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Obama weighs major reshuffling of staff — As President Obama returns from Hawaii, he is weighing a major reshuffling of his staff that could see as many as eight people playing new key roles in the weeks ahead, Democrats familiar with the process said. — Obama has been mulling for months …
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The Fix, Raw Story, Federal Eye, National Review, Hot Air, The Daily Caller, The Impolitic and THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS
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White House shakeup could mean Robert Gibbs exit — Administration officials — who long denied that President Barack Obama was planning a major housecleaning in the wake of the disastrous 2010 midterms — aren't pushing back anymore. — Senior adviser David Axelrod has already announced his departure …
Discussion:
Outside the Beltway, Weasel Zippers and CNN


Watchdog fired by Obama loses appeals case
Discussion:
Politics Daily and The Other McCain

Obama Considering Chamber of Commerce Insider for Top White House Post
Discussion:
Big Government, Swampland, msnbc.com, The Huffington Post, Crooks and Liars, Salon, Ezra Klein, The Daily Caller and Daily Kos


As Boehner Ascends, His Power Comes With Caveats — WASHINGTON — Representative John A. Boehner of Ohio is set to complete a remarkable political revival Wednesday when he becomes the 61st speaker of the House, placing him squarely at the crossroads between the desires of conservative activists …
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The Politico, CNN, Hotline On Call, The Reid Report, The Caucus and New York Magazine
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Theater Audience Boos Tea Party Billionaire David Koch — David Koch masks his role as one of the top financiers of the Tea Party movement and pro-polluter front groups by loudly tacking his name to more laudable charities, like the New York city ballet. Koch, who has professed his devotion to …

Congress to Return With G.O.P. Vowing to Alter Rules
Discussion:
The Politico

Republicans Lower Goal for Cuts to Budget — WASHINGTON — Many people knowledgeable about the federal budget said House Republicans could not keep their campaign promise to cut $100 billion from domestic spending in a single year. Now it appears that Republicans agree.
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Washington Monthly and Outside the Beltway
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Report: House GOP backing away from promise to cut $100 billion in spending this year? — Their excuse will be that the fiscal year, which began on October 1, will already be almost half over by the time the budgetary resolution that was passed during the lame duck runs out in March.
Discussion:
The Hill, No More Mister Nice Blog, Flopping Aces, National Review and Patterico's Pontifications

In House, new Republican majority plans to act fast to undo Obama's agenda
Discussion:
The Caucus and The Other McCain

Speaker Pelosi Leaves With a Whopper — At her final press conference as House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said, “Deficit reduction has been a high priority for us. It is our mantra, pay-as-you-go.” — The numbers tell a different story. — When the Pelosi Democrats took control …
Discussion:
TigerHawk, Weasel Zippers and Doug Ross
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Exclusive: President Michele Bachmann? — Sources: Tea Party Favorite Is Mulling a Presidential Bid in 2012 — Forget the fervent chatter speculating that Tea Party favorite Rep. Michele Bachmann is considering launching a campaign to challenge Sen. Amy Klobuchar for the Minnesota U.S. Senate seat …
Discussion:
Outside the Beltway and GOP 12

Rep. King blasts critics, defends hearing on homegrown terror — The incoming chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee lambasted The New York Times on Tuesday while defending his planned hearings on the radicalization of Muslims living in the U.S. — Two days after the Times questioned …
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers, Nice Deb and JammieWearingFool
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Rep. Peter King has ‘nothing but contempt’ for New York Times
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The Daily Caller, HotAirPundit and New York Magazine

Boehner fires back at Dem senators with vow to push forward with repeal — Incoming House Speaker John Boehner's office (R-Ohio) pointedly vowed on Tuesday to push ahead with legislation repealing healthcare reform. — Boehner's office responded to a letter sent by the Senate's top five Democrats …
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Boehner to livestream opening day of new Congress on Facebook
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The Politico, gopleader.gov, JOSHUAPUNDIT, Gawker, RedState, Ben Smith's Blog, ReadWriteWeb, Mediaite, sisu and Washington Post, more at Techmeme »

