The National Association of Manufacturers, the Manufacturing Institute and the Manufacturers Alliance/MAPI recently released a study on the costs facing American manufacturers.

Manufacturing Alliance economic consultant Jeremy Leonard, a guest on this week’s “America’s Business with Mike Hambrick” radio program, will walk listeners through the study. Leonard says the report revealed some bad news as well as some good news about the state of American manufacturing.

There are several tax provisions in the 2008 Emergency Economic Stabilization Act that could help manufacturers weather these rough economic times. Mike will talk to Tom Catania from Whirpool Corp. about a provision that gives the appliance maker and other companies more incentive to build energy-efficient products.

The American manufacturing sector recently scored a major victory when Congress stopped the Federal Communications Commission from selling off radio frequencies. Manufacturers sometimes use radios to communicate with workers on busy shop floors. Frank Weaver, director of telecommunications policy at Boeing, will explain why it was so important to manufacturers to stop the radio frequency auction.

“America’s Business” this week will also take a break from heavy policy issues to talk about an interesting book on fatherhood from Steve Doocy, co-host of the TV news show “Fox and Friends.” The book has a catchy title - “Tales from the Dad Side: Misadventures in Fatherhood.”

In our regular segments, Renee Giachino of American Justice Partnership gives us the latest on tort reform and commentator Hank Cox recalls “The Way It Was.” And the National Association of Manufacturers President Gov. John Engler will close the program with “The Last Word.”

For more about “America’s Business with Mike Hambrick” check out www.americasbusiness.org.

President-elect Barack Obama wants to make improving America’s infrastructure – our roads, transportation systems, rails and waterways – one of his top priorities.

One group that wants to make that a reality is the The New America Foundation. Foundation Senior Fellow Michael Lind will appear on this week’s “America’s Business with Mike Hambrick” radio program to talk about why America is lagging when it comes to infrastructure.

“We’ve inherited a great 20th century infrastructure,” Lind says. “But it’s the 21st century and our competitors, including developed countries like those in Europe and Japan but also rising countries like China, invest far more than we do.”

Congress recently passed the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 to help pull our economy out of recession. That law includes several tax provisions that could help manufacturers through this rough economic period.

National Association of Manufacturers Vice President of Tax and Domestic Economic Policy Dorothy Coleman will explain these tax provisions to listeners. Meanwhile, Ace Clearwater Enterprises Vice President Gary Johnson and Bill Morin, Director of Government Affairs for Applied Materials, will talk about how the tax provisions specifically benefited their companies.

There was recently a major development in developing more nuclear power in America. Jarret Adams, spokesman for Areva Corp., will join Mike to discuss his company’s partnership with Northrop Grumman on a new nuclear reactor supply plant in Virginia.

Going green is a trendy thing to do. But did you know being more environmentally responsible and energy efficient can also help manufacturers save some green cash, too? Coachmen Industries Inc. Vice President Tom Gehl will talk about how going green with a line of recreational vehicles has helped the company become more environmentally responsible and reduce expenses.

In our regular segments, Renee Giachino of American Justice Partnership gives us the latest on tort reform and commentator Hank Cox recalls “The Way It Was.” And the National Association of Manufacturers President Gov. John Engler will close the program with “The Last Word.”

For more about “America’s Business with Mike Hambrick” and to listen to the program online, please click here. And for video highlights and more, check out www.americasbusiness.org.

The 2008 presidential election is over, and Democratic Sen. Barack Obama is the victor.

National Association of Manufacturers President John Engler will appear on this week’s “America’s Business with Mike Hambrick” radio program to discuss how American manufacturers will react to change in the White House and Congress after Election Day.

“The National Association of Manufacturers has reached out to President-elect Obama and to his new administration and said, look, manufacturing is the lifeblood of this economy, we still represent 1.6 trillion dollars of economic impact on an annual basis; we want to work with you,” Engler says. “We’ve got a lot of problems ahead as we look to the future. We’re in a recession; globally, the economy of countries all over the world are slowing down. So we need help. And we need to be thinking long term about what’s going to make a difference to allow the U.S. to remain the greatest manufacturing economy in the world.”

