As we have all been incessantly reminded by both candidates, this year's Presidential election is "the most important ever." However, can anyone remember one that wasn't? Even still, with the election now a week away, we find ourselves in the middle of the greatest financial crisis in at least a generation. We're neither for nor against Senator Obama, but his recent call for people to "take the day off" on election day might not be setting the right tone for the economy. In 2007, the size of the US economy was 13.8 trillion dollars. If the country "took the day off," it would work out to a loss of about $38 billion dollars. While 37.8 billion dollars may not sound like much to some, at this point, the economy needs whatever it can get. Instead of saying, "Talk to your professor. Talk to your boss. Take the day off," maybe a better message to voters would be, "Set your alarm an hour earlier. Go vote. Then go to work."
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It does not matter if you loose a days pay. Obama can redistribute money from those who went to work to those who take the day off to vote for him. Problem solved!
Posted by: katelab | October 28, 2008 at 01:31 PM
Whoa, whoa, wake up early and vote? You sound like that cowboy capitalist, Bush! I never read the constitution, but I'm pretty sure somewhere in there it talks about our right to sleep in...
Posted by: Joe Jibroni | October 28, 2008 at 01:33 PM
Not setting the right tone? That's an understatement if I ever heard one. It clearly gives the average worker the idea that Obama doesn't have a clue about how the average worker puts food on the table. We need to work! The idea of taking the day off is not only ridiculous, it's downright insidious.
Arlene
Fresno CA
Posted by: Arlene | October 28, 2008 at 01:35 PM
Lol, lets be logical now guys. You really think that this is more than a figure of speech to emphasize the importance of going out and voting? It is ridiculous to read into it any more than that.
Let's rework the stats based on only 50% of people (give or take) support obama and therefore will listen to him. Of those 50% how many realistically would take the day off ? 1%?
I heard the response from McCain was "what we need you to do is be a patriot and go out shopping, then if you have time on the way home maybe swing by to vote. I'm so serious about getting this economy back on track that I'll sacrifice winning this election if you all go out and shop, even if it means you don't have time to vote. I'm John McCain and George Bush approves this message.
Posted by: Noah | October 28, 2008 at 01:58 PM
Why not have election day on a Saturday? Yes, some people have to work, but it would greatly the number and would increase turnout.
Posted by: inthewoods | October 28, 2008 at 03:02 PM
Ridiculous.
I'm not voting for Obama, but come on, when people make arguments against him based on garbage like this it really has me reevaluating his merits in a positive way.
Ok, he's suggesting in an offhand way that no one is going to take seriously to burn 38 billion, by taking a vote more serious than a day of work. What of the thousands of billions burnt by the current administration?
Ridiculous.
Posted by: chad | October 28, 2008 at 04:35 PM
Chad,
That was burnt by Congress, they're in charge of the budget, remember?
Comrade Obama takes labor union tactics to the national level.
Posted by: karl | October 29, 2008 at 09:10 AM
All that really matters is after Nov.4 , the dow will be testing a new low before end of Nov. The Obama rally will be short lived.
Posted by: dj | October 29, 2008 at 11:40 AM