President Obama's $858 billion tax package won a huge bipartisan majority in the Senate on Monday evening, setting it up for a contentious debate in the House.
On an 83-15 vote, the Senate quashed a filibuster by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
Fifteen lawmakers voted against it, including five Republicans: Sens. Tom Coburn (Okla.), Jim DeMint (S.C.), Jeff Sessions (Ala.), John Ensign (Nev.) and George Voinovich (Ohio).
Nine Democrats and one Independent voted against the bill: Sens. Jeff Bingaman (N.M.), Sherrod Brown (Ohio), Russ Feingold (Wis.), Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.), Kay Hagan (N.C.), Frank Lautenberg (N.J.), Patrick Leahy (Vt.), Carl Levin (Mich.), Mark Udall (Colo.) and Sanders.
“It makes no sense to me to provide huge tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires while we drive up the national debt that our children and grandchildren will have to pay," Sanders said in a statement after the vote.
Continue reading at the Hill...
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From earlier today...
We already borrow 43 cents of every Federal dollar to make our bloated budget, and apparently Congress thinks that's not enough. They're aiming for 50 cents this time, suckers.
And Moody's thankfully, is throwing up a roadblock, though Congress won't see it of course, until it's far too late.