JOBS, STUPID: DNC CHAIR KAINE ADMITS OBAMA WAS TOO BUSY WITH WARS AND OBAMACARE TO CARE ABOUT AMERICAN JOBS — How can these folks say anything with a straight face to the American public? — Report Post » — Log in to Reply — NUTTYVET — “Stopped one of them”?

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit, Hot Air, Weasel Zippers and The Right Scoop

Kevin McKeough / Chicago Tribune:

Chuck Berry falls ill during Chicago show, but refuses hospital — (Joel Wintermantle for the Chicago Tribune / January 1, 2011) — About an hour into a rapidly-deteriorating concert at the Congress Theater Saturday night, Chuck Berry slumped over an accompanist's keyboard before being helped offstage.

Discussion: EW.com, Althouse and TMZ.com

New York Post:

Topics — Ahhh more hard taxpayer money at work. — bloombergwantsavictorymosque — Q: Why was Obama so disappointed when he went to a screening of The Men Who Stare at Goats? — A: Being a Muslim, he thought there would be more romance. — Uncommon Sense — Business as usual in the rotten Big Apple.

Discussion: Cubachi, Gothamist, Liberty Pundits Blog, JammieWearingFool and Outside the Beltway

Michael Powell / New York Times:

Public Workers Facing Outrage as Budget Crises Grow — FLEMINGTON, N.J. — Ever since Marie Corfield's confrontation with Gov. Chris Christie this fall over the state's education cuts became a YouTube classic, she has received a stream of vituperative e-mails and Facebook postings.

Discussion: Left in the West, First Draft, DownWithTyranny!, In The Arena, Prairie Weather, Daily Kos, naked capitalism and THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS

Michael Haederle / Los Angeles Times:

A rising GOP star in Santa Fe — New Mexico's first Latina governor, Susana Martinez, faces an array of stiff budget challenges when she takes office. — New Mexico Gov.-elect Susana Martinez, right, with Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, is a rising star in national Republican circles …