China worries

Americans believe China has surpassed the United States in economic strength and back government support of manufacturing to create U.S. jobs, according to the 7th annual Allstate-National Journal Heartland Monitor Poll.

According to the poll, Americans view U.S. workforce competitiveness and the U.S. manufacturing sector as a key driver of job creation. Only 20% of Americans polled believe the U.S. has the strongest economy in the world, while almost 50% say this distinction lies with China.

However, one-third of Americans (34%) believe the U.S. will have the world’s strongest economy 20 years from now, roughly in line with those who hold similar expectations of China’s economy (37%). Respondents cited America’s strengths in its higher education system (74%), science and research (66%), workforce (56%) and corporate leaders (57%).

The poll was conducted by phone among 1,200 U.S. adults (18+) between Nov. 29 and Dec. 1.

"Americans clearly understand the global economic landscape has changed," Thomas Wilson, Allstate chairman, president and CEO, said in a statement. "As a result, they are concerned about their future and that of their children. They want public and private leaders to put aside ideological fundamentalism and make compromises to move the country forward. Businesses need to expand their investment in U.S. growth. Public sector leaders must support manufacturing, research and education. Our common goal should be for America to remain the most advanced, most innovative, and largest economy in the world."

OTHER SURVEY FINDINGS
• 80% of Americans say manufacturing will be extremely or very important to U.S. economic growth over the next five to 10 years.

• 62% agree it’s important for the government to help advanced manufacturing industries with tax incentives and funding – even if it means more federal spending and more government involvement in the economy.

• Only 20% of Americans believe that the United States has the strongest economy in the world today. Nearly half (47%) believe that this distinction lies with China.

• When asked about the direction of the country, 60% said the United States is heading in the wrong direction, up from 50% in September 2009.

• More than half of Americans (67%) believe that their financial situation will get worse or remain the same in 2011, rather than improve.

• More than one-third of Americans (37%) believe the country is significantly worse off due to President Obama’s policies, consistent with previous Heartland Monitor Poll findings in April (37%) and August (41%) of this year.

• More than one-third (35%) of Americans believe recent economic policies have decreased opportunities for people to get ahead, and only 14% believe that the country is better off because of those policies.

• More than half (58%) blame the loss of U.S. manufacturing jobs on companies that shifted jobs overseas to lower labor costs and increase profits.

• More than half (53%) believe that U.S. elementary and secondary schools lag behind those of other countries.

• Americans say that the top priority of elected officials in Washington should be to provide new spending on infrastructure, research and education to encourage job creation (28%), well above those who said that the most important priority should be new tax cuts (22%), repealing or changing healthcare reform (19%), extending all the Bush Era tax cuts (13%) or addressing the federal deficit (11%).