Senate Advances Tax Package

With huge majority:

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.

Oh, Bernie Sanders. I love ya.

The Senate will now move forward with debate on the legislation before a final up or down vote. The legislation seems likely to pass the Senate, but House Dems are still barfing about it. (Good.) Now they've got to figure out a way to tank it, because "House Dem leaders have sent very clear signs that despite their own unhappiness with the deal, they believe it would be irresponsible to sink the compromise and have no intention of thwarting the President's will" and will be pushing for passage of the craptacular bill.