It is nice to start a new year with some good news and that is exactly what came late last week when our nation’s unemployment rate hit its lowest point in at least three years.

According to data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 200,000 jobs were created in December 2011, helping get the national unemployment rate to 8.5 percent.

This is certainly a positive sign and another strong indicator that our economy is slowly turning around and heading the right direction.

Both Republicans and Democrats will likely be quick to take credit for this positive growth, but the reality is that neither have done much to really address the economic challenges facing our nation. They are far more worried about partisan politics, posturing and the 2012 elections than they are meaningful legislation that will impact the American people.

No, these statistics are really just about allowing capitalism and a free-market system to fix itself and a commitment by business owners to reinvest into their companies.

However, it is far to soon to celebrate.

There is much work to be done and this is just the first step in the right direction. But, after months and months of doom and gloom, it is nice to start 2012 on a positive note, hopefully the first of many to come.