Tax Plan Clears Procedural Hurdle

The Senate has voted to end debate on the tax-cut compromise hashed out by the White House and Congressional Republicans, setting the stage for a vote on the measure. As I wrote in a Time.com piece this morning, the bill’s passage looks increasingly likely, despite opposition from Democrats in both chambers of Congress. The cloture vote remains open to allow time for senators battling bad weather to make it back to D.C.; so far the count stands 69-10 in favor, with eight Democrats (Bingaman, Brown, Feingold, Gillibrand, Hagan, Leahy, Levin and Mark Udall), one independent (Sanders) and one Republican (Ensign) opposing the measure.