McClatchy has the story House votes country back from fiscal cliff.

America’s not going over the fiscal cliff, as the House of Representatives Tuesday approved the last-minute deal to pull the nation away from the brink of economic chaos.

The vote came quick and without much controversy, a calm and collegial finish to a turbulent day. The House approved the measure by a vote of 257-167 and sent it to President Barack Obama for his signature.

I am really disappointed in the House vote.  I though that I could depend on the recalcitrance of the House.

Mark my words, in the ensuing debate over fixing the filibuster rules in the new Senate after January 3, people will be able to refer back to this fiscal bump incident.  They will say, “See, it isn’t so bad.  We can agree on something when we have to.”

But let us not forget how much time is wasted in getting the Congress to act on even the most simple matters.  If more were required of a Senator to block something that the vast majority of the Senate wants to do, then there would be much less obstruction and much more time to consider priorities that now get left behind.