NAM Executive Vice President Jay Timmons will also offer a run-down on the winners and losers on Election Day and what the results mean to manufacturers. And respected pollsters John McLaughlin and Allan Rivlin will return to the program to check if their earlier Election Day predictions proved true.

This week’s program is not just about elections. Mike will visit Peerless Chain Company President Tom Wynn. Wynn will talk about why chains are such an important product and how his company is doing in these shaky economic times.

In our regular segments, Renee Giachino of American Justice Partnership gives us the latest on tort reform and commentator Hank Cox recalls “The Way It Was.” And the National Association of Manufacturers President Gov. John Engler will close the program with “The Last Word.”

For more about “America’s Business with Mike Hambrick” and to listen to the program online, please click here. And for video highlights and more, check out www.americasbusiness.org.

The long presidential campaign season is almost over. Election Day is Nov. 4.

Nationally recognized pollsters John McLaughlin and Allan Rivlin will appear on this week’s “America’s Business with Mike Hambrick” radio program to offer the latest election forecasts. And National Association of Manufacturers Executive Vice President Jay Timmons will talk about how manufacturers plan to work closesly with whoever wins the White House and congressional races.

“There is no person who stood for election, particularly this year, who also does not care about jobs,” Timmons says. “We all have a stake in ensuring that this economy is strengthened and that our country is strong and vibrant into the future.”

This Manufacturing Institute  recently launched an Education Council. This new group will focus on expanding and enhancing our nation’s workforce. We’ll hear about the group’s goals from two charter members. They are Dr. Timothy Franklin, director of the Office of Economic and Workforce Development at Penn State University, and Dr. Cynthia Bioteau, president of Salt Lake Community College.

Europe is about to implement new trade regulations that would make it more difficult for America’s small and medium manufacturers to ship products to Europe. Commerce Department international trade specialist Don Wright will join Mike to discuss the possible pitfalls of Europe’s REACH regulations.

Over the last year the nation’s electronics makers have made a push to become more environmentally friendly. Some of these companies have even slashed electricity use by 25 percent. Joanne Sonenshine, senior manager of environmental policy at the Consumer Electronics Association, will talk about why and how electronics makers are going green.

In our regular segments, Renee Giachino of American Justice Partnership gives us the latest on tort reform and commentator Hank Cox recalls “The Way It Was.” And our program will close with “The Last Word” from the National Association of Manufacturers President Gov. John Engler.

For more about “America’s Business with Mike Hambrick” and to listen to the program online check out http://www.americasbusiness.org.

Congress is considering a controversial bill that would take away a worker’s right to a private ballot on union organizing. Ironically, the legislation is entitled the “Employee Free Choice Act.”

Rep. Buck McKeon (R-CA), a guest on this week’s “America’s Business with Mike Hambrick” radio program, will talk about why lawmakers should kill the bill. It is expected to come up in Congress early next year.

“They call it the (Employee) Free Choice Act but what it really does is take away people’s choice,” McKeon says. “It’s not just Republicans that are against this. George McGovern, one of the most liberal men to ever run for the presidency, has come out against it because it takes away democracy from the people.”

Election Day is less than two weeks away. Noted pollster John McLaughlin will join Mike to discuss how the presidential campaign is shaping up and what the makeup of the Congress could be after Election Day.

Speaking of Election Day, the National Association of Manufacturers has launched a “Get Out the Vote” Web site. NAM Vice President Tiffany Adams will tell us how manufacturers are using this Web site to get their employees fired up on Election Day.

You may have noticed there are more candy displays at your local grocery store. That’s because Halloween is coming. Jelly Belly Candy Company Vice Chairman Bill Kelley will give Mike a taste of the Halloween-themed candy Jelly Belly is rolling out this year.

In our regular segments, Renee Giachino of American Justice Partnership gives us the latest on tort reform and commentator Hank Cox recalls the “The Way It Was.” And the National Association of Manufacturers President Gov. John Engler will close the program with “The Last Word.”

For more about “America’s Business with Mike Hambrick” and to listen to the program online go to http:// www.americasbusiness.org.

Rep. Mike Conaway (R-TX) says he was under a lot of pressure from folks in the Texas 11th Congressional District to vote against the “Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008.” But Conaway, a guest on this week’s “America’s Business with Mike Hambrick” radio program, decided he had to vote for the bill.

