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Senate Unanimously Approves a Bill to Make Juneteenth a Public Holiday

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Re: Senate Unanimously Approves a Bill to Make Juneteenth a Public Holiday

#81
post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think any of your reasoning makes sense here. It's weirdly aggressive and is sort of a think of the children, but with poor people. But your conclusion feels like the right call. A weird 180 imo.

They have a point though, every single US holiday is hell on low paid retail workers except for the few select stores that close on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Why would Voting day be any different? "Election Sale, come in and vote for savings today only!" "We're open late, stop by after you cast your ballot for saaaaavings!"

there are like 10 federal holidays. most of them are not door-buster sales. what's leading you to believe election day would definitely be one?

Re: Senate Unanimously Approves a Bill to Make Juneteenth a Public Holiday

#82
post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

do you mean election day should be changed to MLK's birthday?

The Queens Birthday (a public holiday) is on a different date in different commonwealth countries... so maybe not that wild a suggestion.

In Australia, Queens Birthday public holiday is even celebrated on different dates in different states. Most states, first Monday in June. Queensland, first Monday in October. In Western Australia, it is not a fixed date and the state government chooses a new date each year, but usually they pick either the last Monday of September or the first Monday of October. (WA does have a public holiday on first Monday in June, but that's not Queens Birthday, that's Western Australia Day.)

Re: Senate Unanimously Approves a Bill to Make Juneteenth a Public Holiday

#84
post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

do you mean election day should be changed to MLK's birthday?

The Queens Birthday (a public holiday) is on a different date in different commonwealth countries... so maybe not that wild a suggestion.

Depends on the day that people say God ordained her to be Queen?

Re: Senate Unanimously Approves a Bill to Make Juneteenth a Public Holiday

#85
post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think any of your reasoning makes sense here. It's weirdly aggressive and is sort of a think of the children, but with poor people. But your conclusion feels like the right call. A weird 180 imo.

They have a point though, every single US holiday is hell on low paid retail workers except for the few select stores that close on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Why would Voting day be any different? "Election Sale, come in and vote for savings today only!" "We're open late, stop by after you cast your ballot for saaaaavings!"

... Are they though? That doesn't match my experience at all. People shop on the days after thanksgiving and before Christmas.

Re: Senate Unanimously Approves a Bill to Make Juneteenth a Public Holiday

#86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Queens Birthday (a public holiday) is on a different date in different commonwealth countries... so maybe not that wild a suggestion.

I maintain that the Fourth of July should be made a floating holiday, on the first Thursday in July, to facilitate 4-day weekends. So this year, for instance, the calendar would go July 4 (Independence Day, Thursday) - July 1 (Friday) - July 2 (Saturday) - July 3 (Sunday) - July 5 (Monday).

This is basically what happens in Canada, where our national holiday is official July 1st, but ends up moved to the closest Friday or Monday.

Re: Senate Unanimously Approves a Bill to Make Juneteenth a Public Holiday

#87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Make it a 1/2 day public holiday starting at 12pm. This way employees will be less likely to take Monday off and have a 4 day weekend. Make serving as as working the polls equivalent to jury duty. All employers must give the days off if employee wants to work the polls.

In South Africa voting is always on a Wednesday, and I've always been told the logic is: Avoid Monday and Friday so that workers won't take a 3 day weekend. Similarly, avoid Tuesday and Thursday so that workers don't take a vacation day for a 4 day weekend - even though fewer workers would do this, it would still be a massive hit on productivity, and workers would more likely to travel and thus be outside their elect…

what is so bad about workers taking a 4 day weekend?

Re: Senate Unanimously Approves a Bill to Make Juneteenth a Public Holiday

#88
post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I guarantee you all private companies will make it a day off.

Very unlikely. Even large corporate employers don't give time off for most federal holidays. I have a cushy tech job and still have to work on MLK day, President's Day, Veteran's Day, Columbus Day.

Apple has Juneteenth off now, and did so before this announcement.

Re: Senate Unanimously Approves a Bill to Make Juneteenth a Public Holiday

#89
post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The American system was not intended to be as dysfunctional as it is. Its present state is a consequence of primary elections, which were a terrible idea created by people much dumber than the Founders.

The American system was intended to be torn up and redesigned by 1800 and every 20yrs afterward.

No it wasn't. Thomas Jefferson said he hoped the United States wouldn't be without a revolution like Shay's Rebellion every 20 years, but in the context of the letter in which he made that quote, he certainly didn't consider such an event to be legitimate. He was speaking to the spirit of revolution in the American people, not the intended design of the government.

If the American system were actually intended to operate as you describe, that intent would have been put into the Constitution.

Re: Senate Unanimously Approves a Bill to Make Juneteenth a Public Holiday

#90
post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I assume they are making it a federal holiday not unlike Columbus Day or Veterans Day. If you work in the private sector the chance you have those days off is fairly low. [Edit: I am not saying that Juneteeth won't get special treatment. See my nested commented in this thread.] State governments may or may not recognize a given federal public holiday.

I guarantee you all private companies will make it a day off.

Companies I've worked at always had a few "floating holidays". This is so that you can take these on a day they are meaningful to you.

So one way companies will not give any more time off is by just saying "feel free to use one of your floating holidays on Juneteenth".

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