Feb. 4, 2011 – SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Happy Dutch Day? Nope, most Americans say they’d rather work.
More than 60 percent of Americans reject the idea of denoting 40th President Ronald Reagan’s birthday, February 6, as a federal public holiday.
The survey of 504 American adults was conducted between February 1-3, 2011 by Competitive Edge Research & Communication.
SEE POLL RESULTS: Reagan Birthday Holiday Analysis
Just days before the centennial of his birth, the survey shows support for the holiday somewhat split along party lines between Democrats and Republicans, with independents siding with Democrats in opposition.
Politics aside, the poll also finds more support for the holiday among lower income and younger Americans.
Currently, the United States Congress has established 11 federal holidays. Only the nation’s first president, George Washington, has received the honor of a federal holiday in his name, commonly called President’s Day.
“We expected more Republican support for a Reagan holiday and we found that,” said CERC President John Nienstedt (Neen-sted). “But the data blows away some stereotypical assumptions. We were surprised that opposition is solid among more affluent Americans and seniors, while lower income and younger residents are much more open to the idea. “
Ronald Wilson Reagan was born in Illinois in 1911 and died in 2004 in California at the age of 93. He graduated from Eureka College, where he studied economics and sociology, in 1932.
President Reagan served in the Oval Office from 1981 to 1989. He began as a radio sportscaster followed by a career in TV and motion pictures and became President of the Screen Actors Guild. Before his presidency, Reagan served as California’s 33rd Governor from 1967 to 1975.
Reagan also served in the Army Enlisted Reserve from 1937 to 1945.
President Barack Obama established the Ronald Reagan Centennial Celebration Commission in 2009 to manage the related festivities.
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