Increasingly, American retailers feel more and more compelled to start Christmas and other holiday season sales earlier and earlier in order to compete with online retailers. In recent years, this competition has compelled many retailers to force employees to work on the national Thanksgiving holiday.
Ceremonial as it may be due to the judicial limits of the Executive Office, a Presidential Proclamation would send a strong, clear message to retail chains in America that Thanksgiving is a national holiday, founded so that Americans could rest and give thanks for what they have, and not be forced to toil during this holiday for the sake of corporate stockholders.
Please tell retailers to end the practice of being open during Thanksgiving!