President Obama will address advanced batteries in Michigan Thursday.
/ file photo
HOLLAND -- Update: August 11th
President Obama got off-topic for a short while Thursday, addressed the political issues going on in Washington during his Holland, Michigan visit. WOOD-TV reports the president stated, that the problem lies with American politics, not with America itself. He said that the partisan grid-lock has "undermined" the people's confidence. “We can't ask the people in this room, the working middle class families, to bear the entire burden,” Pres. Obama stated to the cheering crowd.
His focus on the trip, though, was on the creation of jobs that the new advanced battery production can bring. He stated that the new technology can help pull Michigan out of the 10.5% unemployment rate, and also offer the nation a way to reduce reliance on foreign oil.
Johnson Controls Inc., the location of the President's stop, has been awarded nearly $3 million federal stimulus grants, and $168 million in state grants, in order to create about 150 jobs.
President Barack Obama is visiting an advanced battery facility in Holland, Michigan Thursday afternoon.
NBC25’s sister station, WOOD-TV, reports the president will stop by Johnson Controls Inc. to highlight how the auto industry can reach new fuel efficiency standards through technology advancements.
However, according to the Associated Press, not everyone's in favor of the visit. The article states Republican leaders, including Michigan GOP Chairman Bobby Schostalk, feel the president's "more concerned about campaigning and speeches than sovling economic problems."
President Obama is scheduled to arrive in Michigan at1:00 p.m. You can watch the events surrounding the president's visit by clicking here.
In the meantime, vote on our poll and let us know if you think Michigan could revitalize the auto industry through technology.
