2013 Starts with a Sputter

So as of January 2, 2013 we see a short term deal from capital hill that allowed taxes to increase on 77% of all tax payers.  Nothing was done on tax and entitlement reform.  I have to think that because everything is still in play the Market will start to be volatile even though it is currently up somewhere around 200+ points.

Key items to be aware of:

Benghazi showed that recommendations that were made years ago to protect our foreign service and military personnel have not been implemented and now we have four Americans dead and countless others injured.  No one has been brought to justice and apparently the one arrested terrorist in Turkey was not questioned by American agents and was killed before anyone could get more info.  The families of all these brave Americans have seen no justice and just silly finger pointing.  Meanwhile Alcada as put out bounties on our Yemen Ambassador and military personnel.

Syria our heart has to go out to these people.  Assad's regime has killed tens of thousands but it looks like the blood letting has just started.  We also have to be concerned that if Assad falls an Alcada affiliate or another fundamentalist group may fill the void.  Meanwhile, the US looks ineffectual.

State Department:  What will Secretary Clinton say and when?  Hopefully she will be better soon.  One good thing is that it is shows how serious blood clots are and how much you need to have a doctor check out these things.

Immigration is supposed to be a hot button issue but if we can't agree on a fiscal cliff it seems this is a non-starter too.

Economy continuing at a slow rate or going back into recession due to Washington DC's inability to stop spending money it doesn't have.

Medical . . . everything is going to change and it is doubtful you'll get to keep your current insurance.  Medicare and Medicaid patients may find that getting a Doctor may be super difficult.  Currently we have a shortage of Doctors but we are adding a huge number of patients without any thought to getting more Doctors.

I have no idea what will happen nationally at this point but we all should continue to watch and put pressure on our elected officials to do the right thing.