"Greater Voter Participation"
Congress has not seen fit to guarantee the benefit of an extra hour of sunlight at the end of the day on Election Day. Currently, it's hit or miss as to whether the first Tuesday in November falls under DST. Dr. David Prerau, who has consulted with Congress on DST legislation, acknowledges "[this] could encourage greater voter participation, since more people might go to the polls in the evening if there still was daylight when they returned home from work." Furthering the reach of democracy would be an admirable goal of Congress. But since there's no "candy pumpkin" incentive or push from lobbyists, why bother to encourage participation?
Not "Worth the Hassle"
What's the take-home that women should glean from the story behind Daylight Savings Time? The hot button issues aren't always the ones with the most enduring impact. While no political candidate has yet to run on a platform of DST reform, its ripple effect throughout our lives is undeniable.An example of what Prerau calls "conflicts between interest groups and government policymakers," DST appears to be satisfying the interest groups more than the general public. As Rasmussen Reports notes, "47% of Americans don’t think the time change is worth the hassle."
While passionate advocacy on behalf of Standard Time isn't going to grip the nation anytime soon, awareness of these issues is key to communicating to legislators the will of the people, especially the will of women voters.
Although Downing reports that Congress has set aside $150 million to study the effects of DST once again and will return to the 7-month schedule if energy savings aren't apparent, don't get too comfortable with that notion. That light switch flips in both directions, and the push for even more evening sunshine is on across the pond.
Sunset at Night
In the UK, Parliament has already had its first debate over Single Double Summer Time – a proposal that would move the clocks ahead one hour in winter and two hours in summer.As Washington Post columnist Mark Fisher noted, "In Washington, that would mean a 9:40 p.m. sunset in late June."
Sunset in the middle of the evening? Dinner at 10? Bedtime for the kiddies at 11? Extending the 'second shift' for working mothers until midnight?
The prospect of an endless "day" -- pushed back further and further from the rhythms of normal life and creating additional obstacles for women – should worry you. At what point do we leave well enough alone and trust in nature rather than the 'fixes' of government and industry? If we want less government intervention in our lives, isn't this as good a place to start as any?
Sources:
"47% Don’t Think Daylight Saving Time Worth the Hassle." RasmussenReports.com. 13 March 2010.
"Congress clocks in to extend daylight savings time." Gainsville.com. 23 July 2005.
Fisher, Mark. "It's Time for Double Daylight Saving Time." Raw Fisher at voices.washingtonpost.com. 7 March 2009.
"Seize the Daylight: About the Book." SeizeTheDaylight.com. Retrieved 3 November 2010.
Shughart, William F. II."Time to Fall Back from Daylight Savings Time." USNews.com. 31 October 2008.
"The Reasoning Behind Changing Daylight-Saving." NPR.org. 8 March 2007.
"UK Parliament Revisits Single Double Summer Time." Timeanddate.com. 23 September 2010.
