Another part of President Barack Obama’s jobs plan was blocked by the Republicans in Senate. Last Thursday, they blocked a $60 billion proposal to repair bridges, highways and other transportation systems. Job Plan

All 47 Senate Republicans, a Democrat and an independent voted against one piece of President Obama’s $447 billion stimulus plan that could help construction workers who were hit hard because of the housing meltdown as well as the economic problems. Construction workers have an unemployment rate of 13.3 percent, which is above the nationwide rate of 9.1 percent.

The bill needed at least 60 votes to advance in the 100-member Senate. At present, President Barack Obama’s jobs plan is dead in Congress. Democrats want the Republicans to vote on it one piece at a time. The economy would be an issue for next year’s presidential and congressional elections.

President Barack Obama had to convince the voters to vote for him again in the November 2012 presidential elections. One way to achieve that is by creating more jobs. Democrats would pay for the jobs plan by increasing taxes on the wealthy. Republicans are against this provision but surveys show that job creation is popular among the voters.

Under the Democratic bill, rich Americans who make more than $1 million each year would have 0.7 percent increase on their income tax rates. Republican Senator Orrin Hatch said that majority of those affected by the tax hike would be business owners.