JEFFERSON CITY — The third Monday in February every year, Americans celebrate Presidents Day. Typically, the only recognition of the day most Americans hear is from retail businesses advertising lower prices and huge sales. Presidents Day has a history though and, most importantly, a purpose. Presidents Day was first created to celebrate our first president, George Washington’s, birthday. Washington was born on Feb. 22, 1732, and his birthday was unofficially celebrated every Feb. 22 for the first 80 years after his death until 1879, when it became a federal holiday. It continued to be celebrated on Feb. 22 every year until 1968, when attempts were made to combine Washington and Abraham Lincoln’s birthdays (Lincoln’s birthday is 10 days before Washington’s) into a single holiday. Congress ultimately rejected that idea and, instead, passed the Uniform Holiday Bill in 1968, which moved Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day and Veterans Day all to Mondays to give federal workers three-day weekends.
Officially, Presidents Day is still known as Washington’s Birthday, and for good reason. Washington was a great example of leadership and is rightfully ranked among our best and most influential presidents. His steady leadership and perseverance saw our country through the struggle of the American Revolution and to ultimate victory. He later presided over the Constitutional Convention, where our U.S. Constitution was debated and adopted. He was unanimously elected President in 1789 and then again in 1792 – the only president to ever receive every electoral vote. Perhaps his most lasting legacy, and for which we are most indebted to him, is his willful relinquishing of the presidency when he could have served longer and made himself a king or dictator. We owe the two-term presidency and the peaceful transfer of power to Washington and it is fitting that we designate a day to remember his contributions to our country and relearn the lessons his selfless and steady leadership taught us.
Washington’s Birthday has also come to be known, informally, as Presidents Day, a day we celebrate all American presidents and the way each one of them shaped our country, for good or for bad. One of the presidents I most admire is Ronald Reagan. I was a relatively young man when Reagan was elected and I can still remember the tremendous optimism and excitement his presidency embodied. Reagan, first and foremost, exemplified freedom and hope. No matter what it was, challenging the Soviet Union, deregulating government, or cutting taxes, Reagan was always pushing us towards less government and more freedom. Reagan was also a man of remarkable character and courage. When there was a problem or the country was anxious, he spoke to the American people. He inspired them. He didn’t look at polls or base his decision on the next election. He spoke frankly and honestly and in a way the American people could understand and rally to. Reagan was really our last consensus president. In the 1984 election, Reagan won 49 states, 525 electoral votes (to Walter Mondale’s 13), and nearly 60 percent of the popular vote. This still ranks as the most electoral votes ever received by a president. Reagan really did change the world and he brought the country together more than any other president of his generation.
To honor Reagan, I filed Senate Concurrent Resolution 13. This resolution would declare every Feb. 6 (Reagan’s birthday) as Ronald Reagan Day in Missouri. Many other states recognize Reagan’s birthday either by proclamation or resolution and two states, California and Wisconsin, celebrates it as a state holiday. Under my resolution, Missourians wouldn’t get Feb. 6 off work and banks and post offices would still be open, but it would give us all the opportunity to learn about and reflect on Reagan’s contribution to our great country.
There may be some who don’t agree with me about Reagan or Washington and that’s okay. I do hope, however, that every Missourian and American takes time to think about the 45 individuals who have occupied the presidency in our country’s history and the tremendous and humbling responsibility of that office. It’s our duty to remember our history, to learn from it, and to try to make the world around us better. Presidents Day is a good reminder of that.
As always, I welcome your ideas, questions and concerns about Missouri government. You may contact me at the State Capitol as follows: (573) 751-1480, david.sater@senate.mo.govor by writing to Sen. David Sater, Missouri State Capitol, Room 416, Jefferson City, MO 65101.