The Hill Articles: December 30, 2010

Obama’s Cuba problem Dems rip proposed rule giving new power to GOP Budget chairman Partisan gap on immigration reform ‘almost irreconcilable,’ says Barton DAY’S END ROUNDUP Rumsfeld jokes: Cory Booker will shovel my snow Former Treasury Secretary Paulson loses $1 million selling D.C. home Consumers still prefer bigger vehicles Sebelius marks ‘banner’ year for healthcare Outgoing Dem rails against redistricting FCC spokeswoman Jen Howard moving on More lawmakers cautioning Fed on interchange rules Chris Christie, Mike Bloomberg, Haley Barbour have a very bad December Murkowski certified as winner in Alaska’s drawn-out Senate race In Virginia, Tea Party candidate hopes to tie Democratic Sen. Webb to Obama Former Obama ‘car czar’ settles suit with state of New York Medicare launches Web tool to help patients find a doctor Hutchison: Overturning FCC’s net-neutrality plan will be tough Facebook users like Palin, Paul Ryan China calls on other countries to develop their own rare earth resources Mortgage rates mostly up over last week, still historically low Rumsfeld jokes: Cory Booker will shovel my snow Group urges NYC to appeal ban of graphic anti-smoking campaign New Foreign Affairs chairwoman blasts ‘regrettable’ appointment of Syria envoy Ringing in a new year of gender-free politics Liberal group targets N.J. Gov. Christie over snow vacation Polling: Americans see oil spill as one of the top issues of the year MSNBC’s Scarborough calls politics a ‘blood sport’ but might run again Leading Pelosi ally envisions ‘rancorous’ period in politics Obama extends Hawaii vacation by one day Saving the Senate from itself (Rep. Jim McDermott) Enter the rabbit Medicare agency creates quality standards for treatment of kidney disease A New Year’s resolution for Congress: work together to create jobs (Rep. Carolyn Maloney) WSJ: Congress should overturn FCC’s ‘power grab’ on Web Ethics professor says Feinberg isn’t beholden to BP after reviewing secret agreement Obama’s war on energy NAACP praises Gov. Barbour for suspending sisters’ life sentences Resolved: Celebrity lobbyists will be more like Baldwin Social Security is not “Insurance” (Rep. Ron Paul) Out with the old, in with the new in the Senate as Congress set to reconvene Cole appointment wrong choice for Deputy Attorney General (Rep. Peter King) Christine O’Donnell: ‘No impermissible use of campaign funds’ Rep. King: Obama recess appointment at Justice Dept. ‘absolutely shocking’ News bites: Transocean refuses to comply with subpoena request, natural gas explosion in Michigan and more Jobless claims hit lowest mark in more than two years Obama approval rating steady at 47 percent Alaska’s Miller to decide on legal challenge by Friday Bleak prospects for comprehensive immigration reform in near future Obama works around Congress on climate change, healthcare MORNING READ