No More Daylight Saving in Montana? Think Again
Yeah, it wasn't just a Monday in Montana. It was THAT Monday. The one where you get the full double whammy of ignoring all the usual warnings about "springing ahead", clock re-setting, falling asleep at work, and running off the road.
"Spring forward" sure didn't describe your day did it?
Ah yes, you say, "but we won't be doing this anymore in the future right?
Where in the world did you get that idea? Does it "spring" from your unwavering hope in the U.S. government actually solving a problem? Or was it just another muddle of your "Monday after mind?"
Because no matter how we'd like the annual debate over, there's no end in sight
Sure, last year the U.S. Senate actually looked like it might agree on something for a change, and there was a bi-partisan effort to pass what was called, optimistically, "The Sunshine Protection Act." The measure would have finally ended the biannual blustering over the swap from Daylight to Standard Time, and back. (I had a typo in there when my unconscious typed "swamp". Maybe I should have left it).
Alas, just when we thought we might have grown up and finally made up our minds, the measure got nowhere in the House. And that's where we are in Spring 2023.
Yet, a number of Montanans I talked with last week were under the impression "we don't have to do that anymore, right?" Those are probably my friends who were late to church Sunday or work this morning.
No, it's my sad duty to report we're still in the time trap
Now, Florida Senator Marco Rubio is doggedly pushing ahead with a new version of the "sunshine" bill, introducing a new version of the bill that would make DST the permanent option, while not forcing Arizona, Hawaii, or all those island locations we've forgotten we owned, to swap if they don't want to.
“We’re one of the few countries on Earth that continues to do this ritual of springing forward and falling back and changing our clock twice a year. That makes no sense. It’s time to end it. I think we should pick one and stick with it. -Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL)
But will the idea get any further this year? Depends on how many of you remember how miserable you felt this morning and bother to send a letter to your Congress critter. If robbers have lobbyists they'll sure be doing that, since Rubio says there would be a 27% drop in stick-ups with longer daylight hours. Not quite the 62% improvement in walking, and 38% biking, but still a pretty nice improvement.
Enjoying the long line of daylight over the Bitterroot Front last night, all I could think was this ought to be one thing we could resolve. If you've got a nice view of the mountains, invite any lawmaker to come over and enjoy the evening. Tell them they won't have to hold onto their wallet.