From the White-PillBox: Part 17
The State is in dire need of good press. The push to eliminate semiannual Daylight Savings adjustments demonstrates it is scraping the bottom of its toolbox.
In mid-March 2022 we learned the federal government is seeking to end the semiannual clock adjustments for Daylight Savings Time (DST). The bill passed unanimously in the Senate; and, with poll numbers showing the public’s solid dislike of DST changes, it seems the proposal has a decent chance to succeed.
Same arguments, for and against
Nothing new has happened in the DST discussion to have made it particularly newsworthy. Most every argument for or against DST has been around since its inception 1. As far as the public’s perspective, it has never been particularly popular. Currently about 70% disfavor it (i.e., they prefer clocks stick to a permanent, unchanging time).
With the State having a fairly full plate of crises (caused by the State, of course), it is reasonable to wonder what suddenly prioritized this matter. In other words, why now?
The State is desperate for some good press
The State has had a particular rough couple of years, and the public is noticing more and more how inept and harmful it is. Just a few examples…
The COVID hysteria originated with the State. The tangential results of government mandates (predicted by most libertarians) has caused greater harm than the virus itself. And the public’s distaste really started to accelerate when it became apparent that vaccines were far less effective than advertised.
The riots that occurred in various major cities revealed a clear pattern: when push comes to shove, police forces provide little or no real protection from violence. Moreover, with cell and video cameras everywhere, the light of day is slowly being shined onto systemic police abuse.
Even the recently begun war of Russia against Ukraine exemplifies the State’s struggle in gaining public support. It is true that the classic psychology of war still holds: the public will tend to support government efforts during a war. But that pillar of support is showing serious cracks this time around. We are observing skepticism from government officials and the public alike, to a greater degree than in previous military incidents. No one seriously justifies the U.S.’s role by claiming it “defends America”. All they have is the so-called “moral obligation to defend others”. This is a hard sell to the public. The U.S. has been in various military actions for over 20 years, some of which continue to this day. The original justification (defending against domestic terrorism) is rarely used for these wars anymore. Instead, it is assumed the State’s current military involvements are based on “protecting others”. This is the paper-thin argument being used in the current Russian war, and it is not carrying much weight.
Inflation is at 40-year highs. The State is doing all it can to point to any cause other than itself, and not always succeeding at it. Fortunately the public is at least moderately more skeptical today than in the inflation-ravaged 1970’s. As the State trots out the same tired bromides to explain inflation (such as foreign oil or the greed of businessmen), the public is not buying it.
The White Pill
The State can’t seem to catch a break. It seems plausible the State has given priority to the DST issue so it can clearly check a box in the win column.
If so, it is another example of the State’s desperation.
Assuming the best outcome (a quick and successful elimination of DST clock adjustments, with little negative outcomes), whatever public “attaboys” the State expects will surely be short-lived. With so many (State manufactured) crises in play, the political capital from DST will not last.
But the reality is the State is inept at almost everything, includes dismantling its own laws.
For example, the State may debate the DST issue without resolution, until it drops it entirely. In this case the public will likely come away with the conclusion “wow…they can’t even do that”.
Or the State may change DST to keep clock adjustments, but with modified rules. In this case the public may draw the conclusion “they made a bad thing worse”.
Or the State will indeed end DST, but take far longer than is necessary. In this case the meager positive press it hopes to gain will have dwindled (especially given the fact that the end of DST will be a non-event…the clocks will simply stay the same, with few even noticing).
Conclusion
Some White Pills are more potent than others, and this one is admittedly a modest one. But we must remember that one of the assumed justifications for the State is that it is necessary to handle the “big things”. That is, those social issues deemed too complex for individuals or private groups.
The White Pill lesson of DST is that the State cannot even handle the simplest of issues.
The common person has a fairly good handle on time: knowing what time it is; when it gets dark out; how to allocate their time. These are not high-demand cognitive tasks for most people.
But our time routines are disrupted twice a year when the governing authorities force a clock adjustment; a regular annoyance for most. Now the State has set expectations this will end, and the public sees no great complexity in ending it. Yet the State will mishandle even that.
It will be a good, clean, simple public lesson that does its part in delegitimizing the State.
For example, those who favor a permanent and unchanging clock time cite arguments such as: elimination of airline and other mass carrier schedule adjustments; more sunlight for either morning or afternoon activity (depending on which permanent time is preferred); eliminating the risk of increased traffic accidents that may occur immediately after clock changes.
Those who favor the time changes cite their own arguments: sleep and darkness in better alignment; more efficient energy usage.