The nation's unemployment rate rose to 5.5 percent last month, according to new data released by the Department of Labor, the sharpest one-month increase since 1986. The public tends to view the unemployment rate as one of the best indicators of the nation's economic health. And the latest findings from Gallup show three-quarters say it's a bad time to find a quality job -- with a clear trend line inching upwards since last year. But analysis from the Pew Research Center indicates public attitudes about today's job climate are not nearly as negative as they were in 1992.