Comment by SloopJon | Hacker News Reader

Comment by SloopJon | Hacker News Reader

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The first few articles I could find on this topic neglected to identify the senators co-sponsoring the bill. Here's a list from boston.cbslocal.com:

* Roy Blunt (R-MO)

* Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS)

* James Lankford (R-OK)

* Ed Markey (D-MA)

* Marco Rubio (R-FL)

* Rick Scott (R-FL)

* Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)

* Ron Wyden (D-OR)

Wikipedia has some history on similar, short-lived efforts in the past:

> Seasonal observation of DST was first enacted in the US during World Wars I and II, as an attempt conserve fuel. The practice was unpopular and promptly repealed after each war; however, lobbyists from the petroleum industry lobbied to restore DST, as they had noticed it actually increased fuel consumption.

> Permanent DST in the US was briefly enacted by President Nixon in 1974, in response to the 1973 oil crisis. The proposal was initially supported by an estimated 79% of the public; that support dropped to 42% after its first winter, owing to the harshness of dark winter mornings that permanent DST creates. An estimated six school children were also killed by motorists due to the new law.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permanent_time_observation_in_...

On the eastern edge of the enormous Eastern time zone, I'm sympathetic to permanent DST, but I'm not sure it's a good idea nationwide. I would probably be in favor of the proposed Atlantic time zone, though.

As a Floridian, I am suspicious of anything co-sponsored by Rubio and Scott and look forward to reading how they and the rest of our fine state’s Congressional clown car profited from this bill.

Wow that's a huge shift in public support after the experience of a single winter. I wonder if we're doomed to repeat it.

I suspect if this were to go into effect, that yes, after the first winter on year-round DST, public opinion about the shift will change dramatically in a negative direction.

No one has yet experienced DST in the winter, owing to the present practice of shifting to standard time over the winter months. The change in morning daylight in the winter months will be a big shocker if this is adopted.

You're probably right. People at moderate latitudes--say 35+ degrees--mostly love their long summer evenings and they have tons of light in the morning anyway. And many may think they're fine with their cold dark winter mornings being a bit colder and darker in exchange for not having a time shift (and more light, such as it is, on the other end). But they actually aren't.

Considering how dark it is in winter mornings, I'd rather us just keep year-round off of DST instead. I say this while living in the geographic center of the country, and certainly for some people who live further north, I'd doubt they'd want the colder and darker mornings.

Govtrack is a fantastic resource for things like this: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/117/s623

Thank you for mentioning this resource. I just found their cartogram map of House votes which provides a rather fascinating district-based map of the US, colored by vote.

For instance, the cartogram map of the recently passed "American Rescue Plan" relief act: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/117-2021/h72

So tragic that children had to die rather than just changing school start times a little later during the winter. People were so ridiculously dogmatic about starting at a particular number that lives were lost. Insane.

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