According to my sources here in Vermont (that would be the Burlington Free Press and Vermont Public Radio) 2/3s of the state’s congressional delegation believes the country is likely to go over the fiscal cliff.  The remaining 1/3 is “hopeful” that this bullet can somehow be dodged.

Senator Bernie Sanders is, predictably, pugnacious and Luciferian in his anticipation of the Fall and views it as liberating.  Representative Peter Welch takes a “more in sorrow than anger” view. And Patrick Leahy does the Solomonic routine you would expect from one who was first elected to the Senate in 1974 and has been there ever since. Senator Leahy believes that “there is a new sense of urgency” in Washington when it comes to dealing with this issue and that “We’ve got to get away from slogans and symbolism and get to substance. And that’s going to be difficult.”