Voter Survey On U.S. Manufacturing Policy

A majority of Americans are highly concerned about the state of manufacturing in America and would support a new, government-led manufacturing policy, according to a poll conducted during the spring of 2010 for the Alliance for American Manufacturing .

Key findings of the poll:

• Voters are anxious about the economy—specifically China debt, spending and loss of manufacturing.
• Voters want Washington to focus on manufacturing, but feel working people who make things are being forgotten.
• Voters believe manufacturing is central to our economic strength.
• Our declining manufacturing sector leads Americans to believe we are no longer the world’s strongest economy—a title they want to regain.
• There is a strong preference for American goods and a strong distaste for goods manufactured in China.
• Majorities favor increased support for manufacturing, including a national manufacturing strategy.
• Voters’ economic solutions center on trade enforcement, clean energy, tax credits for U.S. manufacturing and replacing aging infrastructure using American materials

The nationwide poll was conducted by the Mellman Group, which interviewed 1,000 likely general election voters. The Mellman Group also conducted focus group discussions in conjunction with the poll topics.