If the U.S. manufacturing community could send a message to the next president about industry's ability to compete on the global stage, what would it say about international trade, education, health care, taxation, and other issues?

In a phrase, the message would be to take action and change things — big time. Today, manufacturers aren't happy about the state of the industry and its future prospects. And they are even unhappier about the lack of attention the Republican and Democratic parties are paying to manufacturing in the election race.

These messages came through loud and clear in a new poll by Managing Automation and its sister publications in parent company Thomas Publishing, including Industrial Equipment News, Thomas Global, ThomasNet, and InBound Logistics. Conducted earlier this year, which is the 110th anniversary of Thomas, the U.S. Industrial Competitiveness survey has so far garnered more than 1,600 responses from across America.

Poll takers are united in their concerns about the future of America's industrial base and, interestingly, quite nuanced in how they would approach fixing some of the problems. For example, 70% said they are "very concerned" about industry's ability to compete in the global market, and nearly 80% said the government should take an active role in strengthening manufacturing.

But when it comes to whether international trade agreements, such as NAFTA, have helped or hurt U.S. competitiveness, nearly half of respondents said such agreements have had a mixed effect. Yet, more than 80% said the government can do more to "level the playing field" with such competing nations as China, India, and Korea. On the domestic front, nearly 40% said that changes to the tax code won't improve industry's ability to compete.

When it comes to health care, education, and government regulation, the message is, again, one of significant change. When asked how the next administration should deal with rising health care costs, for example, nearly 29% of respondents said that coverage must be expanded, with private companies maintaining a strong role, but 27% said they would favor a European-style universal health care system. And when it comes to government regulations, nearly 50% said they want the regulatory burden reduced even as steps are taken to deal with global warming.

What the poll says to me, in aggregate, is that the manufacturing community is clearly poised for change. Moreover, manufacturers appear to be open-minded about the kinds of change they would find acceptable in such basic systems as health care, education, and regulation. Where the frustration lies, though, is in the response of their elected representatives. Perhaps it is no surprise that the most lopsided finding in the poll came from a question about whether the political parties are paying attention to manufacturing issues this year. More than 90% of respondents answered that question with a resounding NO.

What can you do about it? If you've responded to the Competitiveness Survey, you have taken a step to have your voice heard. If not, write a letter, make a phone call, attend a meeting where you can communicate your concerns to your representatives in office or striving to be. Managing Automation will be further discussing how to enhance competitiveness at its Progressive Manufacturing Summit conference next month in Las Vegas. Join us in person or at on the Web.