WASHINGTON DC – The National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) today released new polling conducted by Morning Consult that finds American voters want the United States to play a larger global leadership role on technology and innovation issues. The first-of-its-kind polling on voter views on global technology and AI leadership also revealed that voters are concerned the United States is falling behind China on innovation and that other countries are unfairly targeting U.S. tech workers and businesses.
With less than two months before the election, the NFTC sent a letter to both the Harris-Walz and Trump-Vance campaigns today sharing the newly released polling data. Both Presidential candidates have recently addressed the need to champion U.S. technological and AI innovation at home and abroad in debates and speeches, though neither has unveiled policy details on how they plan to strengthen American leadership on these issues.
“Now more than ever, promoting American workers’ interests and the economic prosperity they generate requires a commitment from our leaders to reinvigorate U.S. global technology leadership,” NFTC President Jake Colvin writes in the letter to both campaigns.
Key findings from the Morning Consult Poll include that:
“Restoring America’s global technology leadership presents a unique opportunity to unite the country around a vision that is popular with Democrats, Republicans and Independents,” Colvin added.
Visit HERE for Morning Consult polling Memo
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The full text of the letter sent to the Harris-Walz and Trump-Vance campaigns follows:
As the pre-eminent business association dedicated to international trade, investment and economic policy issues, we are writing to bring to your attention the clear interest of the American people in accelerating U.S. global leadership on technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to promote and defend U.S. economic interests abroad and strengthen America’s national security.
For over forty years, American technology innovation has spurred the development of the U.S. economy from the birth of the internet to AI. According to Bureau of Economic Analysis data, America’s innovative entrepreneurs lead the global digital economy, supporting $1.24 trillion in employee compensation, over 18 million jobs, and generating $3.70 trillion in digital economy gross output.
In response to America’s success, foreign governments from Europe to Asia, including China, are pursuing discriminatory digital policies designed to hold U.S. businesses and their workers back. Digital protectionism abroad throttles American growth and innovation, putting U.S. jobs, competitiveness, and national security at serious risk.
Now more than ever, promoting American workers’ interests and the economic prosperity they generate requires a commitment from our leaders to reinvigorate U.S. global technology leadership. U.S. leadership is essential to enable access to international markets for American small businesses, farmers, ranchers, service companies and manufacturers, who rely on the global reach of a range of innovative U.S. technologies to succeed.
The American electorate agrees and understands that our future prosperity will be defined by technological innovation. Voters across the United States support strong U.S. global technology leadership that empowers services created by American innovators and workers and aids small businesses’ access to new markets.
Newly released polling from Morning Consult shows that large majorities of Americans desire greater focus on fostering our technological strengths.
The polling found that:
These results reflect that Americans take pride in the fact that digital-led innovation is an engine of growth. Americans understand that digital exports are inextricably tied to our economic security.
Restoring America’s global technology leadership presents a unique opportunity to unite the country around a vision that is popular with Democrats, Republicans and Independents.
Next year will offer a fresh chance to enhance America’s global economic leadership to strengthen our national security and contribute to the prosperity of all Americans. We ask that you prioritize the importance of American-led digital innovation and firmly commit to stand up for American job creators and workers on the world stage, both as you present your views to voters this fall and as you prepare the policies that your administration would pursue.
We welcome the opportunity to meet with you to discuss these issues.
Sincerely,
Jake Colvin
President
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About the NFTC
The National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) is the premier business association advancing trade and tax policies that support access to the global marketplace. Founded in 1914, NFTC promotes an open, rules-based global economy on behalf of a diverse membership of U.S.-based businesses.
