We're not saying The Donald is a hypocrite, but...

It’s come as no surprise to us that the Five Day Weekend concept has its share of critics. But we were a bit surprised today to see that Donald Trump has come out swinging against us.

Sure, he’s an icon of hard work and the relentless drive for financial success. But you would also think he’d understand the economic boost that a longer weekend would mean for many American industries.

If we had a Five Day Weekend — or even if Americans just used the meager vacation time we’re given — just think would that would do for business at Trump Taj Mahal, Trump Plaza, Trump Marina, Trump International Golf Links or the bevy of Trump International Hotel and Tower buildings going up around the world.

In his critique of the Five Day Weekend, Trump says:

“I rarely take vacations and I think that’s one of the reasons behind my organization’s success. You’ve got to put in the time to reap the rewards.”

First off, that’s big talk from a man who owns a vacation-planning Web site.

Second, if Trump is worth $2.9 billion and still hasn’t reached a level of success that justifies a vacation, when exactly should the rest of us plan to “reap the rewards” of our work? Is $3 billion the magic number?

We’re all about hard work and celebrating American success stories, but you’ll forgive those of us in Asheville if we look to a different tycoon for inspiration.

France's 35-hour workweek gets a punch in the croissant

There's a lot of international buzz today about a shorter workweek, but we have to admit we're not involved this time. (Except for this item, which taught us the delightful term "Seppo.")

France's newly elected president, Nicolas Sarkozy, spent a good chunk of his campaign being critical of his country's 35-hour workweek. Of course, he hasn't exactly promised to do away with it, either.

This is a good chance to point out that our plan isn't the same as the way France approached it. We don't want a government cap on what you can work. We simply want our legislators to acknowledge that overwork is an ever-worsening ailment in America, and businesses have few incentives to fight the trend.

One intriguing aspect of Sarkozy's plan is to make overtime pay be tax-free. Sounds good in the sense that it keeps the government from benefiting when you're overworked. But at the same time, it also creates a system where you're rewarded based on how much you work instead of how well you work.

And that's just un-American.