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10A Daily News – Tuesday, April 17, 2012 GOP, Dems clash over Obama "Buffett rule" tax boost on rich WASHINGTON (AP) — The day before Americans' WORLD BRIEFING taxes were due, Senate Republicans defied President Barack Obama on Monday and prepared to block a Democratic ''Buffett rule'' bill requiring the nation's top earners to pay at least 30 percent of their income in taxes. A near party-line roll call was expected in a clash that was aimed more at winning over voters in this November's pres- idential and congressional elections than in pushing legisla- tion into law. Democrats were using the battle to paint them- selves as battling for equality for a middle class that is strug- gling to find jobs and make ends meet, while Republicans called the measure a divisive Democratic distraction from the nation's real problems that would not address the econo- my's real woes. ''Times are tough for many middle-class American fam- 24-year-old reporter Sara Ganim — were honored for local reporting for breaking the Penn State sexual abuse scandal that ultimately brought down football coach Joe Paterno. Another Pulitzer for investigative reporting was awarded to The Seattle Times for a series about accidental methadone overdoses among patients with chronic pain. David Wood of the Huffington Post won for national reporting for a look at the suffering endured by American veterans wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is only the sec- ond Pulitzer ever awarded for reporting that appeared online only. Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting Monday for docu- menting the New York Police Department's widespread spy- ing on Muslims, while the turmoil-ridden Philadelphia Inquirer was honored in the public service category for its examination of violence in the city's schools. The Patriot-News in Harrisburg, Pa. — and in particular, ilies,'' said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. ''But millionaires and billionaires aren't sharing the pain or the sacrifices, not one bit.'' ''Americans are tired of the blame game,'' said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. ''They want their president to solve problems, not point fingers.'' Monday's vote was the first time a ''Buffett rule'' pro- posal has come to a Senate vote this election year, though Democrats have tried unsuccessfully in recent months to impose modest surcharges on the income of the wealthy. Don't expect a shock: Romney running mate search guided niewski was honored in the explanatory reporting category for a series on how wealthy people and corporations use loopholes to avoid taxes. And Jeffrey Gettleman won for international reporting for his coverage of famine and con- flict in East Africa. The New York Times received two prizes: David Kocie- shocker from Mitt Romney. His choice of a running-mate — a search he announced Monday he has begun — will be guided by both his methodical, risk-averse corporate training and the lessons his party learned from Sarah Palin's selec- tion. by his methodical style, Palin BOSTON (AP) — Don't look for a vice presidential Preparedness to serve and loyalty to Romney are likely to trump other credentials as the all-but-sure Republican nom- inee looks to avoid the blowback John McCain faced four years ago with his surprise choice of the little-known, first- term Alaska governor for the GOP ticket. Questions about Palin's readiness to serve, McCain's decision-making and his advisers' vetting came to define the Arizona senator's flawed campaign. Mindful of that, Romney will put experience at the top of his list of qualities as he chooses a No. 2, according to senior advisers and GOP operatives familiar with his thinking. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak candidly about a process Rom- ney himself is trying to keep as private as possible as he works to narrow a field that may begin with as many as a dozen prospective candidates. ''The hallmark for Governor Romney's candidacy, and its last major Afghan offensive KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — For Taliban militants and U.S. strategists alike, all roads in this impoverished country of mountain passes, arid deserts and nearly impassable goat tracks lead to this ancient capital of 3 million people nestled in a high and narrow valley. The Taliban made their intentions clear over the week- end, mounting spectacular coordinated attacks that spawned an 18-hour battle with Afghan and NATO forces. And now, the U.S. is gearing up for what may be the last major Amer- ican-run offensive of the war — a bid to secure the approaches to the city. US gears up for what may be receive relatively little attention, attacks in the capital alarm the general population, undermine the government's reputa- tion and frighten foreigners into fleeing the country. That's why insurgents on Sunday struck locations that were so for- tified they could cause little or no damage, including the diplomatic quarter, the parliament and a NATO base. ''These are isolated attacks that are done for symbolic purposes, and they have not regained any territory,'' U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Monday. The U.S.