State of the Union

In tonight's State of the Union, President Obama faces a tough crowd: Millions of Americans unsure about whether he should keep his job. He'll be aiming to win hearts and minds, and at least part of that will be an appeal to our wallets. With that in mind, here are three key points that he is likely to hammer home tonight:

The nation's five largest mortgage lenders have agreed to overhaul their industry after deceptive foreclosure practices drove homeowners out of their homes, government officials said Monday. A draft settlement between the banks and U.S. states has been sent to state officials for review.

With the economic recovery gaining steam, President Obama's State of the Union address -- and the GOP response -- should be seen as a shift to a less activist approach. Feel-good rhetoric may be wiser than heavy-handed policies that could easily backfire.

In his State of the Union address, President Obama didn't shy away from tackling the ongoing questions about the health care reform law head on. And though he opened with a joke, he made it clear that while he's serious about repairing any flaws in the law, repeal is not an option.

By accounts, last night's State of the Union address was one of the more inspirational, optimistic speeches given by President Obama. (There were no boos or nasty shout-outs, as in speeches past). But what does all the rhetoric (62 minutes' worth) mean to you and your future? Here's some of what...

As much as the market and Corporate America may like what they heard in the president's speech Tuesday night, history shows Obama's reelection in 2012 remains pinned to boosting Americans' income growth to at least 3%. Problem is, right now it's running at just 1.4%.

The economy and job creation will be the focus of Obama's speech -- as they should be. But behind the pessimistic hand-wringing and political posturing is a surprising rebound, and jobs are steadily being added.

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' doctors and the intern who rushed to her aid when she was shot in Tucson will be honored guests at Tuesday's State of the Union address. Without taking anything away from the doctors' skills or the young hero's bravery, what message does this send to the 1 million families...

Traders will be reading between the State of the Union's lines to see what Obama's new approach means for business and the market. And given stocks' steady rise for the past eight weeks, profit-taking and choppy action should be no surprise. [Video]

Although the President claimed in his State of the Union address that the worst of the economic storm has passed us by, he apparently didn't consult with bankers who answered the January survey of senior loan officers conducted by the Federal Reserve. Had Mr. Obama done so, he'd have found out...