Poll: Young Ohio Voters Concerned About Loss of Jobs to China

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Generation Opportunity, with over 4 million fans on Facebook and direct grassroots engagement with over a quarter million young Americans, today released additional results from their comprehensive Ohio-specific survey of young adults ages 18-29. The poll found that 73% of Millennials in the Buckeye State are concerned that so many American jobs are going to foreign competitors like China. If given the opportunity to set America's fiscal priorities, 66% would lower taxes to restore and improve job creation in America.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110805/DC48058LOGO)

Generation Opportunity has over 130,000 followers across the state of Ohio.

In addition to the poll results, Generation Opportunity has launched the Pledge to GO Vote Campaign aimed at further increasing the already growing enthusiasm and interest among young adults to participate in the presidential election. Generation Opportunity is encouraging its supporters, their friends, and all those within their networks to Pledge to GO Vote. Read more about the initiative and sign the pledge here at GenerationOpportunity.org/vote.

Watch the video at bit.ly/PledgeToGOVote.

OHIO'S YOUNG ADULTS – ON CHINA AS A COMPETITOR AND THREAT

• 73% of Ohio Millennials are concerned that so many American jobs are going to foreign competitors like China.
• 66% agree that, with more and more companies leaving the USA in favor of locating their business in places like China and even Canada, President Obama should lower the taxes on American businesses to restore and expand jobs in America.
• When asked why they thought American jobs are going to foreign competitors like China, 18-29 year olds in Ohio indicated the following reasons: (Randomized List) (Accepted Multiple Responses)
  • 78% - Cheaper wages overseas;
  • 38% - High taxes on businesses in the U.S.;
  • 30% - Too much regulation on businesses in the U.S.;
  • 28% - Lack of opportunities to start and grow businesses in the U.S.;
  • 2% - I do not think U.S. jobs are going overseas;
  • 7% - Do not know/cannot judge (accepted only this response).
• In a nationwide survey, 76% of Millennials viewed China as a danger: 48% as an economic threat and 28% as both an economic and military threat.***

OHIO'S YOUNG ADULTS – ON AMERICAN GLOBAL LEADERSHIP AND CURRENT DIRECTION

• Only 27% of Ohio Millennials agree with the statement "generally speaking, things in the United States are heading in the right direction."
• 59% are not confident that America will still be a global leader in five years if the USA continues along the same path as the last few years.
• Only 20% say that the economic policies coming out of Washington are helping them.

OHIO'S YOUNG ADULTS – ON TOP AMERICAN NATIONAL SECURITY AND ENERGY ISSUES

• When asked to rank the greatest threats to the national security of the United States, Ohio Millennials listed the following reasons: (Randomized List) (Accepted Multiple Responses)
  • 60% - The national debt;
  • 48% - Energy dependence;
  • 44% - Indebtedness to foreign nations;
  • 41% - Terrorism;
  • 31% - Nuclear capable nations like Iran;
  • 6% - Other;
• 8% - Do not know/cannot judge (accepted only this response).
• 61% would increase production of domestic American energy sources like oil, natural gas, and coal if given the opportunity to set America's fiscal priorities.

OHIO'S YOUNG ADULTS – VOTER ENGAGEMENT

• 81% of Ohio Millennials plan to vote in the election for President this year.
• Only 33% believe that today's political leaders reflect the interests of young Americans.

STATEMENT BY PAUL T. CONWAY, PRESIDENT OF GENERATION OPPORTUNITY

"China is a very important issue to young adults across the country, especially among those living in Ohio, because they view China as either or both an economic and military competitor to the United States. For young Americans living through a poor economy where meaningful, full-time jobs are difficult to find, they understand that their generation has been set-back in terms of critical skills, knowledge, and work experiences. They know these setbacks in their professional careers put both themselves and America at a potential long-term competitive disadvantage with workforces in China and other countries," said Paul T. Conway, President of Generation Opportunity and former Chief of Staff of the United States Department of Labor under Secretary Elaine L. Chao. "As they look at their own futures and the direction of our country, they are demanding a stronger economy and more full-time jobs here at home – and that is precisely why they see the election next week as an opportunity to change leadership and policy in Washington."

