SPRINGFIELD – Republican Governor Bruce Rauner signed into law Friday a bill that would make August 4th "Barack Obama Day" in Illinois.
The bill says simply,
Sec. 3. Barack Obama Day. August 4th of each year is designated as Barack Obama Day, to 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.
The wording could have been more accurate had it said that Barack Obama chose Chicago, and specifically the home of Leftist radicals Bill Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn, as the place to launch his political career after attempting to organize the city's depressed SouthSide. And that his career was spent serving Chicago Democrats – not the "People of Illinois" – in the Illinois State Senate and the United States Senate (for less than one term).
The holiday is meant to be commemorative, not a legal state holiday, in which government employees are allowed a paid day off. The other commemorative state holidays are listed here.
On the other hand, since 2002, Illinois also celebrates every February 6th "Ronald Reagan Day" noted in the same statute as
Sec. 2. Ronald Reagan Day. February 6th of each year is designated as Ronald Reagan Day, to be observed throughout the State as a day set apart to honor the 40th President of the United States of America who came from humble beginnings in Illinois and worked throughout his life serving the cause of freedom and advancing the public good.
President Reagan was born in Tampico, Illinois, raised in Dixon, Illinois, attended college in Eureka, Illinois before moving to Iowa and finally to California, where he became governor and settled after his two terms as President in Washington D.C.
