FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:     

March 6, 2020

CONTACT: press@onecountryproject.org    

One Country Statement on February 2020 Jobs Report

U.S. Economy Carries on Despite Trump’s Blunders

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tessa Gould, executive director of the One Country Project, issued the following statement after the February jobs report. The report showed employment growth up from January 2020, with 273,000 jobs created last month. Unemployment remained steady at 3.5 percent.

“Job growth in February was up slightly from January, but jobs were created in industries that have already been doing well – not in the sectors Trump has promised to revive in rural states across the country.

“Trump has also recently declared his ‘love’ for rural America, but stagnation in the agricultural sector and manufacturing is just the latest evidence that he spends more time talking about rural America on the stump than he does implementing policies to shore up its economy. His administration’s gutting of resources for rural schools also foreshadows worsening job prospects for those with a high school diploma or less, who already face significantly higher levels of unemployment, according to the February report.

“With the panic of the coronavirus sweeping the nation, we can safely assume this report does not reflect the worst of what’s to come, and Trump’s response has put his incompetency on full display – the economy once again chugs along despite the chaos created by Trump, not because of his business acumen or ability to inspire confidence in the business sector.”

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About One Country Project    

The One Country Project, led by former Senators Heidi Heitkamp and Joe Donnelly, is working to promote greater opportunities for rural communities and ensure leaders earn their support. One Country is reengaging with rural Americans, serving as a clearinghouse of research and information for rural Americans, and working to ensure leaders regain trust by fighting for these communities. To learn more, visit the website, OneCountryProject.org.