What President Are You Celebrating Today?

Happy President's Day everyone! It may be another day at work, a day off from the job or school or the chance to save some money at one of the many sales around town. Of course the true meaning of the holiday is to pay respect to the Executive branch and the men that have led it. So far we have forty-three white men to look at. To praise or to criticize them or a mixture of both. Most kids are taught a few things about George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and maybe even Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Google News points us in a few directions this morning/afternoon. What offices are closed in San Diego, perhaps take a quiz, shopping in Seattle and weather forecasts are at the top of the list (at least when I hit the "Search" button. One link though gives us a history of the holiday. It was originally meant for our first President, George Washington.

In the late 1980s, with a push from advertisers, the term Presidents Day began its public appearance. The theme has expanded the focus of the holiday to honor another President born in February, Abraham Lincoln, and often other Presidents of the United States. Although Lincoln's birthday, February 12, was never a federal holiday, approximately a dozen state governments have officially renamed their Washington's Birthday observances as "Presidents Day", "Washington and Lincoln Day", or other such designations. It is also interesting to note that "Presidents Day" is not always an all-inclusive term. In Massachusetts, while the state officially celebrates "Washington's Birthday," state law also prescribes that the governor issue an annual Presidents Day proclamation honoring the presidents that have come from Massachusetts: John Adams, John Quincy Adams, Calvin Coolidge, and John F. Kennedy. (Coolidge, the only one born outside of Massachusetts, spent his entire political career before the vice presidency there. George H.W. Bush, on the other hand, was born in Massachusetts, but has spent most of his life elsewhere.) Alabama uniquely observes the day as "Washington and Jefferson Day," even though Jefferson's birthday was in April. In Connecticut, while Presidents Day is a federal holiday, Abraham Lincoln's birthday is still a state holiday, falling on February 12 regardless of the day of the week.

In Washington's home state of Virginia the holiday is legally known as "George Washington Day."

Today, the February holiday has become well-known for being a day in which many stores hold sales. Until the late 1980s, corporate businesses were universally closed on this day, the way they are on (for example) Memorial Day or Christmas Day. With the late 1980s advertising push to rename the holiday, more and more businesses are staying open on the holiday each year, and, as on Veterans Day and Columbus Day, most delivery services outside of the Post Office now offer regular service on the day as well. Some public transit systems have also gone to regular schedules on the day. Various theories exist for this, one accepted reason being to make up for the growing trend of corporations to close in observance of the Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. However, when reviewing the Uniform Monday Holiday Bill debate of 1968 in the Congressional Record, one notes that supporters of the Bill were intent on moving federal holidays to Mondays to promote business. Over time, as with many federal holidays, few Americans actually celebrate Presidents Day, and it is mainly known as a day off from work or school, although most non-governmental workers do not get the day off.

Yep, that pretty much sums it up. Corporate America wanted a special day to sell more crap. So instead of going out to capitalize on some car or furniture sale try to think about some of our former Presidents. You might not believe it, but before George Bush there were men that ascended to the Presidency with dignity, honor and with intent to protect, defend and preserve the Constitution of the United States.....unlike our current Deciderer.