With daylight saving time now in effect, a significant majority of Americans, 54%, now favor abolishing the practice altogether. This reflects a notable change in public sentiment since the 1990s, when most supported the clock changes.
A Gallup poll conducted earlier this year and released ahead of the latest “Spring Forward” indicates that many voters, regardless of party affiliation, are weary of adjusting clocks, with 48% preferring to maintain standard time year-round.
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Per Gallup:
Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents show slightly greater support (44%) than Republicans and Republican leaners (34%), though the majority of both groups are opposed.
Support is much higher among lower-income households (53%) than among those in middle-income (35%) and higher-income (33%) brackets.
Younger and older Americans, and college graduates and nongraduates, are about equally likely to favor daylight saving time.
The historical context of daylight saving time dates back to World War I, originally implemented to conserve energy, and has been a topic of ongoing debate regarding its benefits versus health and safety concerns, including disruptions to sleep patterns and increased traffic accidents.
Critics argue that the time change adversely affects health, while supporters cite energy savings as a primary benefit.
President Trump’s views on the matter have also influenced discussions surrounding potential reforms. In December, prior to taking office, Trump vowed that “the Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time, which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldn’t! Daylight Saving Time is inconvenient, and very costly to our Nation.”
However, when asked about the subject last week, Trump said that it’s “a 50-50 issue,” making it difficult to reach a governmental consensus.
Overall, there is a growing consensus among the public that the twice-yearly clock change is outdated and undesirable.
Connor Walcott is the lead writer for Valuetainment.com. Follow Connor on X and look for him on VT’s “The Unusual Suspects.”
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