The US Senate Republicans have blocked a bill that would have created jobs for firemen, teachers and policemen. This is the second time they have stopped "jobs" bills in 30 days.

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This was a key piece of President Barack Obama's jobs bill that would have imposed higher taxes on those making over $1,000,000 a year, to help create jobs for teachers, police and emergency workers.

Senators voted 50-50 on the legislation, 10 short of the 60 votes needed to allow debate on the measure.

The proposal is part of Mr Obama's efforts to create jobs and help a flagging US economy.

The president has been on the road regularly in recent weeks pushing his plan, but Republicans remain opposed.

"For the second time in two weeks, every single Republican in the United States Senate has chosen to obstruct a bill that would create jobs and get our economy going again," Mr Obama said in a statement, describing their position as "unacceptable". This hasn't kept Republicans for voicing opposition to ending the Iraq war, and they seem to want to continue to spend the $100,000,000 per day to keep soldiers in Iraq. They oppose spending to create jobs for teachers and police, yet support spending to keep soldiers in Iraq. They oppose spending to build highways and schools in the USA, yet support spendng to build schools and highways in Iraq. It seems apparent that their primary goal is to oppose anything Obama's administration does, even if their actions hurt Americans.

Obama, in his calm and executive style, said he would continue to work with Congress to reintroduce pieces of the defeated bill.

Also in Congress, lawmakers also failed to push through a motion to repeal a tax-withholding law.

'Protecting millionaires or working people' Which party is doing which. It would appear that Republicans are voting consistently to protect millionaires and against protecting the middle or working class.

The first vote killed the Democrat plan to support 400,000 jobs by raising $35bn through increased taxes on those who make over $1,000,000 a year.

Under Senate rules 51 votes, a simple majority, are needed to pass most legislation, but 60 votes - a so-called supermajority - are required to break a filibuster.

The failure to pass the proposal highlights the increasing antagonism between Democrats and Republicans, observers say.

Republicans are resolutely opposed to Mr Obama's jobs plan and have vowed not to allow it to pass Senatem even if they have to block a jobs creation bill by filibuster. The Senate is the one chamber of Congress in which Democrats have a majority.

"Protecting millionaires and defeating President Obama are more important to my Republican colleagues than creating jobs and getting our economy back on track," said Democratic Senate Leader Harry Reid.

Other parts of Mr Obama's jobs bill, which includes investment in infrastructure projects, extending benefits for long-term unemployed, tax breaks for firms taking on new workers and measures to broaden home ownership, have yet to be voted on.