Senate Passes President Barack Obama's $858 Billion Tax Compromise

The Senate voted Tuesday to advance President Barack Obama's $858 billion tax package to the House, where it likely will get a final vote Thursday.

The vote was such a landslide, such a slam dunk, that some observers wondered what all the fuss was about. Eighty-one senators voted for, 19 against. Of the "against" votes, 13 were Democrats, five Republicans and one -- Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders -- is an Independent. Both Florida senators, George LeMieux and Bill Nelson, voted for the package.

Because of the lopsided result, the House is unlikely to hold the bill up any longer or endanger the president's compromise with Republicans. A handful of senators at both ends of the political spectrum, liberal and conservative, oppose the bill, but not enough to do it any harm.

Before the vote Obama did a strong-sell on his package one last time, again saying Americans most in need of a break "will no longer have to worry about a New Year's Day tax hike."

The strong support elevates the pressure on the House to approve the package without making any changes that would endanger the compromise that Obama struck with Republicans. Many liberal House members, as well as a dozen or more conservative Republicans, oppose the measure, but not enough to derail the bill.