The March 2010 jobs report came out today, and there’s a bit of good news: the economy GAINED 162,000 jobs last month, the most since March 2007. Unemployment remains at 9.7% – still too high – but the mere fact that we’re not in an economic freefall anymore is good for everyone.


Before you break out the champagne, however, let’s take a step back.


As the Heritage Foundation points out in its Morning Bell report today, almost 50,000 were temporary government Census jobs, and many of the other jobs that were added were also government jobs. (PS: those government jobs are often more well-paid, and with better benefits, than the private sector – paid for by your tax dollars.) Of great concern is the fact that underemployment is still high, as well as that the private sector is still shedding jobs – because let’s remember, the private sector is the true driver of the nation’s economy, not the government.


As we’ve already seen, and are likely to hear more of (despite Rep. Waxman’s attempts to threaten and bully companies), large corporations are facing major hits to their balance sheets because of the effects of health care legislation. In addition, a myriad of regulations on business of all sizes are being proposed left and right in the name of the environment, health care, and “workplace flexibility,” which will further drive up the cost of hiring workers (particularly young, low-skilled, and part-time workers.) 


In short, the jobs report today might be good news… but not all good. To truly get the economy back on track and create jobs – real jobs, not taxpayer-funded government jobs – we need less intervention and less spending to lighten the burden on Americans.