-led spring offensive, expected to begin in the coming weeks, may be NATO's last chance to shore up Kabul's defenses before a significant withdrawal of combat troops limits its options. The focus will be regions that con- trol the main access routes, roads and highways into Kabul from the desert south and the mountainous east. These routes are used not only by militants but by traders carrying goods from Pakistan and Iran. While bombings and shootings elsewhere in Afghanistan Neely was largely responsible for an $823,000 Las Vegas conference in 2010 that was the focus of Miller's report. Three other congressional committees also are looking at the conference spending and a culture of waste at the agency in charge of federal buildings and supplies Joint chiefs chairman says military is embarrassed by how he would be as president, is that he approaches these decisions in a well-thought-out methodical way,'' said Steve Duprey, a former McCain adviser and current New Hamp- shire-based member of the Republican National Committee. ''It won't be like the McCain campaign where there was a big surprise and effort to create a game changer.'' For all the secrecy surrounding the process, the former Massachusetts governor did give a few hints about his plans Monday, disclosing that he had chosen his former chief of staff and 2008 presidential campaign manager, Beth Myers, to lead the vetting and analysis of prospective running mates. Several other members of the tight-knit cadre that has sur- rounded Romney for years also are likely to be involved. APwins Pulitzer for revealing *WILL PAY CASH FOR JUNK CARS* Quality Used Parts for Less 824-2880 10 ACRES OF 22521 Capay Road, Corning CA. 96021 Mon-Fri 8am-5pm • Sat. 9am-2pm Highway 99W & Capay Road (Halfway between Corning & Orland) Auto Recycling Inc. INVENTORY All Star • DOMESTIC • FOREIGN • PICK-UPS 442 Walnut St., Red Bluff Come early for best selection 25% off during April HUNGER FOR GOD T-SHIRTS ARE IN! Kerusso blow-out Sale! All T-shirts and Faith Gear 530-527-7663 Monday-Friday 10-6 NYPD spying on Muslims NEW YORK (AP) — The Associated Press won a GSAofficial asserts right to remain silent as Congress begins hearings into spending WASHINGTON (AP) — The General Services Admin- istration inspector general said Monday that he's investigat- ing possible bribery and kickbacks in the agency, as a cen- tral figure in a GSA spending scandal asserted his right to remain silent at a congressional hearing. Inspector general Brian Miller, responding to a question at the hearing, said, ''We do have other ongoing investiga- tions, including all sorts of improprieties, including bribes, including possible kickbacks.'' Jeffrey Neely, who asserted his Fifth Amendment privi- lege before the committee, has been placed on leave as a regional executive in Western states. 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Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a Pentagon news conference. He said he regretted that the scandal, which also involved 11 Secret Service agents accused of cavorting with prostitutes at the hotel, diverted attention from Obama's diplomacy at a Latin America summit. ''I can speak for myself and my fellow chiefs: We're embarrassed by what occurred in Colombia, though we're not sure exactly what it is,'' Dempsey added. Pentagon officials said earlier Monday that the number of military members involved in the scandal appears to be greater than the five originally cited. One senior defense offi- cial said that at least 10 military members may have been involved. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the matter is under investigation. Pentagon press secretary George Little said that military members who are being investigated were assigned to sup- port the Secret Service in preparation for Obama's official visit to Cartagena. He said they were not directly involved in presidential security. observers full access BEIRUT (AP) — U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Monday the Syrian government is responsible for guar- anteeing U.N. observers full freedom of movement to mon- itor the country's tenuous cease-fire, which appeared to be unraveling as regime forces pounded the opposition strong- hold of Homs, activists said. Even though overall violence in Syria has dropped sig- Ban says Syria must guarantee nificantly since the truce took effect Thursday, the govern- ment's shelling of the central city of Homs over the past four days has raised doubts about President Bashar Assad's com- mitment to special envoy Kofi Annan's plan to end 13 months of violence and launch talks on the country's politi- cal future. An advance team of six observers arrived in Damascus late Sunday to negotiate the mission's ground rules with Syr- ian authorities. 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