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New Poll: Democrats and Republicans Agree on Restoring Manufacturing

 

July 30, 2012

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Despite all the talk that portrays America as divided, a newly-released poll demonstrates that the vast majority of members of both parties and their independent-minded neighbors live in harmony on at least one subject: They believe that America’s leaders should be doing everything it will take to help rebuild our nation’s manufacturing base.

 


For the third year in a row, a poll conducted by the Mellman Group, a primarily Democratic firm, and North Star Opinion Research, a Republican-oriented public relations group, shows that strong majorities of workers across the political spectrum believe “manufacturing is the industry most important to the overall strength of the American economy.”

Conducted between June 28 and July 2nd, the survey of 1,200 likely general election voters revealed that 88 percent believe that it’s possible for America to have the strongest position in the world economy and 92 percent say it’s important for the U.S. to regain that position.

The poll—sponsored by the Alliance for American Manufacturing and the United Steelworkers—also found that voters emphatically support tough action on China’s unfair trade advantage and undervalued currency. 

Scott Paul, executive director of the Alliance for American Manufacturing, says the findings—from six focus groups in Columbus, Ohio, Orlando Fla., Phoenix, Ariz.—and two other surveys in St. Louis and Vienna, Va., explains how important the discussion on manufacturing has become in U.S. politics:

It’s no surprise that Romney and Obama are hitting each other hard on China, outsourcing and job loss. This election will turn on who voters believe will go to bat for them to create and vigorously defend manufacturing jobs.

The survey also explored the Obama Administration’s decision to rescue the U.S. auto industry. Fifty-seven percent of those surveyed think the quality of cars produced by the domestic industry has improved. And regarding the actual rescue decision, when presented with arguments for and against saving the U.S. auto industry, a significant majority of those polled (61 percent) support the government’s action. This support was found to be strong across the country, not just in the Midwest.

The AAM’s poll supports the theme of the Obama administration’s new report, “Capturing Domestic Competitive Advantage in Advanced Manufacturing, authored by the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

To reverse the outsourcing of production, the White House has also issued a statement in support of S. 3364, the Bring Jobs Home Act. This legislation would reverse tax breaks for companies covering the cost of outsourcing production and apply them instead to encouraging companies to bring jobs back home.

A recent article in the Washington Post outlines how President Obama faced a debate among his economic advisors over the relative importance of manufacturing and came out on the side of rebuilding our nation’s industrial prowess.

 

Photo used under a Creative Commons license from Flickr user Roy Montgomery.