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Originally Posted by Shawnee123
So I'm curious as to what the political motivations were (in tw's view) as to why it was moved up earlier this year? Who decides that? What benefits occurred and for whom?
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The original purpose of daylight savings was pioneered back in Franklin's time. It had a purpose; getting people out and about earlier when the sun was up earlier. However the latest time change (three weeks earlier) had no basis in science. It was promoted in Congress on some non-peer reviewed conclusion from some professor. Politicians bought into the myth for reasons similar to why consumers buy surge protectors. Advantages of daylight savings time are lost when implemented too close to winter. Implementing daylight savings time three weeks earlier was not based in any science.
Politicians were just knowing without first learning facts (just like Saddam's WMDs). It was proposed on wild speculation that it would save energy. Some research says it saved a trivial amount of energy. Other research says it increased energy consumption. IOW it had no science purpose. Was implemented by politicians making decisions on their feelings - not by using facts. That is called myth in markets. And politics in Congressional chambers. Same politics that said Saddam had WMDs. When myths are more important than reality.
Political motivation at this point was to do something for no useful purpose. I don't know which (if any) politicians got rich on this.
BTW, time zones are determined by an agency of the Interior department. Indiana is on east coast time except a small region near Chicago. Some areas do not use daylight savings time. A county near the time zone border can appeal to the Feds to be moved from one time zone to the other or be exempted from daylight saving time.