Description:The United States averted economic calamity on Tuesday (January 1) when lawmakers approved a deal to prevent huge tax hikes and spending cuts that would have pushed the world's largest economy off a "fiscal cliff" and into recession. Early morning commuters welcomed the deal but many were left scratching their heads about the political posturing on Capitol Hill in the run up to the final New Year's day vote. "I think it's good that we've reached some sort of compromise although it's kind of lam(2:12)