Posted on 02/23/2017 7:37:01 PM PST by markomalley
A bill in the Illinois state legislature that would create "Barack Obama Day" earned praise from Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner on Thursday.
"It's incredibly proud for Illinois that the president came from Illinois. I think it's awesome, and I think we should celebrate it," Rauner said at an event.
There are three bills being debated in the Illinois state legislature that would create a holiday on Aug. 4 (Obama's birthday) in honor of the 44th president; two in the House that would make a state holiday, closing schools and the government, and another in the Senate that would devise a commemorative holiday.
Rauner voiced support for the Senate bill, which would create Barack Obama Day.
"I don't think it should be a formal holiday with paid, forced time off, but I think it should be a day of acknowledgment and celebration," he said.
Other bills have been proposed in the Land of Lincoln that seek to honor Obama, who before becoming president, worked as a community organizer in Chicago and later served as a state senator and U.S. senator from Illinois.
One piece of legislation in the works would rename a 270-mile stretch of Interstate 55 as the "Barack Obama Expressway." Another bill would rename the Tri-State Tollway after Obama.
Indiana was a very important swing (and “Western”) state for a lot of history, that led to a lot of VPs, though Dan Q and Mike Pence continue the tradition.
Hopefully it never makes it out of committee because Rauner's track record for vetoing awful bills has been terrible. He's been a good little combiner. I agree that there are better issues to primary him on that "Obama Day" though.
Right now, I believe the only "official" Illinois state holiday (as in government offices and schools are closed throughout the state) is "Casmir Pulaski Day", another stupid concept that should have just been "Polish Heritage Day" and would have accomplished the same goal as creating a holiday for an obscure Revolutionary War general that never set foot in Illinois his entire life.
Reagan's Birthday is a far better choice for a state holiday than Obama, the only reason it isn't seriously discussed is that the state government is overwhelmingly leftist and Reagan's birthday being in February makes it problematic with all the other presidential holidays (Washington, Lincoln, etc.) being around the same time. Obama Day is a joke, if Democrats were honest they could probably admit that they even they realize in hindsight that he was a mediocre president. Pretty much the only one to publicly say so was Amy Blagojevich, and that's because Obama refused to pardon her daddy.
I am intrigued by the idea of an "Illinois Presidents" day as a compromise solution the state government could agree to. Boring August has no holidays and Obama was born in August, they could get "bipartisan" support for this bill if they decided a day August would be set aside to honor "Illinois Leadership Day" and cite Lincoln, Grant, Reagan, Obama, and even non-presidents like Melville Fuller, a former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and Senate Minority Leader Everett Dirksen. Throw in all the Adali Stevenson's too so the Dems will vote for the bill. The legislature could include an idea that there would be initiatives to teach future generations about these famous figures.
If Gov. Rauner gets a conservative primary opponent, there are better reasons. Within the next month, he’ll choose whether he’ll sign or veto these bills. One bill would increase the income tax rate. One bill would establish more sanctuary places for illegal aliens. One bill would use government money for abortions. I’m sure, but I think that Rauner will sign all three bills.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.