memeorandum: A rising GOP star in Santa Fe (Michael Haederle/Los Angeles Times)

11:30 AM ET, January 2, 2011

Top Items:

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: In The Arena, DownWithTyranny!, Daily Kos, Prairie Weather, 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 …

Barry Massey / Associated Press:

Martinez becomes NM gov as new year starts — SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Republican Susana Martinez has claimed her place in history as New Mexico's first female governor, taking office with the start of the new year. — Martinez, 51, formally became governor during a private ceremony at midnight in the Capitol Rotunda.

Discussion: BizzyBlog and NewsBusters.org

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: NewsBusters.org blogs, Pirate's Cove and ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/*

Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:

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: Prairie Weather

Daily Mail:

Woman, 41, drowns trying to drive across flooded road as natural disaster in Australia reaches ‘biblical proportions’ — A woman drowned after trying to cross a flooded causeway in Australia, becoming the first victim of relentless flooding that one official has described as reaching ‘biblical proportions,’ police said today.

Discussion: Crooked Timber

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: Balloon Juice, The Impolitic, Washington Post, CNN and Prairie Weather

SusanAnne Hiller / Hot Air:

Video: Kirsten Powers says Bush 2008 veto of bill with end-of-life provision “not true” — Good stuff. When you tell a liberal the truth they recoil in disbelief. Seriously. — Just watch Kirsten Powers and her disbelief in this interview when the bomb is dropped about 6:00 in.

Discussion: The Greenroom and Conservatives4Palin

BREITBART.COM:

Chavez, Clinton chat at Brazil inauguration — Despite a simmering diplomatic row, President Hugo Chavez and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton were seen having a brief, friendly chat Saturday at the inauguration of Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff. — “They talked and smiled, at least for five minutes.

Discussion: Outside the Beltway, Weasel Zippers, Nice Deb and Dr. Orly Taitz Esquire

N. Gregory Mankiw / New York Times:

How to Break Bread With the Republicans — DEAR President Obama: — Sorry to bother you. I know you are busy. But I have the sense that you could use a few words of advice. — In a matter of days, Republicans will control the House of Representatives and have a larger voting bloc in the Senate.

Discussion: Washington Monthly and Greg Mankiw's Blog

Barak Ravid / Haaretz:

U.S. officials: Barak ‘deceived’ us about his role in peace process — Sources tell Haaretz that Clinton and Obama feel Defense Minister exaggerated about his ability to ‘nudge Netanyahu toward an agreement with the Palestinians’. — The U.S. administration is furious with Defense Minister Ehud Barak …

Discussion: Israel Matzav

James Risen / New York Times:

Several Warnings, Then a Soldier's Lonely Death — WASHINGTON — A gentle snow fell on the funeral of Staff Sgt. David Senft at Arlington National Cemetery on Dec. 16, when his bitterly divided California family came together to say goodbye. His 5-year-old son received a flag from a grateful nation.