by Long Island Attorney Paul A. Lauto, Esq.

In the past, Thanksgiving Day was a day in which people gave thanks and had at least that one day off from work each year.  Unfortunately, in 2012 the greed of Black Friday started to infect our traditional Thanksgiving, when some stores started to open at 8 pm on Thanksgiving Day to get a jump on sales.  By 2014 many stores were opening by 5 pm on Thanksgiving Day and requiring employees to arrive at work hours earlier to prepare for the onslaught.  This policy has effectively eliminated the traditional and time honored Thanksgiving meal for many Americans, both as employees who need to report to work and as participants in the shopping madness.  Is this what Thanksgiving is really about? 

There are at least three states that refuse to violate Thanksgiving in this way and actually maintain laws prohibiting big box stores and other retailers from opening on Thanksgiving Day.  These states are Maine, Massachusetts and Rhode Island and while stores are permitted to open at the stroke of midnight, these states at least maintain a substantial amount of integrity for their residents.

It appears that many states continue to forsake the true purpose of Thanksgiving in the name of greed and compromise our values in the process.  If every other state followed the lead of Maine, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, profits would not be compromised but merely delayed a few hours by restoring Black Friday sales to Friday where they belong.

We all have a choice and may decide to either dedicate this Thanksgiving as a day of gratitude or participate in making it a day of greed.  Perhaps it is more important to create the memory of spending the day with your significant other, children, friends or other family, than spending it saving a few dollars.  After all, time is precious and is the one thing we can never get back.

Long Island Lawyer
Paul A. Lauto, Esq.
​www.liattorney.com

by Long Island Attorney Paul A. Lauto, Esq.

As detailed in our October 4, 2019 blog entitled, Catch And Release To Be Mandated In New York State, Cuomo's new Bail Reform is to take effect in January 2020.  According to Cuomo, this reform will reportedly release 90% of those arrested and charged, but not yet convicted of a crime, to roam free on the streets of New York State.  However, Cuomo can't wait until January and is planning to quietly release almost 1,000 of these accused criminals even earlier, so that the jailbirds can be home in time for Christmas.

In addition to Cuomo releasing almost 1,000 accused criminals in time to walk the streets of New York alongside lawful holiday shoppers, these jailbirds will also receive gifts.  Believe it or not, NYC Mayor Deblasio plans to effectively reward criminal behaviour by giving these early release accused criminals free Mets tickets, gift cards and movie passes to encourage them to return to court for their court dates.

Proponents of the Cuomo/Deblasio early release master plan believe that it is cruel to hold accused criminals in jail through the holidays, only to release them after the new Bail Reform goes into effect on on January 1, 2020.  Opponents state that the very people elected to office to protect the good people of New York State, are placing law abiding residents in danger by literally rewarding criminal behaviour.  That in doing so they are commiting an egregious abuse of power, violation of their oath of office and should either step down or be promptly removed from office.

Law and order is one of the essential foundation blocks of our society.  When elected officials dismantle these foundation blocks, it is incumbent upon the people to exercise their right to vote to remove these elected officials from office.  Therefore on this upcoming Election Day and every Election Day, it is our duty to exercise the right to vote.  We can make a difference one vote at a time.

Long Island Lawyer
Paul A. Lauto, Esq.
​www.liattorney.com