Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner signed legislation this week that will make August 4 the state’s newest holiday: Barack Obama Day. Implemented to coincide with the 44th president’s birthday, the holiday will official take effect for the first time next year. Work will not shut down, so it will be more of a symbolic commemoration than anything else, but even that has some of Obama’s critics annoyed – especially considering that fellow Illinois native Ronald Reagan has not been similarly honored.
According to Illinois Senate Bill 55, Barack Obama Day will be “observed throughout the State as a day set apart to honor the 44th President of the United States of America who began his career serving the People of Illinois in both the Illinois State Senate and the United States Senate, and dedicated his life to protecting the rights of Americans and building bridges across communities.”
In an interview with NBC Chicago earlier this year, Gov. Rauner said he was excited about the proposed holiday.
“It’s incredibly proud for Illinois that the president came from Illinois,” he said. “I think it’s awesome and I think we should celebrate it. I don’t think it should be a formal holiday with paid, forced time off, but I think it should be a day of acknowledgement and celebration.”
Well, in fairness, how many of Obama’s fans actually have jobs from which to take time off?
What, exactly, would one do to celebrate Barack Obama Day? We won’t take away from his crowning (and sole?) achievement, which was to become the first Muslim – er, black – president of the United States, and the first president to be born outside the country – er, contiguous U.S. – but let’s be frank here: He wasn’t a very good president, and that’s putting it mildly. Furthermore, while we can debate whether or not he’s a U.S. citizen, he certainly was not born in Illinois. But all that aside, what would be an appropriate way to honor the legacy of America’s most leftist leader?
Cling to one’s Bible?
Donate one paycheck to the federal government?
Surrender your guns to the local police department?
The possibilities are really endless.
But honestly, we’re not surprised in the least. In fact, this is probably only the first of many, increasingly ridiculous ways Obama will be turned into a living legend by our short-attention-span country. He solidified his place in the Great Americans pantheon merely by getting elected, and none of the destruction he presided over in the next eight years was ever going to change that.
Hey, we’re just glad he’s gone. Celebrate away, Illinois. Celebrate away.
