A vast majority, 69 percent, report that they personally benefit from trade. Support for trade has particularly been drawn from the technology and consumer electronics fields. Sixty-nine percent of Americans called said they support overseas trade in those sectors. In addition, 74 percent said that it was a "good thing" that overseas trade and global manufacturing had reduced the costs of consumer electronics goods in the United States. Fifty-seven percent said that America would not be the economic leader it is today without overseas trade. Only 25 percent disagreed with this statement.
"The verdict is in and the people have spoken. Now it’s time for Congress to grasp what the American people firmly understand – that trade benefits our country," said CEA President and CEO Gary Shapiro. "It’s time for Congress to listen to the American people and not the protectionists in the media and do what’s right for our economy, which is passage of trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea."
Particularly noteworthy from the poll is strong support among young adults for trade. Among 18 to 24-year olds:
* Seventy-three percent believe that overseas trade is a good thing even if it forces Americans to become more competitive with overseas workers.
* By a three-to-one margin (of those who had an opinion) they think America would have created fewer jobs in the last 15 years if it had been more restrictive in its overseas trade.
* Eighty-four percent said they personally benefit from trade.
* Sixty percent said U.S. companies are practicing smart business by placing workers in the most cost-efficient locations, even if that means overseas.
* Seventy percent said the U.S. would not be the economic leader without overseas trade.
The survey was conducted to test perceptions of overseas trade as CEA culminates its 28-state "America Wins with Trade" bus tour in Minneapolis for the Republican National Convention.