Congress approved the bill and President Bush signed the legislation into law a week ago. Supporters hope the bill will help prevent the American economy from sinking into another Great Depression.

“My job as I see it is to form the best opinion I can, the most informed, intelligent,” Conaway says. “And yes, you listen to the constituents. But at the end of the day I had to vote for what I believe is right.”

One of the most important pieces of legislation for businesses in 2009 will be the misnamed “Employee Free Choice Act.” That bill would strip away an employee’s right to a secret ballot on union organizing. One group fighting against the bill is the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace. Mike will talk to their spokeswoman Rhonda Bentz about their campaign.

The Manufacturing Extension Partnership helps American manufacturers grow and compete in the global marketplace. For the past 17 years it has helped manufacturers achieve $1.3 billion in cost savings annually. But the program has been unfairly criticized as a government handout.

Mike will talk to Arkansas Manufacturing Solutions Director Dan Curtis about why the program is crucial to manufacturers in his state and around the country. In fact, Lee Morgan, president of Farr Air Pollution Control in Jonesboro, Arkansas, will tell Mike how MEP helped save his company and jobs.

In our regular segments, Renee Giachino of American Justice Partnership gives us the latest on tort reform, NAM Executive Vice President Jay Timmons offers an update on the 2008 political campaign season, and commentator Hank Cox recalls “The Way It Was.” And our program will close with “The Last Word” from the National Association of Manufacturers President Gov. John Engler.

For more about “America’s Business with Mike Hambrick” and to listen to the program online check out http://www.americasbusiness.org.

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) says the “Employee Free Choice Act” has a very misleading name. DeMint says the legislation would strip away workers’ fundamental right to a private vote on union organizing so voters should urge Congress reject it.

“It’s hard for me to get past the name ‘Employee Free Choice Act’ because it’s anything but free choice,” said DeMint, a guest on this week’s “America’s Business with Mike Hambrick” radio program. “In fact, we know when you take the secret ballot away from a worker or a voter of any kind you basically subject them to intimidation and public pressure that shouldn’t be there.”

Health care is a big issue in the 2008 presidential campaign. Author Sally Pipes will tell listeners how to separate fact from fiction in the health care debate. Pipes is author of “The Top Ten Myths of American Health Care.”

Social networking Web sites have revolutionized the way people interact. Businesses can also use the Web to reach out to the public, says Catherine Brown from the Dotster social networking site. She’ll join Mike to talk about how manufacturers can get involved in social networking.

The first debate between presidential hopefuls John McCain and Barack Obama is over. NAM Executive Vice President Jay Timmons has been intimately involved in national politics for years and he’ll give us his expert opinion on how the presidential campaign is shaping up.

In our regular segments, Renee Giachino of American Justice Partnership gives us the latest on tort reform and commentator Hank Cox recalls “The Way It Was.” And our program will close with “The Last Word” from the National Association of Manufacturers President Gov. John Engler.

For more about “America’s Business with Mike Hambrick” and to listen to the program online check out http://www.americasbusiness.org.

Congress is moving to lift a quarter-century ban on offshore oil and natural gas exploration. Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) says that move is just a first step in securing our nation’s future energy supplies.

DeMint, a guest on this week’s “America’s Business with Mike Hambrick” radio program, plans to introduce legislation to ensure energy exploration proceeds once the ban is lifted.

“It just opens the door,” he says. “And we need to pass a piece of legislation that tells the Interior Department to expedite the vetting of these leases and to set up the structure that gives states a percent of the royalties so it will encourage states to get active behind this and stop frivolous lawsuits.”

Congress is considering a controversial bill that would take away workers’ fundamental right to a private vote on union organizing. Attorney and blogger Seth Borden will join us to talk about troubling provisions in the so-called Card Check bill. You can also check out Borden’s blog here.

Every parent wants their child to attend Harvard or Yale. But Charles Murray, author of “Real Education,” says your child may actually be happier and end up earning more money with a technical or vocational degree.

High fuel prices are prompting more Americans to buy smaller, gas-sipping cars. Insurance Research Council spokesman David Corum will join us to talk about his group’s recent study that links lighter cars to high auto insurance injury claims.

