John McCain made a campaign swing through New Hampshire yesterday, stopping at Smith and Wesson’s Thompson Center Arms factory.  He shook hands with various employees and praised their firearms product.  Despite McCain’s friendly visit, however, ManufactureThis wonders if the Arizona Senator, or any of his Republican and Democratic presidential rivals, supports policies to ensure that these guns (and butter, for that matter) will continue to be made in America. As the Iraq War has marched onward, a growing shortage of ammunition has forced the U.S. to import greater quantities of ammo. But it’s not just imported ammunition that is replacing American-made product.  In 2006, Winchester Firearms announced the closure of its landmark New Haven, CT plant.  The license for production of Winchester rifles was subsequently sold to a Utah-based firm that may continue to manufacture Winchester rifles in Portugal or Russia. It’s becoming a familiar pattern—unchecked violations of trade laws by our overseas competitors are taking a toll on domestic production.  The subject that ManufactureThis wants Senator McCain and his colleagues to discuss is the future of U.S. manufacturing.  We’d like to ask them, “What is your plan to address, for example, China’s cheating on currency, or rising health care and energy costs?” There are a number of factors involved in whether U.S. businesses and workers have the same opportunity to compete as their overseas competitors.  In fact, this discussion will be the focus of AAM’s Nov. 8 Town Hall meeting in Columbus, Ohio.  Keep checking ManufactureThis for more info.  The Columbus event is already engaging Ohio’s political blog community, by the way.  You can read some discussion on it here.