WTOK-TV Meridian
Push to make daylight saving time permanent gains steam
By Andrew Samet
MERIDIAN, Miss. (WTOK) - We will be moving the clock forward by one hour early Sunday morning and there is a push in the nation’s capital to make this time change permanent. The Sunshine Protection Act was recently re-introduced in Congress and has bipartisan support, including that of Mississippi Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith.
“I would think that it would be seriously considered at this point, and I would say that there is more consideration for changing it then in the past,” said Derek Mosley, a social science instructor, at Meridian Community College.
Keeping daylight saving time in place will mean a later time for sunrise and sunset in the winter. For example, on Christmas Day, the sun would rise in Meridian just before 8 a.m. and set just before 6 p.m.
Supporters argue that there are health benefits to keeping daylight saving time in place along with it being good for the economy.
“That’s why President George W. Bush actually shortened the time for standard time,” said Dr. Brian Anderson, a professor of political science at the Mississippi University for Women. “He made it start a few weeks earlier and end a few weeks later, and the idea was we would be out shopping, or out doing things that would stimulate more economic activity.”
Opponents argue that having darker mornings will be more dangerous for children going to school.
One local we spoke to says she’s fine with keeping what we have in place now, but wouldn’t mind daylight saving time being permanent.
“Well again, being retired, I can get used to it really quick, it doesn’t really bother me either way,” said Jean Orcutt.
Other people we spoke to were in favor of making it permanent.
“I think I actually like the longer days, rather than shorter days because I mean, I like having more daylight,” said Brice Bigbee. “It’s just all the stuff that’s going on in the city, you know, when it gets darker quicker, people tend to be a little mischievous. But other than that, I don’t think I think anything else of it.”