The Blubber

Billionaires Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, recently appointed by President-elect Donald Trump to co-lead a new Department of Government Efficiency, both took to X on Wednesday to discuss the possibility of ending the twice-yearly clock changes for daylight saving time—a practice millions of Americans and numerous states have called for eliminating.

Key Points:

• Musk’s Statement: Responding to an X user’s frustration about daylight saving time, Musk commented, “Looks like the people want to abolish the annoying time changes!”
• Ramaswamy’s View: Ramaswamy echoed Musk’s sentiment, calling the practice "inefficient & easy to change."

Context:

It’s unclear whether abolishing daylight saving time would be pursued under a Trump administration. Such a change would require Congressional approval and the president’s signature.

• Daylight saving time runs from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November, during which clocks shift forward in spring and back in fall to maximize daylight in warmer months.
• Despite its intent to optimize daylight, the practice is unpopular, and many have called for its elimination, favoring permanent daylight saving time instead.

Legislative Efforts:

• Efforts to end the biannual clock changes have been ongoing for years at both federal and state levels but have failed to gain enough momentum in Congress.
• In 2022, the Senate passed a bill to make daylight saving time permanent starting in 2023, but it stalled in the House.
• Similar bipartisan proposals introduced this year are unlikely to advance.

Public Sentiment:

The debate over daylight saving time reflects growing frustration with the disruption caused by clock changes, with proponents of reform arguing it is outdated and unnecessary. Whether the Trump administration will prioritize this issue remains to be seen.