Stocks Bullish for 2013 ?

Why Has Wall Street Gotten So Bullish About Next Year? - CNBC Jeff Cox

Even the bears are bullish for 2013, a year in which virtually every Wall Street expert believes the market will overcome its many headwinds and post a positive year.

The New York Stock Exchange. REUTERS/Brendan McDermidWhile retail investors have been preoccupied with worries over fiscal armageddon, an election that is now past and a global economy nearing stall speed, strategists have been busy with projections that see sizeable stock gains.

Their reasons: A U.S. economy that is on the mend due to the nascent housing recovery and an expected surge in earnings, more cheap money from the Federal Reserve, and a general feeling that none of the various-worst scenarios out there will come to fruition.

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Republicans: Tax hikes alone hardly dents budget & deficit

Republicans say raising tax rates alone will hardly put dent in budget, deficit - FoxNews.com

Republican congressional leaders, in their battle to extend the current low tax rates for all Americans, drive home Tuesday their argument that ending those rates for families earning more than $250,000 a year would produce only enough money to run the government for less than nine days.

The lawmakers pointed out that President Obama's tax rate plan would generate just $82.3 billion annually, as estimated by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office. Republicans argue he should be focused on a more balanced approach that includes cuts to federal spending -- including to entitlement programs, such as Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.