The fiscal cliff is imminent. We are hurtling, not to mention barreling, toward it. Also, it's looming. Every news organization has been churning out folksy little cartoons explaining the situation at the rate of thousands a day since August. There have also been a lot of Wile E. Coyote jokes, and for that alone we…

One should never underestimate House Republicans' ability to save face after attracting the entire political world's ire, but this latest corner they've trapped themselves in over the payroll tax cut extension will require some stunningly creative moves to escape. Maybe Rick Perry can teach them some of these moves?…

Now here's a good headline for America: "Cantor Signals Flexibility On Tax Loopholes." Does this mean that during tomorrow's White House debt ceiling meeting, the House Majority Leader may in fact consider modest revenue increases as part of any deficit-reduction package? Finally? No, not really.

The House of Representatives just approved the $858 billion tax package brokered between Republicans and President Obama! How will Americans in the lowest, highest, and median income brackets be spending that money? We break it down in a handy chart.

A lot happened in Washington, D.C. on Thursday night! In the House, representatives passed President Obama's huge tax package, while in the Senate, Republicans embarrassed Democrats, again. Let's take a look at the fortunate and the unfortunate:

The Senate is voting on whether to move forward with President Obama's tax compromise, and will likely approve it. But how is this grab-bag of taxcuttery even polling? Quite well! Not necessarily for its contents, though.

Sen. Bernie Sanders hit the Senate floor at 10:30 this morning to rail against the tax cut compromise for two hours, before getting help. Watch here, or check out a similarly righteous stemwinder Sanders delivered last week, below.

House Democrats voted in a private meeting this morning to reject the tax cut plan President Obama negotiated with the GOP.

Silly ex-Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell has noted the three tragedies America suffered yesterday: "Pearl Harbor, Elizabeth Edwards's passing and Barack Obama's announcement of extending the tax cuts, which is good, but also extending the unemployment benefits." All equally terrible.

Yesterday, Democrat and Republican lawmakers—guided by President Obama—reached a deal that extended tax cuts for all Americans (including the rich). Congress also agreed to continue its spending. Tonight, Jon Stewart pointed out the inherent incongruence of this.

Barack Obama just announced his final deal with Republican leaders on extending the Bush tax cuts, unemployment benefits, and other issues, after secret negotiations. Here are the details. In short: There won't be much government revenue next year.

Incoming House Speaker John Boehner isn't happy with House Democrats' tricky plan to force a vote — expected this afternoon — on extending middle-class tax cuts only. You can tell he's mad when he starts calling things "chickencrap."

All 42 Senate Republicans have signed a very strongly worded letter pledging to block all legislation until George W. Bush's tax cuts are renewed. Suck on that, people whose unemployment insurance expires today! And who will name the post offices?

Intentionally annoying Sen. Joe Lieberman feels relevant again! Today he said "I will do everything I can" to stop Democrats from allowing Bush's upper-class tax cuts to expire. Everything? Will he streak around the Capitol's south lawn wearing diapers? Probably.

The Democrats will need complete party cohesion to pass Barack Obama's extension of all Bush tax cuts except those for the top two income brackets. But now, predictably, Sen. Ben Nelson and other Democratic "centrists" are voicing their bullshit opposition.

Barack Obama is turning into a fiery populist! He is a regular Huey Long out there, promising to give the masses whatever they want. As long as what they want is "automatic opt-out contributions to retirement plans."