CHICAGO. August 10, 2009. Mayor Richard Daley called on U.S. President Barack Obama and other federal government officials to take a pay cut and 15 unpaid furlough days for the sake of the country.

At an event to announce the city construction program in Chicago, Daley said “They need to suck it up and feel the pain Americans have endured in the economic downturn that has seen jobs and wages slashed.”

“I hope every federal employee from the president all the way down takes 15 days without pay to turn that money back to taxpayers’ use, because they’re getting laid off, they’re getting cut back, there are no jobs out there,” Daley said.

The mayor said he would take 15 unpaid days this year and believes every level of government, all the way up to the president, might do the same to save taxpayer dollars.

“I believe that would have an enormous impact upon America,” Daley said. “In other words you’re telling the taxpayers that everybody’s suffering and you’re suffering. And government has to start squeezing and tightening in,” he added.