National Association of Manufacturers Executive Vice President Jay Timmons has been a regular guest on our show. Jay, who has a  long-running career in politics, will offer us his latest take on the 2008 political landscape.

In our regular segments, Renee Giachino of American Justice Partnership gives us the latest on tort reform and commentator Hank Cox recalls “The Way It Was.” And our program will close with “The Last Word” from the National Association of Manufacturers President Gov. John Engler.

For more about “America’s Business with Mike Hambrick” and to listen to the program online check out http://www.americasbusiness.org.

Congress is considering controversial legislation that would take away workers’ fundamental right to a private vote on union organizing. Ironically, the legislation is called the Employee Free Choice Act.

Political consultant and attorney Barbara Comstock, a guest on this week’s “America’s Business with Mike Hambrick” radio program, says Democrats mostly support the “card check” bill. But even former Democratic senator and presidential nominee George McGovern says the legislation is a “disturbing and undemocratic overreach,” she says.

“That’s a betrayal really of what Democrats have always claimed to champion,” Comstock says of the legislation. “But even in the bigger picture, it’s a betrayal of the fundamental rights of workers to vote and have a say in their workplace.”

For more information on the bill, Comstock recommended the SaveTheElection.com Web site.

High oil prices are making alternative energy such as ethanol and nuclear power more appealing. Mike will talk to Alliance for Abundant Food and Energy Executive Director Mark Kornblau about how is group is trying to let the government know farmers can grow enough to make food and fuel.

And NuScale Power Inc. Chief Executive Officer Paul Lorenzini will let us know about his company plans to make smaller, portable nuclear power plants that can bring energy to every corner of the United States.

Higher energy prices are also driving up shipping costs. So more companies are starting to look at moving goods by boat, which can be less expensive. This is good news for manufacturers such as Master Marine Inc. The company’s President Brett Dungan will tell Mike why.

And “America’s Business” will take a trip to Chicago to meet Chicago Manufacturing Renaissance Council Co-Chair David Hanson. That group launched an initiative to bring more skilled manufacturing jobs back to inner city Chicago.

Meanwhile, in our regular segments, Renee Giachino of American Justice Partnership gives us the latest on tort reform and commentator Hank Cox recalls “The Way It Was.” And our program will close with “The Last Word” from the National Association of Manufacturers President Gov. John Engler.

For more about “America’s Business with Mike Hambrick” and to listen to the program online check out http://www.americasbusiness.org.

The Environmental Protection Agency wants to explore the option of using the decades-old Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gases. But some groups say such a plan would give EPA more control over the economy and hamper economic growth, says Roger Martella, a guest on this week’s “America’s Business with Mike Hambrick.”

Martella is a former general counsel at EPA and a partner in the Environmental Practice Group at the Sidley Austin law firm.

“When you begin to regulate carbon you effectively regulate energy,” Martella says. “And when you regulate energy you effectively regulate the economy.”

Finding qualified workers is a big problem for some manufacturers. Mike will chat with Nancy James, a spokeswoman for M-Powered in Minnesota. M-Powered is an award-winning coalition that is helping train workers for increasingly complex shopfloor jobs in the “Land of 10,000 Lakes.”

What issues could organized labor be working on this fall? National Association of Manufacturers Executive Vice President Jay Timmons will tell manufacturers what could be moving.

Veterans are highly sought after by employers because they have acquired sought-after job skills and discipline in the military. Mike will talk to Bradley-Morris Inc. Chief Executive Officer Sandy Morris about how her company helps find manufacturing jobs for veterans.

Your child may not be happy school is back in session. But the back-to-school season is a good time of year for companies such as Dec-O-Art Inc. Dec-O-Art President Tony Dosmann will explain why.

Meanwhile, in our regular segments, Renee Giachino of American Justice Partnership gives us the latest on tort reform and commentator Hank Cox recalls “The Way It Was.” And our program will close with “The Last Word” from the National Association of Manufacturers President Gov. John Engler.

For more about “America’s Business with Mike Hambrick” and to listen to the program online, please click here. And for video highlights and more, check out http://www.americasbusiness.org.