METHODOLOGY

For Generation Opportunity, the polling company, inc./WomanTrend, conducted a statewide online survey of 507 Ohio adults ages 18-29 between July 27 – August 14, 2012. Randomly selected online opt-in panel participants were sent an invitation to the survey via email, which included a secure link to the online questionnaire. Quotas were used to ensure the survey was representative of the larger 18-29 year old statewide population with regard to race, region, and gender. The data were NOT weighted. The overall sampling margin of error for the survey is +/-4.4% at a 95% confidence interval, meaning that the data obtained would not differ more than 4.4 percentage points in 95 out of 100 similar samples obtained.

***The specific data point, "76% of Millennials view China as a danger: 48% as an economic threat and 28% as both an economic and military threat," is from our 2011 survey (the polling company, inc./WomanTrend, April 16 – 22, 2011, +/- 4 percent margin of error).

GRASSROOTS FIELD ACTIVITIES IN OHIO

Generation Opportunity's social media operations and grassroots organizers and volunteers have already engaged well over a hundred and thirty thousand young people online and at various events across Ohio over the course of the past year. They have trained student leaders on college campuses; co-sponsored trade shows, industry, and manufacturing summits; participated in street fairs and local festivals; and attended happy hours for young professionals. Generation Opportunity is a member of the Chambers of Commerce in Akron, Columbus, and Dayton.

Field activities over the past year include the Hire our Heroes veterans' jobs fair in Akron; Minster's Octoberfest; the Ohio State Fair; the Fountain Square Summer Music Series in Cincinnati; the Ohio Growth Summit in Columbus; Buck-I-Frenzy at Ohio State University; Constitution Day in Cedarville; the Norton Cider Fest; pumpkin festivals in Bradford and New Bremen; local Chamber of Commerce events in Akron, Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton, Dublin, Fairfield, Reynoldsville, Toledo, and Westerville; NCAA and NFL football games; and a charity mud volleyball tournament in Dayton.

In recent months, Generation Opportunity field teams also have met with young adults at college and schools throughout the state, signing up volunteers, and further expanding its growing statewide network of grassroots activists and volunteers. Generation Opportunity organizers have visited and recruited new volunteer team members at The Ohio State University, Ashland University, Bowling Green State University, Oberlin College, Otterbein University, Cedarville University, Rhodes State Community College, Ohio Wesleyan University, Ohio University, Miami University, Ohio State – Lima, and Wright State University.

Generation Opportunity's social media and grassroots field teams also recently trained student leaders at the National Student Government Summit, hosted by the American Student Government Association (ASGA), on how high youth unemployment is devastating the dreams and careers of America's Millennials and how they can better organize their respective campuses. Campus leaders representing Ohio colleges and universities were present, including key leaders from the College of Mount Saint Joseph, Muskingum University, Owens Community College, the University of Cincinnati, Clermont College, and the University of Dayton. The organization has dozens more events planned and is providing assistance to events their volunteers are conducting within their own communities and extensive social media networks.

ABOUT GENERATION OPPORTUNITY
Generation Opportunity is the largest non-profit, non-partisan organization in the United States engaging and mobilizing young Americans (ages 18-29) on important economic issues facing the nation. Since its launch in June of 2011, Generation Opportunity has operated on a combined strategy of advanced social media tactics and field tactics to reach young Americans across the country.

Generation Opportunity is actively organizing young adults across America through grassroots tactics, voter registration, and voter turnout efforts in states like Ohio, Virginia, Maine, North Carolina and Florida, engaging over a quarter million young adults. The organization's social media platforms have amassed a total fan base of more than 4 million. Facebook pages post links to relevant articles and reports from sources ranging from the federal Government Accountability Office (GAO), to The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Brookings Institution, The Wall Street Journal, The Huffington Post, and The Heritage Foundation.