A power grab that the GOP avoided — When the 112th Congress convenes Wednesday, some of us will be thinking back to a vote that occurred 15 years earlier to the day. Just two months after securing a congressional majority for the first time in 40 years, Republicans strode into the Senate chamber …
Discussion:
Ezra Klein, U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander, Right Turn, The Daily Caller, Swampland, Wonk Room, Blogcritics, msnbc.com, TPMDC, The Plum Line, The Hill and PostPartisan
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Eric Cantor: Health Care Repeal Will Happen Because “It Was Litigated …
Discussion:
The Plum Line, Daily Kos, Balloon Juice and Washington Monthly

‘Cut and grow’ is new mantra of incoming House GOP majority
Discussion:
The Politico


With New Heart Pump, Cheney Resumes Old Life — By LAWRENCE K. ALTMAN, HELENE COOPER and MICHAEL D. SHEAR — WASHINGTON — A few days before Christmas, former Vice President Dick Cheney emerged from several months of a self-imposed political sabbatical to headline a fund-raiser for Maria Cino …
Discussion:
ABCNEWS, Runnin' Scared, Prairie Weather, Oliver Willis and New York Magazine


Feds, DA offices open probe into botched blizzard cleanup: sources — The feds have opened a criminal investigation into allegations that city employees conspired to paralyze the city during last week's blizzard by failing to remove the snow, authorities confirmed today.
Discussion:
CBS New York, JammieWearingFool and Gawker
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Q.&A. With Gov. Mitch Daniels — Following are excerpts of my recent interview with Mitch Daniels, the Republican governor of Indiana: — Q. ... what is it that government essentially does too much of now? What's the common theme here of things that you can get government to stop doing without adversely affecting people's lives?
Discussion:
New York Times

Prop 8: 9th Circuit Appears Ready to Grant Proponents Standing to Appeal — The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals today issued a “ruling” of sorts on the appeal of Judge Vaughn Walker's ruling that found Prop 8 to be unconstitutional*. The “ruling” was actually a certification of a question …
Discussion:
Daily Kos, Taylor Marsh and Pam's House Blend
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9th Circuit Sends Prop. …
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San Francisco Chronicle, Ric's Rulez, Outside the Beltway, Patterico's Pontifications and Althouse

111th Congress Averaged 25% Approval, Among Recent Lowest — Pelosi has presided over least popular Congresses of past two decades — PRINCETON, NJ — The 111th Congress received an average 25% approval rating from Americans over the course of 2009 and 2010.
Discussion:
National Review


Napolitano circumspect on Israeli air tips for U.S — (Reuters) - Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano played down on Tuesday prospects of adopting Israeli-style aviation security in response to protests at intrusive patdowns and screenings at American airports.
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers and Israel Matzav
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API: Study shows path to job growth and more government revenue — Increased access to domestic oil and natural gas—rather than increased taxes on the U.S. oil and natural gas industry—is the best strategy for increasing government revenue, jobs and energy production, a new study by Wood Mackenzie concludes.
Discussion:
Questions and Observations, CNSNews and Washington Wire

Poll: Christie Ahead Of Obama Among GOP Hopefuls — TRENTON, N.J. (CBSNewYork) — In a hypothetical field of 2012 Republican presidential candidates, the only one who would beat President Barack Obama is New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, according to a new Zogby International poll.
Discussion:
Zogby, Paul Mulshine and Weigel


Santorum Takes Aim at Romney, Palin — Former Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., at a Capitol Hill coffee shop, trying to give a jolt to his presidential ambitions. — Rick Santorum the senator didn't shy from controversy. Apparently, neither will Rick Santorum the presidential candidate.
Discussion:
The Fix, The Moderate Voice, Writes Like She Talks, Hot Air, Public Policy Polling, The Daily Caller, GOP 12 and Taegan Goddard's …

Man charged with killing 2 — MIAMI (WSVN) — A man confessed to murdering two men after he was arrested for burglary. — Miami-Dade Police arrested 21-year-old Matthew Guzman, who was charged with two counts of first-degree murder. — According to police, Guzman shot …
Discussion:
Alan Colmes' Liberaland


G.O.P. Asks Businesses Which Rules to Rewrite — WASHINGTON — Companies spend millions of dollars each year complaining to Congress about burdensome laws and regulations, pressing their concerns in public campaigns and in private meetings. They rarely wait for invitations.
Discussion:
The Big Picture, Raw Story, The Daily Caller, The Reid Report and PERRspectives