Poll: Americans Prioritize Manufacturing Base Over Low Consumer Cost

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks in support of Republican congressional candidate Rick Saccone during a Make America Great Again rally in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, U.S., March 10, 2018. (Photo: Reuters)

While the debate over tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump last week rages on in Washington, Americans are more unified over whether it’s more important to protect the country’s manufacturing base over lower consumer costs.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds a whopping 89% of American adults believe it is at least somewhat important for the U.S. to have a major manufacturing and industrial base, including 63% who believe it is “Very Important.” Only 8% say it is not very or “Not At All” Important to keep a manufacturing base at home.

When asked if it is “more important to keep manufacturing jobs in the United States or to keep prices low for American consumers,” a dominant 68% said it’s more important to keep manufacturing jobs in the U.S. and only 20% think it’s more important to “keep prices low for American consumers.”

Last week, President Trump announced a 25% tariff on imported steel and a 10% tariff on imported aluminum.

The survey of 1,000 American adults in the U.S. nationwide was conducted on March 5 – 6, 2018 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.