The Brian Lehrer Show Are You For or Against Daylight Saving Time?
Mar 9, 2026
Callers debate whether to keep changing clocks or pick permanent daylight or standard time. Listeners share how shifts affect safety, kids’ routines, and runners’ schedules. The show revisits the 1970s experiment with year-round daylight time and suggestions to shorten the DST extension.
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Majority Prefer Ending Clock Changes
- A 2023 Gallup poll shows most Americans want to end clock changes, with 54% favoring a permanent time and 48% of those preferring standard time year-round.
- Only 24% supported permanent daylight saving time, indicating stronger public preference for darker evenings in winter over lighter evenings year-round.
Congress Considering Compromise And State Choice
- Two congressional proposals are gaining attention: one would shift time zones forward 30 minutes permanently, the other would let states choose whether to observe daylight saving time.
- The 30-minute proposal attempts a compromise between full standard and full daylight time.
Brooklyn Caller Remembers Failed 1970s Experiment
- Louise in Brooklyn says the time change negatively affects her and recalls a 1970s experiment with year-round daylight saving time that became unpopular because children went to school in the dark.
- She worries darker winter mornings increase accident risk at bus stops and harm kids' mental health.