GOP derails Senate ‘Buffett rule’ taxes on wealthy

WASHINGTON (AP) – Senate Republicans derailed
a Democratic “Buffett rule” bill Monday forcing the nation's top
earners to pay at least 30 percent of their income in taxes, using the
day before Americans' taxes are due to defy President Barack Obama on
one of his signature election-year issues.

By a near party-line 51-45
tally, senators voted to keep the bill alive but fell nine votes short
of the 60 needed to continue debating the measure. The anti-climactic
outcome was no surprise to anyone in a vote that designed more to win
over voters and embarrass senators in close races than to push
legislation into law.

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