Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman’s jobs plan will embrace reforming the tax code, making the country more energy independent and breaking down regulatory and free trade barriers, The Telegraph has confirmed.

Huntsman has chosen a second-generation, precision metal maker in Hudson to stress the need to reinvigorate domestic manufacturing.

“We need American entrepreneurs not only thinking of products like the iPhone or Segway; we need American workers building those products,” Huntsman said in excepts of his speech set for this afternoon at Gilchrist Metal Fabricating. “It’s time for ‘made in America’ to mean something again.”

The former Utah governor will stress his home state record that once had the most business-friendly climate during part of his years in office.

Obviously, Huntsman’s decision to give this major address here underscores his goal to break through in the 2012 race with a strong showing in the first-in-the-nation primary state.

Huntsman has predicted victory here, though more recently has vowed he would do “extremely well.”

Many of Huntsman’s ideas will resemble those of his rivals.

But this proposal titled “Time to Compete: An American Jobs Plan” leapfrogs the two top contenders.

President Barack Obama will unveil his jobs plan after Labor Day and Republican contender Mitt Romney will offer his proposal a day after the holiday on Sept. 6 in Nevada.

“The president believes that we can tax and spend and regulate our way to prosperity. We cannot. We must compete our way to prosperity,” Huntsman will say in the speech.

“When I was born, manufacturing comprised 25 percent of our GDP. Today, it’s down to 10 percent. This does not reflect a decline in American ingenuity or work ethic; it reflects our government’s failure to adapt to the realities of the 21st century economy.’’

Huntsman maintains Obama has been a failure in priming the economic pump while his GOP primary rivals can’t be trusted, as unlike himself, they all opposed the recent debt ceiling limit deal that averted a default.

Struggling to get out of single-digits in the polls, Huntsman will borrow and then amend a line from the newest GOP phenom, Texas Gov. Rick Perry whose own job-creation record helped put him atop the Republican popularity polls this week.

“It’s time for America to start working again. It’s time for America to start building things again. It’s time for America to compete again,” Huntsman said in the prepared speech. “I believe with a new administration we can do just that.”

On taxes, Huntsman has endorsed lowering corporate taxes and late last week campaigning here, he said there should be “no sacred cows” in the tax code.

He told Bloomberg News that his comprehensive reform to close loopholes and eliminate even popular deductions such as for home mortgage interest should be revenue neutral and not raise tax rates on capital gains or earned interest.

Huntsman wants the U.S .to end its “heroin-like” addiction to foreign oil and expand uses of alternatives especially natural gas.

As governor, Huntsman joined a Western state, cap-and-trade program but has since come out against such mandatory efforts to curb emissions by polluters.

Huntsman sparred with Perry two weeks ago to insist that man-made pollution has contributed to global warming.

The candidate will point to his service as Obama’s ambassador to China as proof he would be a tough, pro-U.S. negotiator to break down trade and foreign currency restrictions.

Kevin Landrigan can reached at 321-7040 or klandrigan@nashuatelegraph.com. Also check out Landrigan (@KLandrigan) on Twitter and don’t forget The Telegraph’s new, interactive live feed at www.nashuatelegraph.com/topics/livefeed.

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