After years of pretty staunch resistance, Walmart (WMT) may finally be gaining access to the nation's third-biggest market: Chicago. In the past, labor unions and other organizations had banned the retailing giant from the metro area, citing unreasonable salaries and unfair treatment.

In an effort to respond to these concerns, WMT has devised the "Chicago Community Investment Partnership," which carries enough economic clout to win over the Windy City's decision-makers. As Alderman Anthony A. Beale summed up in a release, "most of all, [the city of Chicago] need(s) good jobs."

The Partnership, to be carried out over the next five years, promises the following:

One upside to gridlock in Washington? The U.S. Congress won't likely move forward with its effort to allow the General Accounting Office to audit the U.S. Federal Reserve.

One (big) downside? President Obama and Congressional Republicans, particularly Republicans in the Senate may not be able to agree on next year's budget. This could result in a shutdown of the federal government if the two political parties don't agree to pass a continuing resolution in the meantime. Any inability of the parties to agree on new budget or a continuing resolution as a temporary bridge will likely rattle both the bond and stock markets.

An unease in the nation appears to growing -- particularly among typical Americans -- regarding the influence of money in politics, and among U.S. Representatives and Senators, in particular.

This phenomenon has occurred cyclically in the U.S., and it is unclear whether this firestorm will differ from the rest. Historically, the displeasure runs hot for about a year or so, then the fire dies out.

Further, even less certain is whether these Americans will seek to reconcile the contradiction between the American economic system and the political system (democracy), or even whether most of these Americans will recognize it.

A pair of polls offered differing signals regarding the American public's support for President Obama: The Marist Poll placed Obama's approval rating at 44% -- an Obama administration low -- Bloomberg News reported. The poll was conducted February 1-3, 2010. However, the Gallup Poll had Obama's approval rating holding steady at 50%, based on a three-day average ending February 8, 2010.

Even allowing for the fact that the approval for almost every president drops in Year 2 from Year 1, as noted earlier, President Obama's approval rating has entered the "area of concern."

What might get the Republicans to bite on the jobs bill currently under formulation on Capitol Hill? A lack of an estate tax.

The bipartisan Senate bill that may come for a vote this week is not likely to include an extension of the estate tax, which expired at the end of 2009, Reuters reported Tuesday (however, Washington's likely, second heavy storm/blizzard in a week, expected to arrive Tuesday night, may delay the vote: most federal offices were closed again Tuesday for snow clean-up).

Oil prices have risen sharply today, despite news that oil inventories rose more than expected last week.

Traders pushed oil up $2.92 a barrel Tuesday to $69.63 even though oil inventories rose by 2.8 million barrels last week verse analyst estimates for a rise of 2.1 million barrels.

If you are getting tired of reading all the news on the government's "cash for clunkers" program, don't worry... the Obama administration announced this afternoon that the popular incentive program will come to an end this Monday.

There has been a lot of controversy over the program as of late, but one thing is for sure, car buyers have definitely been taking advantage of the program since it launched last month.

Oil moved up above $70 early in the session, but was unable to hold that momentum through the day. After its strong start to the day, prices dropped $2.19 to $67.83.

A major reason for the drop in prices can be attributed to the World Bank. The World Bank slashed its forecast for this year's global economic growth, and reported that the current recession is deepening.

The rulers of Iran are losing their patience with the election protests of the last few days. They are selectively tightening their grip on the freedom of the press, freedom of speech, freedom to travel and peaceful marches by disenfranchised voters that believe the reported results of a Mahmoud Ahmadinejad victory were a fraud.

The government is cracking down by not renewing visas for the foreign journalists, confining others to their hotels, and limiting all broadcasts and news outlets.

If anything can be gleaned from this, one only need take a brief glance at history to learn that a nation with totalitarian rule begets a totalitarian economy.

Clearly Sarah Palin, failed Washington aspirations and all, still has her supporters. They like her political positions on abortion, taxes, and gun control (limiting the control that is), to name a few. It just shows how many of us will ignore continuing inappropriate behavior if need be, as long as the end justifies the means.

Now that our political leaders have morphed into celebrities like never before -- doing commercials, late night television, radio, musical and comedic cameos and the like -- it looks like the Sarah Palin show can legitimately be accused of "jumping the shark!" ... and then some.

One of our reader's who blesses us with frequent comment's, B. Harrison, left the following tidbit for us recently (responding to: Buffett suffers big losses at Berkshire Hathaway) and I thought I would share it because this sentiment comes to us frequently.

• "And the American people are simply apathetically sitting back while our CORRUPT Congress who enabled and allowed all of the corporate FRAUDS, continues to allow the CORRUPT CEOs and Boards of Directors run those corporations, and to keep their ill gotten "weath" that they amassed while mismanaging the corporations, and orchestrating and perpetuating all of those FRAUDS."

I do not agree that the American people are "apathetically sitting back".... They are voicing their opinions on the web, in letters and emails to their representatives, they take to the streets and protest, they sell the stock of poorly run companies and file class action suits. The truth is that they are frustrated because our representatives have an unwavering singular focus, and that is to sustain themselves in office. Nothing takes a higher priority then that; it's called political self preservation.

Listening to President Obama's speech last night I was very impressed with his grasp of the vast number of difficult issues that face our nation. I support him in addressing these problems head on -- with optimism, energy and forthrightness. He said, "I get it" -- I believe him.

Now, having laid out a vision for all that ails us, I can't help but think that the president is going to be playing out a fantasy. His epic journey to the White House has reinforced the President's conviction that 'anything' is possible, but the real question this morning is whether 'everything' is possible.

It's no surprise that Congressman Ron Paul isn't pleased with bailouts and economic stimuli. He recently appeared on MSNBC's Morning Joe and explained why he believes that the current path of economic intervention will turn a bad recession into a depression.

His point is essentially this: What got us into the current mess was excessive consumption and excessive leverage -- and now we are trying to do more of both to get the economy out of this mess.

Watch the video below. It's hard to argue with.

Hustler founder Larry Flynt and Girls Gone Wild impresario Joe Francis have sent a letter to Congress facetiously asking for a $5 billion bailout for the porn industry.

"The government is handing out money," Francis told E! News. "They're moving toward a nationalized economy, and Larry and I felt we might as well be a part of it."

"People are too depressed to be sexually active," Flynt said in a statement. "This is very unhealthy as a nation. Americans can do without cars and such but they cannot do without sex."

Of course they're being facetious, but a bailout for the sex industry might not be such a crazy idea. A $5 billion infusion could be enough to move the porn industry back to the United States, and create thousands of jobs for recently laid off retailers and autoworkers -- Debbie Does Detroit, perhaps?

Playboy Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE: PLA) shareholders could definitely use a bailout and if the industry at large is faring as poorly as that company, Flynt and Francis may deserve more sympathy than they're likely to get.

Oil prices have dropped sharply today as traders focus on increased demand concerns following this week's oil inventory report.

Going into today's inventory report, analysts were expecting to see an increase in oil reserves of around 1.5 million barrels. However, the market was shocked to see that the actual increase last week was well above that figure, as the Energy Information Agency announced that inventories grew by 6.7 million barrels.

The result? Oil prices have dropped over 9% in today's market, falling $4.54, down to $44.04.