This year might be remembered as the one when America got its act together.




It's been a year of extraordinary financial stories, but some of the most important ones aren't about specific companies. Rather, 2014 was notable because after years of struggle, the country's economic engine finally wheezed and groaned into high speed.

The journey has been fitful, to be sure. And there are still glaring voids in it, ones where vast segments of the population still continue to struggle financially. But some of the most important puzzle pieces of the economy are locking into place in ways they haven't done since before the recession.

Americans are spending more money this holiday than they have in years. Gas prices have been in freefall, giving household budgets a much-needed break. Jobs are coming back. It's beginning to look a lot like a real recovery, and we're finishing 2014 in much better economic shape.

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