Obama's tour of Solyndra Solar Manufacturing Highlights California Cleantech Momentum

The front-page headline in the San Jose Mercury News online edition screamed: Obama Touring Fremont Solar Start-up Solyndra.  Why it's always politically beneficial to local Democrats to have the CEO of the world's most powerful economy leave Wash. DC behind for a few days to visit Silicon Valley, something more important is going on here.  Major Cleantech start-ups are building their manufacturing plants in, of all places, California!  Both the poster-child for solar energy manufacturing, Solyndara, and its cousin in the auto industry, Tesla, appear committed to centralizing manufacturing in the Golden State.  This is surprising on a number of fronts.  Given California's deserved history as a weak destination to build out manufacturing due to cost and environmental regulation, there has been a steady erosion of manufacturing jobs overseas, and to other states.