Nation's Unemployment Rate Falls In March

By Mario Trujillo

The economy added 216,000 jobs in March, bringing the nation’s jobless rate down from 8.9% to to 8.8%, according to data released on Friday by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Since peaking at 10.1 percent in October 2009, the unemployment rate has fallen gradually over the past year and a half. 13.5 million Americans, however, remain out of work.

Though government payrolls decreased by 14,000 last month, the private sector added 230,000 jobs. The largest increases for the second straight month came in private and business services, healthcare and manufacturing. Meanwhile, information and transportation saw a slight decrease.

President Obama’s Council on Economic Advisors Chairman Austan Goolsbee said while the general trend of of the unemployment rate is good, more still needs to be done. He also noted that month-to-month numbers are volatile and the public should not read too much into any one report.

“We are seeing signs that the initiatives put in place by this Administration – such as the payroll tax cut and business incentives for investment – are creating the conditions for sustained growth and job creation,” Goolsbee said.

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said that he welcomed the latest numbers, but blamed the still high rate on democratic policies.

“Ultimately, the goal continues to be long-term job growth which we cannot achieve so long as Democrats insist on spending money we don’t have,” Priebus said in a statement. “Instead of attacking Republicans, President Obama and the Democrats should step up and work with Republicans to pass a fiscally-responsible plan that cuts spending, grows jobs, and keeps the federal government running.””