Editor's note

President Donald Trump finally followed through on a long-standing threat to impose steep tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum, prompting a rift with many fellow Republicans. He cited “national security” as the reason behind the order, but it’s really about politics and influence, writes University of South Carolina economist William Hauk. It’s also a major gamble for Trump. As Hauk explains, the story of what happened the last time the U.S. imposed steel tariffs – in 2002 – provides a cautionary tale.

University of Oregon management professor David Wagner offers a bit of a cautionary tale of his own about an oft-dreaded ritual that occurs this Sunday morning – the annual “springing forward” for daylight saving time. There’s more to the hour of lost sleep than most people suspect, Wagner writes. The “shift to daylight saving time leads to costly work and social outcomes.”

And, this Sunday’s hour change marks the 100th anniversary since Congress passed the Calder Act, which required Americans to “spring forward” for the first time. Tufts University English Professor Michael Downing tells the story of how daylight saving came to fruition – the debates among legislators, the role of big business, and the pushback from the public.

Bryan Keogh

Economics + Business Editor

Top stories

Bush, seen here in 2006, revoked his steel tariffs less than two years after imposing them in 2002. Reuters/Jason Reed

George W. Bush tried steel tariffs. It didn't work

William Hauk, University of South Carolina

President Trump slapped steep tariffs on steel imports, echoing protectionist measures taken by Bush in 2002.

A New York engineer is wheeled away in December 2013, after a train he was driving crashed. Lack of sleep could have been a factor. AP Photo/Robert Stolarik

The dark side of daylight saving time

David Wagner, University of Oregon

Most Americans dread the time switch to daylight saving time, which results in a loss of an hour's sleep. The downside is more serious than that – it can lead to workplace injuries and traffic fatalities.

Unfortunately, there’s not an unlimited amount of daylight that we can squeeze out of our clocks. igorstevanovic/Shutterstock.com

100 years later, the madness of daylight saving time endures

Michael Downing, Tufts University

The original arguments Congress made for 'springing ahead' have been thoroughly debunked. So why are they still being used by legislators today?

Politics + Society

  • Arbitration as a way out of the North Korean crisis

    Ronald Sievert, Texas A&M University ; William Norris, Texas A&M University

    Many an international crisis has been defused by international arbitration. Could the same tools help resolve the North Korean challenge?

Environment + Energy

Education

Economy + Business

Science + Technology

  • Influenza's wild origins in the animals around us

    Jonathan Runstadler, Tufts University

    No one then knew a virus caused the 1918 flu pandemic, much less that animals can be a reservoir for human illnesses. Now virus ecology research and surveillance are key for public health efforts.

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