You would be hard-pressed to find someone who enjoys Daylight Saving Time. The twice-annual clock change is inconvenient, makes winter days even shorter and darker for anyone who doesn’t wake up at 4:00 am, and for those already battling sleep-related issues, the adjustment can be highly disruptive for weeks. But is the cost of more sunlight too high?
The House of Representatives recently passed a bill that would make Daylight Saving Time permanent, keeping the clock one hour ahead forever. Trump has long been in favor of this change and has already announced he will sign the bill into law if it passes the Senate. That’s all well and good, until you take a bird’s eye view of the larger picture — millions of Americans are not in Danger of agreeing with Donald Trump.
We’re talking about good, salt-of-the-earth Americans. People who oppose ICE, condemn Israel, and actually show up to protests against the tide of fascism, now looking down the long, cold barrel of being on the same page as one of history’s greatest villains.
Daylight Saving Time began as a fuel conservation effort during World War 1. Opponents of DST argue that it was never effective to begin with, and regardless, we don’t need it anymore. That may be true, but when it’s coming from someone who thinks we also don’t need NATO, the Geneva Conventions, or empathy, it starts to feel kind of muddled.
We took to the streets to find out what you, the people, think about this potential devil’s bargain:
“It feels wrong? Like, I hate Daylight Saving Time, I hate it, but it just feels wrong somehow. Like, when a creepy pseudo-stalker buys you a really nice gift? You know, you like nice gifts! But, like, eew.”
- Jill Tepper, bartender
“I mean, I’m all for it, but what’s the catch? Do I have to start ratting out immigrants? Am I signing off on sentencing people to life in prison over zines? Can I still love my gay nephew?”
- Mike Lowrley, bartender
“I am categorically opposed to Trump’s entire agenda. Last year, I took a road trip across the country and planned it perfectly so I would not stop and spend so much as a dime in any red state. I’ve boycotted Amazon, I’ve shown up to every ‘No Kings’ protest, but this? This might break me.”
- Williford Scott, bartender
“For me, it’s not complicated. This is just another example of Donald Trump not giving a fuck about his constituents and robbing us of the tools to build ourselves up.
- Seasonal Affective Disorder, mental illness
