Americans are leaving the bond mutual funds in its fastest pace in more than two years.

Americans are leaving the bond mutual funds in its fastest pace in more than two years. U.S. investors withdrew 8.6 billion U.S. dollars of bond funds in the week ended Dec. 15, the biggest retreat since October 2008 when financial markets were in freefall. They took an average of nearly $ 3 million per week from November 23 under the Investment Company Institute. By November, the money has been flowing into bond funds every week for almost two years. "This is the real deal," says Marilyn Cohen, founder of Envision Capital Management, which oversees $ 300 million in mostly fixed-income investments. If she's right, the end of cheap credit is near. Interest rates would rise, which dominated the economy. It would be more expensive for cities, states and businesses to borrow money to build...

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the economy is finally mounting a real recovery has strengthened this week

A growing sense that the economy is finally mounting a real recovery has strengthened this week the government released several pieces of building data. But progress still seemed modest and fragile, suggesting that even palpable improvement in the fortunes of the nation can not produce a vigorous economic expansion in the short term. While millions of people are struggling to find work, and how many are losing their control over their homes - the addition of an excess supply causes anxiety even foreclosed real estate - many experts expect a significant period of pain may still be ahead . Consumer spending, which comprises about 70 percent of the country's activity, increased in November - the most encouraging sign of all - and new and existing homes changed hands faster than in the previous...

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the story of a lame duck Congress that it was not

This is the story of a lame duck Congress that it was not. Shaken by a historic election in which voters angry cancels the House Democratic control, lawmakers from both parties and President Barack Obama tried something new: They consulted each other. They cooperated. And finally, they pledged. From tax cuts for a nuclear arms treaty and repeal the ban on openly serving gay troops, Congress and Obama White House closed its respective shops and headed out for the holidays with a little bag Common full of achievements. The bipartisanship was one of them. "This progress is ... a reflection of the message voters sent in November, a message that says it's time to find common ground on the challenges facing our country," Obama told reporters before joining his family in Hawaii. "It's a message...

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Joe Miller plans to decide Monday whether to continue its legal challenge or a step back

Joe Miller Republican plans to decide Monday whether to continue its legal challenge to U.S. Alaska Senate race or a step back and let his Republican rival, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, will take over. This follows the decision by the state Supreme Court on Wednesday to defend the election results for Murkowski. Miller said Anchorage KTVA-TV on Wednesday it expected to decide the next day if you keep fighting. However, with the weekend approaching, he told Fox News on Thursday that he had consulted with supporters and his legal team and announce a decision Monday. Monday is the deadline facing any case to federal court. Miller said that all options being weighed. These include constitutional claims which the federal courts and granted. He has not said publicly if you lean a certain way. "Obviously...

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Sarah Palin: Obama administration needs to "harden" to Iran on the basis of information leaked diplomatic cable

Sarah Palin sought to establish his foreign policy credentials Tuesday with a new opinion piece arguing that the Obama administration needs to "harden" to Iran on the basis of information leaked diplomatic cable that she had reported earlier. The former governor of Alaska in the U.S. write Today: Iran continues to defy the international community in its efforts to acquire nuclear weapons. Arab leaders in the region rightly fear a nuclear armed Iran. We suspected this before, but now we know for sure because of leaked diplomatic cable. King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia "often urged the U.S. to attack Iran to end its nuclear weapons program," according to these communications. Jordanian officials said the Iranian nuclear program must be stopped by any means necessary. Officials from the UAE...

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The White House is preparing a major base push to pass the DREAM Act next year

WASHINGTON - The White House is preparing a major base push to pass the DREAM Act next year, the president said on Wednesday was one of his top priorities after the legislation failed in the recent lame-duck session. Recognizing the next Congress will be much more resistant to the President's agenda, the White House also supports changing the rules of the Senate, although not involved in specific proposals. In a conference call with reporters Wednesday, the White House, Dan Pfeiffer, communications director said the President is willing to "undertake a very public campaign" to promote the DREAM Act, which would give undocumented students who were brought to United States as children by their parents a path to citizenship through higher education or military service. He said grassroots activism,...

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the White House could soon be looking to fill staff vacancies with candidates

Senior White House adviser Valerie Jarrett, said on Thursday that the White House could soon be looking to fill staff vacancies with candidates from outside the administration. In an interview with MSNBC's "Morning Joe" Jarrett said people could expect to see some "new faces" to "outside voices" in the White House next year, possibly including the chief of staff position, now is temporarily in the hands of Peter Rouse, who replaced Rahm Emanuel, Emanuel left as mayor of Chicago. "I think it definitely is looking for some new faces. Larry Summers left, Rahm left, will probably be some new faces, " said Jarrett. "I think that, as in any administration, after a couple of years for a variety of reasons, people go by and there is an opportunity to bring new people in. And I think the president...

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"most successful tea Partier" & "Senator Junior DeMint"

With all the hoopla surrounding Sharron Angle and Christine Miller and Joe O'Donnell during the exams, it was easy to lose track of some conservative candidates equally, but less extravagant. And it seems safe to say that most successful tea Partier, while attracting national attention under Mike Lee. While running for the Senate, 39 years old, a Utah Republican to dismantle the Department of Education and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. He wants to repeal both the federal income tax and the provision of the Fourteenth Amendment that makes children born in the United States citizens automatically. However, he sailed to victory with a margin of near-30 point in a Senate race that was overlooked in large part by national media. In the future, Lee is likely to attract a little...

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