The Clock Change Debate Is Heating Up Again
Daylight Saving Time has officially ended — which means it’s darker earlier, your pets are confused, and you might have spent Sunday wondering why you were ready for bed at 7 p.m. The good news? Most of your clocks probably changed automatically this year, thanks to all the “smart” gadgets around the house. The bad news? We’ll probably be doing this again in March unless something changes in Washington.
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A new national poll shows 54% of Americans are ready to ditch the time-changing tradition altogether. Only 40% want to keep it, and that support is the lowest it’s ever been. In fact, a separate poll taken just a few weeks ago found that only 12% of Americans still like the current clock-switching system.
Here in Lubbock, the shift hits especially hard. Early risers, school kids waiting for buses, and anyone with a morning commute all know the struggle. Add in that West Texas sunrise that doesn’t show up until after 7:30 a.m., and it’s no wonder many locals are saying, “Let’s just pick one time and stick with it!”
Congress Can’t Agree on What “Permanent Time” Should Be
It’s not that lawmakers haven’t tried. Over the past few years, there’s actually been rare bipartisan support for doing away with the time change entirely. The problem? They can’t agree on which time should become permanent — Daylight Saving Time (the later summer hours) or Standard Time (the earlier winter hours).
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If every state chose its own version, it’d be chaos. Imagine trying to drive from Lubbock to Ruidoso and changing time zones mid-afternoon — no thanks.
What Lubbock Folks Are Saying
Most people here in the Hub City seem to prefer the longer evenings of Daylight Saving Time. After all, it’s nice to have sunlight for a backyard barbecue or a round of tennis at Maxey Park. But others point out that darker mornings could be rough on school kids and early shift workers.
For now, it’s still up to Congress. Senator Rick Scott’s “Sunshine Protection Act” — which would make Daylight Saving Time permanent — has bipartisan backing, but it’s been blocked before.
Until something changes, Lubbock will keep changing clocks twice a year, whether we like it or not.
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So, how about you? Would you rather keep the extra evening light…or go back to bright mornings all year?
What is your favorite childhood memory associated with Lubbock?Gallery Credit: Landon King 
