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Politics

How Trump and Musk could change our back and forth

Why a political push to end a century-old time-shifting tradition could reshape everything from your mornings to your evenings.

Michelle Obama no asistirá a la toma de posesión de Donald Trump el 20 de enero, pero habrá otras personalidades como Elon Musk y Jeff Bezos.
Brandon Bellvia REUTERS

For over a century, millions of Americans have been setting their clocks forward in spring and back in fall, a twice-yearly ritual known as daylight saving time. It’s a practice with roots in wartime energy conservation, but its relevance today is hotly debated. Now, former President Donald Trump, backed by tech billionaire Elon Musk, is leading a push to end it altogether.

A Trump-led campaign to reset your clocks

When Donald Trump declared that his party would work to eliminate daylight saving time, it wasn’t just another campaign promise. On social media, he called the practice “inconvenient and very costly to our nation.” This isn’t the first time the issue has surfaced in Washington. In 2022, the U.S. Senate passed the Sunshine Protection Act, a bill that would have made daylight saving time permanent. However, it stalled in the House as lawmakers squabbled over whether to stick with standard time instead.

With Republicans now controlling Congress, Trump’s allies – including Musk and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who he tapped to lead a new Department of Government Efficiency – have signaled their support for reviving the bill or crafting new legislation. If successful, this could be the end of the clock-changing tradition.

The history of daylight saving time: why we spring forward and fall back

The idea of adjusting clocks seasonally dates back to the late 19th century, though it was Germany in 1916 that first adopted it to conserve fuel during World War I. The United States followed suit in 1918, but it wasn’t until 1966 that the practice was standardized under the Uniform Time Act. Even then, states were allowed to opt out, and Hawaii, most of Arizona, and several U.S. territories still don’t observe it today.

The logic behind daylight saving time was simple: align daylight hours with the workday to save energy. Yet, as modern energy consumption shifts away from lighting to air conditioning and electronics, studies have found that the energy savings are negligible at best.

Health, sleep, and safety: the surprising risks of daylight saving time

Critics of daylight saving time aren’t just annoyed by the hassle of changing clocks. They point to serious health risks tied to the spring shift, when we lose an hour of sleep. Research has linked this disruption to spikes in heart attacks, strokes, and fatal traffic accidents. Sleep deprivation from the time change also has long-term effects on productivity and overall well-being.

Farmers, often mistakenly credited with advocating for the practice, have historically opposed it, arguing that it disrupts their schedules rather than helping them.

If Trump’s plan succeeds, it’s unlikely to take effect immediately. For now, Americans will still “spring forward” on March 9, losing an hour of sleep but gaining an hour of evening light. If you’re one of the 62% of Americans who, according to a 2023 poll, want to end the clock changes, this may be a pivotal moment. But even among those who agree it’s time to stop the twice-yearly adjustment, opinions differ on what the new normal should be: permanent daylight saving time or standard time?

What Trump and Musk’s daylight revolution could mean for you

Should the United States adopt permanent daylight saving time, your evenings could stay brighter year-round, but winter mornings would remain darker for longer. For early risers, this might mean heading to work or school in the dark, particularly in northern states. Conversely, if standard time prevails, mornings would brighten earlier, but sunsets would creep up sooner – an unwelcome change for those who savor long summer evenings.

Either way, the debate underscores just how deeply the rhythms of daylight affect everything from our health to our daily routines. So, as Trump and Musk gear up to take on the clocks, keep an eye on Congress – your sunlight hours could soon be up for grabs.

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