U.S. President Barack Obama visited an advanced battery manufacturing facility at Johnson Controls in Holland this week. The President’s remarks were dominated by his views on the current political climate in Washington, specifically in Congress.
The trip came on the heels of a tumultuous few days for the President as Standard and Poor’s lowered the United State’s credit rating from AAA for the first time in history following the deal to increase the country’s debt ceiling. The market reaction had been significant, with the Dow Jones closing after the largest single day falls since 2008.
The Holland plant and the issue of clean energy seemed to take second stage to the President’s attacks on political agendas and partisan bickering. Interestingly enough, Republican U.S. Representative Bill Huizenga (R-Zeeland), who represents the district where the visit took place, was not invited by the White House.