Senate refuses — again — to take up scaled down version of Obama’s jobs bill

Story by The Takeaway. Listen to the above audio for a complete report.

Democrats were once again unable to overcome a Republican filibuster of President Obama’s jobs bill on Thursday.

This is the second time they’ve failed, even after reducing the bill so it only provides funding to keep police officers, fire fighters and teachers on the job. It was to be paid for with a .5 percent tax on earnings over $1 million, starting in 2013.

Todd Zwillich, The Takeaway’s Washington correspondent, said this will allow Obama to campaign by saying that all Republicans voted against teachers and police officers and in favor of millionaires and billionaires.

“What’s going on here is politics. Republicans call it mini-stimulus,” Zwillich said.

The next piece of the jobs bill expected to be voted on will be tax credits for hiring veterans, also slated to be paid for with a tax on millionaires and billionaires.

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“The Takeaway” is a national morning news program, delivering the news and analysis you need to catch up, start your day, and prepare for what’s ahead. The show is a co-production of WNYC and PRI, in editorial collaboration with the BBC, The New York Times Radio, and WGBH.