Manufacturing Jobs for the GOP

As pre-November primaries come to an end, inquiring political minds will be asking Americans, “What is the singularly most important issue that will drive you to vote this year?”

Almost certainly, the answer will be “jobs.”

Republican proposals to reduce taxes, regulation and government to stimulate growth are right on the money. But they still won’t overcome one of the GOP’s most serious problems – its post-Reagan divorce from “the working man.”

In April, a bi-partisan poll was released by the Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM) measuring support by GOP and Tea Party voters for American manufacturing as an agent of job growth. The results will come as a surprise to no one – except, perhaps, elected Republicans.

Millions of Americans associated with manufacturing have long felt ignored by the Republican Party for many reasons — primarily Democrats’ strong union ties. But that paradigm could shift in 2010 based on current political trends.

Of the 37 Governors’ mansions currently in play, nineteen are held by Democrats and 18 by Republicans. Four states – Massachusetts, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan – are big losers in the manufacturing employment race to the bottom and are expected to be swing or trending states in the 2012 Presidential contest.

Since 2000, Michigan lost 434,000 manufacturing jobs; Ohio, 392,000; and 291,000 in Pennsylvania. Massachusetts, America’s original factory state, shed 150,000.

In these key states the current governor is a Democrat, yet the nation’s top political prognosticators are listing them as “toss up” or “leaning Republican.” Republicans could pick up four to seven governorships overall.

Conducted jointly by Republican pollster Whit Ayres and Democrat Mark Mellman, the results of the AAM survey are astounding. It shows that across all party, geographic and demographic lines, Americans still believe in manufacturing despite its decade long decline, and associate it with a sound economy and a secure nation.

Given a choice of eight industries, respondents were asked which was most important to our economy. Sixty-two percent of Republicans and 63% of Independents ranked manufacturing higher than “finance/banking” and “healthcare.”

In choosing which industry matters most to national security, manufacturing earned a plurality from Republicans (43%), Independents (40%) – higher than Democrats (38%).

Most surprising were results from participants who self-identified as active in the Tea Party movement or supporting it.

At 71%, the number of Tea Party supporters who had a favorable view of American manufacturing was higher than Democrats’. Asked if they would back a national strategy using tax, labor and trade policies to support manufacturing, more than seventy percent of Independents, Republicans and Tea Partiers said “yes.”

Calls for a liberal-style national manufacturing “policy” has long given free market Republicans justifiable fits. But smart American manufacturing policies have existed since Alexander Hamilton, whose successful arguments for a domestic merchant fleet rather than reliance on France sowed the seed for today’s robust Merchant Marine and Coast Guard.

Even Ronald Reagan saw value in defending Harley Davidson and American semi-conductor businesses against market distorting practices by some U.S. competitors.

A manufacturing strategy reducing tax and regulatory burdens, expensing capital investments, state flexibility, enforcing existing trade laws and responding to China’s illegal trade practices would harness the power of America’s entrepreneurs.

Ensuring an uninterrupted defense supply chain is critical as America’s warfighters deserve equipment made by trustworthy American hands – not missile propellant from China, airborne refueling tankers from France or force protection barriers made in England instead of Illinois.

Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate Charlie Baker has taken an unusual step for a Republican — focusing his campaign on manufacturing unemployment. Touting his video “Manufacturing in Massachusetts: The Forgotten Industry,” he has developed a vigorous media and appearance plan around it.

Republican gubernatorial candidates in other states are embracing solid pro-growth policies but not addressing manufacturing as directly as voters want – none has “done a Charlie Baker.”

The good news for Republicans in the AAM poll is that a majority of union households, Independents, and GOP/Tea Party supporters think the Obama Administration and Democratic Congress have spent too much time and money bailing out their pals and not enough creating jobs.

Over two election cycles, President Reagan carried 96 out of 100 states by reaching beyond traditional constituencies to attract blue-collar voters and promising industrial expansion through pro-business policies.

If Republicans chose manufacturing as a critical job growth mechanism and adopt a Reagan-esque brand of economic populism, they could enjoy a big gubernatorial power flip-flop in 2010 and perhaps a greater shift in 2012. Republican candidates have an unprecedented opportunity to campaign outside the box and could attract voters looking for meaningful change and specific answers.

Republican, Tea Party and Independent voters have spoken and GOP candidates should turn up their political hearing aid and listen. Unless it was one of the 200 million imported from China last year – in which case, it probably won’t work.