Rarely does a double-digit unemployment rate generate as much enthusiasm as it did last week.  When the government reported last Friday that the percentage of idled workers nationwide had fallen to 10.0% in November (from 10.2% the prior month), stock investors exhaled with relief.  Although the number of unemployed American workers exceeds 15 million (up more than 4 million this year), market watchers have been waiting for a sign that the worst may finally be behind us.  The 11,000 lost jobs from November was the smallest monthly total reported since our country's recession began in December 2007 (source: Department of Labor).   
 
After the reception Ben Bernanke received from the Senate Banking Committee during his confirmation hearing last week, the Fed Chairman may be wondering if he really wants his current job for another 4 years.  There are a small number of congressmen that expect the head of our nation's central bank to not only be able to react effectively when global economic turmoil arises, but preferably he would also be able to avoid most financial problems by anticipating the future (source: Senate).   
 
The full House is expected to take up H.R. 4173 this week ("The Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act").  Months of work by the House Financial Services Committee was concluded last week on 9 different pieces of legislation that are intended to reform derivatives, predatory lending, credit rating agencies, executive compensation, and also stop the practice of "too big to fail" (source: House).