January 2, 2007 - A National Day of Celebration

The one thing Bush accomplished during his current "strategery" session on his self-made debacle in Iraqnam was to decree that Tuesday January 2, 2007 is a national day of mourning because former President Gerald Ford croaked. I see it as recognition of one less Repugnican vote out there clogging the arteries of democracy.

This makes me wonder about the future. When the Dubster croaks I'm imagining that the United Nations will declare it a "World-Wide Month of Celebration."

http://www.opm.gov/news/president-george-w-bush-to-close-federal-offices-in-tribute-to-former-president-gerald-r-ford,1130.aspx

News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 28, 2006
Contact: Office of Communications
202-606-2402


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President George W. Bush To Close Federal Offices in Tribute to Former President Gerald R. Ford

Washington, D.C. -- By Executive Order of President George W. Bush, all executive departments, independent organizations and other agencies of the Federal government shall be closed on Tuesday, January 2, 2007, as a mark of respect for Gerald R. Ford, the 38th President of the United States.

U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director Linda M. Springer notified Cabinet Secretaries, Agency Heads and Chief Human Capital Officers governmentwide about the closure shortly after President Bush signed the Executive Order on December 28, 2006. Springer provided agency leaders with a copy of the President's proclamation, which designates Tuesday, January 2, 2007, as a National Day of Mourning.

The closure order includes Federal offices, with the exception of those offices and installations, or parts thereof, in the Department of State, the Department of Defense, the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, or other departments, independent organizations, and governmental agencies whose agency head determines should remain open for reasons of national security or defense, or other essential public business.

A copy of the Executive Order is below.

PROVIDING FOR THE CLOSING OF GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES
ON JANUARY 2, 2007
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. All executive departments, independent establishments, and other governmental agencies shall be closed on January 2, 2007, as a mark of respect for Gerald R. Ford, the thirty-eighth President of the United States. That day shall be considered as falling within the scope of Executive Order 11582 of February 11, 1971, and of 5 U.S.C. 5546 and 6103(b) and other similar statutes insofar as they relate to the pay and leave of employees of the United States.
Sec. 2. The first sentence of section 1 of this order shall not apply to those offices and installations, or parts thereof, in the Department of State, the Department of Defense, the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, or other departments, independent establishments, and governmental agencies that the heads thereof determine should remain open for reasons of national security or defense or other essential public business.
GEORGE W. BUSH
THE WHITE HOUSE,
December 28, 2006.
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Our mission is to ensure the Federal Government has an effective civilian workforce. OPM supports U.S. agencies with personnel services and policy leadership including staffing tools, guidance on labor-management relations and programs to improve work force performance.

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