Monday Open Thread | Illinois makes ‘Barack Obama Day’ a state holiday

Posted on August 7, 2017 by SouthernGirl2

Former President Obama is being honored with a new state holiday in his former state of Illinois.

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner (R) signed a measure Friday to make Aug. 4 “Barack Obama Day” in the state, according to NBC Chicago. The holiday will be celebrated each year on Obama’s birthday beginning in 2018.

The day is “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.”

Senate Bill 55 was passed by both state houses with no votes against it.

Rauner praised the idea behind the bill earlier this year after a previous version, which would have made the day a legal state holiday, failed. The new holiday is commemorative.

“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 the time, according to NBC Chicago. “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.”

Obama celebrated his 56th birthday on Friday, his first since leaving the White House. He and former first lady Michelle Obama were spotted at Rasika West End in Washington, D.C. celebrating.

About SouthernGirl2

A Native Texan who adores baby kittens, loves horses, rodeos, pomegranates, & collect Eagles. Enjoys politics, games shows, & dancing to all types of music. Loves discussing and learning about different cultures. A Phi Theta Kappa lifetime member with a passion for Social & Civil Justice.
This entry was posted in Current Events, News, Open Thread, Politics and tagged , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

30 Responses to Monday Open Thread | Illinois makes ‘Barack Obama Day’ a state holiday

  1. Liza says:
    August 7, 2017 at 5:33 pm

    Some of today’s DT tweets. I thought he was under adult supervision. Apparently it didn’t last.

    Donald J. Trump‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump 2h2 hours ago

    I think Senator Blumenthal should take a nice long vacation in Vietnam, where he lied about his service, so he can at least say he was there

    Donald J. Trump‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump 2h2 hours ago

    How much longer will the failing nytimes, with its big losses and massive unfunded liability (and non-existent sources), remain in business?

    Donald J. Trump‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump 4h4 hours ago

    …conquests, how brave he was, and it was all a lie. He cried like a baby and begged for forgiveness like a child. Now he judges collusion?

    Donald J. Trump‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump 11h11 hours ago

    Never in U.S.history has anyone lied or defrauded voters like Senator Richard Blumenthal. He told stories about his Vietnam battles and….

    Donald J. Trump‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump 11h11 hours ago

    Interesting to watch Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut talking about hoax Russian collusion when he was a phony Vietnam con artist!

    Donald J. Trump‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump 11h11 hours ago

    Hard to believe that with 24/7 #Fake News on CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, NYTIMES & WAPO, the Trump base is getting stronger!

    Donald J. Trump‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump 11h11 hours ago

    … Supreme Court pick, economic enthusiasm, deregulation & so much more have driven the Trump base even closer together. Will never change!

    Donald J. Trump‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump 11h11 hours ago

    …and West Virginia. The fact is the Fake News Russian collusion story, record Stock Market, border security, military strength, jobs…..

    Donald J. Trump‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump 11h11 hours ago

    The Trump base is far bigger & stronger than ever before (despite some phony Fake News polling). Look at rallies in Penn, Iowa, Ohio…….

    Donald J. Trump‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump 12h12 hours ago

    The failing @nytimes, which has made every wrong prediction about me including my big election win (apologized), is totally inept!

    Donald J. Trump‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump 21h21 hours ago

    The Fake News refuses to report the success of the first 6 months: S.C., surging economy & jobs,border & military security,ISIS & MS-13 etc.

    Reply
  6. SouthernGirl2 says:
    August 7, 2017 at 11:49 am

    It’s a sexual harassment cesspool. Shut them down!

    https://twitter.com/oregonvt/status/894599534013280256

    Reply
  8. SouthernGirl2 says:
    August 7, 2017 at 10:29 am

    They can’t even be themselves. They have to steal black people identities. Sick and twisted.

    https://twitter.com/RawStory/status/894553051259916289

    Reply
    • majiir says:
      August 7, 2017 at 3:42 pm

      I am not surprised by this. Alan Wilson learned his dirty tricks from his dad, GOP Rep. Joe “You Lie!” Wilson. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

      Reply
  17. yahtzeebutterfly says:
    August 7, 2017 at 8:10 am

    From Wikipedia:
    Photo taken on this day, August 7, in 1963:

    https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a4/Bayard_Rustin_NYWTS_3.jpg/440px-Bayard_Rustin_NYWTS_3.jpg
    “Bayard Rustin (left) and Cleveland Robinson (right), organizers of the March, on August 7, 1963″

    Reply
    • yahtzeebutterfly says:
      August 7, 2017 at 8:16 am

      More on the several organizers of the 1963 March on Washington from Wikipedia:

      The impetus for a march on Washington developed over a long period of time, and earlier efforts to organize such a demonstration included the March on Washington Movement of the 1940s. A. Philip Randolph—the president of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, president of the Negro American Labor Council, and vice president of the AFL-CIO—was a key instigator in 1941. With Bayard Rustin, Randolph called for 100,000 black workers to march on Washington, in protest of discriminatory hiring by U.S. military contractors and demanding an Executive Order. Faced with a mass march scheduled for July 1, 1941, President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 8802 on June 25. The order established the Committee on Fair Employment Practice and banned discriminatory hiring in the defense industry. Randolph called off the March.

      Randolph and Rustin continued to organize around the idea of a mass march on Washington. They envisioned several large marches during the 1940s, but all were called off (despite criticism from Rustin). Their Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom, held at the Lincoln Memorial on May 17, 1957, featured key leaders including Adam Clayton Powell, Martin Luther King Jr., and Roy Wilkins. Mahalia Jackson performed…

      A. Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin began planning the march in December 1961. They envisioned two days of protest, including sit-ins and lobbying followed by a mass rally at the Lincoln Memorial. They wanted to focus on joblessness and to call for a public works program that would employ blacks. In early 1963 they called publicly for “a massive March on Washington for jobs”. They received help from Amalgamated Clothing Workers unionist Stanley Aronowitz, who gathered support from radical organizers who could be trusted not to report their plans to the Kennedy administration. The unionists offered tentative support for a march that would be focused on jobs.

      for further reading:
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_on_Washington_for_Jobs_and_Freedom

      https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4b/Civil_Rights_March_on_Washington%2C_D.C._%28Leaders_of_the_march%29_-_NARA_-_542056.jpg/440px-Civil_Rights_March_on_Washington%2C_D.C._%28Leaders_of_the_march%29_-_NARA_-_542056.jpg
      (Leaders of the march)

      Reply
  18. coach4divas says:
    August 7, 2017 at 6:20 am

    “…paid, forced time off…”

    Oh,the HORROR.

    Reply
  19. rikyrah says:
    August 7, 2017 at 5:58 am

    Good Morning,Everyone 😄😄😄

    Reply

Leave a Reply