Keep the Free State of Florida Free & Daylight Saving Time – Top 3 Takeaways – March 9th, 2023
- The Free State of Florida didn’t just happen. There are many dates in 2020 we could point to in which Governor DeSantis stepped up to do what other governors hadn’t yet had the courage to do. To break with the Faucists, follow the facts and to error on the side of liberty. As DeSantis later came to say, his biggest mistake was not opposing President Trump’s original 14 Days to stop the spread. But after a few weeks in Florida our states’ experience it became a local experience. DeSantis relaxed those original mandates, the first in the country to do so, however he left the next steps in the decision-making process up to local governments. As it turned out at the time that would come to be his second biggest mistake and one, he’d later correct as well. By August of 2020 Governor DeSantis, as he legally fought the teachers’ unions to reopen schools declared “we’ll never do these lockdowns again”. But there was one issue. South Florida Governments, controlled by Democrats, didn’t agree as they continued to impose their will over our businesses and communities. As a result, by September, DeSantis took executive action to formally ban any local government from enforcing mask mandates with fines, closing restaurant dining rooms, or implementing any measure that may prevent an individual from working or from operating a business. Gregg Weiss, then commissioner, now Mayor of Palm Beach County, said to the Sun Sentinel at the time: It is very concerning, but there is very little local government can do as it relates to business closures or limiting people’s opportunities to work. Yes, what was concerning to politicians like Greg Weiss wasn’t that people like him had unnecessarily caused businesses to close down forever or to send people who’d been employed into poverty – let alone the health implications. It was concerning that there was very little local government can do as it relates to business closures or limiting people’s opportunities to work. This should not be forgotten. And there’s no telling what would have happened or have been left locally if left to the Fauchists like Weiss. But one thing there never was for any business owner or person harmed by their behavior. Recourse. And also protection from that type of behavior by local governments ever again. That’s what the Senate’s Local Ordinances bill which passed the full senate on Wednesday would do. Under the legislation, businesses would be able to sue local governments which enact policies which negatively impact their business. Moreover, they’d be able to operate normally until the issue is litigated. In other words, we’d error on the side of free enterprise and liberty as opposed to local government control and overreach. The policy would force local governments to provide an economic impact statement prior to a related change in policy. There is a companion bill in the House. It’s time to get this done and ensure this remains the Free State of Florida after DeSantis’ time in charge.
- Dust bin of history. I have two pet peeves that come with Daylight Saving Time, which happens once again this weekend. This first is when people call it “savings”, it’s not. It’s saving. The second is that it exists. If you’re a long-time listener, you’ll likely recall my passion for this topic. Everything about time changes is intellectually insulting. I reject the premise of them as we all should. There are 24 hours in a day and generally 365 days per year. Period. We don’t have 363 days that are 24 hours packaged around one that’s 23 hours and one that’s 25. That’s all about politicians doing silly stuff with time. So here we are again. Another year where we’ll defy both science and logic. The science explanation is clear but why logic? We’re intentionally screwing ourselves both economically and physically. Why would anyone ever do that to themselves? A 2017 study by JPMorgan suggested Florida’s economy losses between $12 to $26 billion annually due to the change. Using Morgan’s data from six years ago I’ve calculated that to equal $15 billion to $32 billion today. But wait there’s more...
- We also are literally choosing to physically harm ourselves. The average person loses 40 minutes of sleep during the first two days of the change. The result is that in the first two days after entering Daylight Saving Time stroke and heart attack risks rise by 10% resulting in hundreds of additional deaths directly attributable to the time change. Then there’s depression. Depression rates rise by 11% for a total of ten weeks after the time change. And as for driving? The riskiest day of the year to be on the roads will be Monday. The lack of sleep and related health maladies results in a substantial increase in crashes. A recent study showed a permanent move to DST would significantly reduce car crashes resulting in 2,054 fewer injuries, 33 fewer deaths and $1.19 billion in saved expenses. Think about it, don’t just accept it because it’s the way it’s been for decades. Think about how grotesquely masochistic it is for our society to intentionally cause significant harm to people and the economy twice annually. Stuck on stupid doesn’t even begin to cut it. That’s why this is the year we need to make sure Congress cuts it out once and for all. Last year there wasn’t a single United States Senator who disagreed that we should ever change the time again. It was simply a matter of bringing it up for a vote. But Nancy Pelosi refused in the House. It’s a different year with a different House and it’s time to finish the job Florida started in 2017 when we first passed our Sunshine Protection Act into law. The dustbin of history. That’s where time changes should go.