(Was it a Trick, or a Treat? This was big news at Halloween and the influences on lawmaking on Capitol Hill two years ago. This post origninally posted on Political Warrior in Nov. 2007)
Last year's Trick-or-Treating was different. Because Congress in 2007 moved Daylight Savings time back to the first Saturday in Novemeber, my son went to a record number of doors in the Sunlight. (In 2008, I think he set a new record).
"I got lots of candy more than ever before,'' said then nine-year-old Patrick. "It should have been night, because night is cooler going trick-or-treating, and the houses are more lit up . But I probably wouldn't have got as much candy."
Hmm. Despite the fact that Patrick did get tooth paste at one house, the load of his loot may have been due to influences on Capitol Hill. The New York Times City Room Blog says the candy lobby gave an influential push for a rider to the 2005 Engergy Policy Act.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_Policy_Act_of_2005The NYT story on the influences on federal lawmakers to shed more light on Halloween night (child safety was also a legitimate concern) is linked here:
14 comments:
It seems as if America is the only place something like this would happen. This just shows how capitalism looks like the ruling power of our nation and how much control corporations have. I do think it's funny that the ritual we started for farmers is now being taken over for industry.
Interesting how the wiki article didn't even mention candy companies or even Halloween in the daylight savings time section... but instead mentioned sporting goods, convenience stores, and a foundation for fighting blindness. Apparently the National Confectioner's Association didn't formulate any major lobbying attempts for this cause past 1986.
And if Halloween really is a dangerous time for children like the article states, then extra daylight really could cut back on that considering they'll spend less time trick-or-treating in the dark. That's the bigger concern here, not candy company profits. Kids would probably still wait until sunset to start trick-or-treating anyways.
It's been a few weeks since this Halloween.
My house seemed to have plenty of leftover candy, and fewer trick-or-treaters than last year. Can anyone else compare results? Maybe it's just the neighborhood, but I'm seeing a slight decrease in the number of open ToT houses in this subdivision.
I know it is quite a few months after this article was posted but as we talk in AP Gov and what we see now in the news is this new spending bill that was approved over break. There are many riders in it including the renovation of a theatre in New York and restoration of a mill in Rhode Island. But in total there are billions of rider dollars being spent. As I sat and thought about this type of rider compared to the one in the article, i wish riders could be "sweet" again.. (not so costly, not too many, etc).
I like this law. I personally don't care if it’s helping candy companies. I have four younger siblings and I've seen how wild kids can get on Halloween, ignoring precautions of which they would normally be more aware, especially as it gets darker out. If the law decreases child deaths or abductions, its positive. I'll just eat the extra candy the companies manage to sell.
The environmental reasoning for this law makes it logical. Although it does help out candy companies, children are much happier! Honestly, there are bigger issues in the world than distribution of candy. I don't see a reason to go against this law for the sole reason of economic gain. If there was environmental, safety, or social issues with changing Daylight Savings Time, then I would have a stronger opinion.
I feel that Americans just want to complain because they can. Even if candy companies are making extra profit from this law does that really make that big of a difference during Halloween time? People are obviously going to buy candy unless they don't celebrate Halloween. Since there are no environmental, safety, or social issues with changing Daylight Savings Time, like Isha said, I feel that we just need to stop complaining about insignificant issues and start focusing on more important ones.
Linking business interests to government policy is literally my occupation (you can see my blog at www.electionstocks.com), and I'm pretty sure that this connection is a bit of a stretch. It's a basic economics question. Just because there was a great quantity of candy supplied to the children, it does not necessarily mean people went out and bought more candy. Don't you typically have some surplus left over after the holiday?
This law does not do any harm to anyone in anyway and actually even helps people out. First it helps the kids out as they get more time to have fun on Halloween and even though the candy companies do get more money from this it doesn't affect anyone in any serious way whatsoever. The way I see it is that it is a harmless law and it should not be made into a serious issue.
I think that this is a good law and don't see much wrong with the candy companies making gains at one time in the year. Children will have a greater chance of being safe on Halloween, and that is the important issue.
I agree with Gabi, I have younger siblings as well and I know first hand how hyper and oblivious they can be to dangerous situations. I really like this law because it places the lives of children in a position of priority, which is always important, but especially so on Halloween when there is a tendancy to overlook safety precautions.
I feel this law is beneficial for children as it helps not only their safety but also their "fun time" as well. I feel that people have a negative connotation when it comes to what they see as "giant candy corporations". But still, these corporations are made up of thousands of American citizens who are facing an economic recession and they are so many Americans today who cannot be helped by the government economically, so if even one person can be helped and no harm comes from it, then the law should be considered as a success.
Personally, I'm in favor with children trick or treating in daylight for reasons of safety. As a brother of two sisters, I don't have to worry about my sisters getting hurt or possible abused by others.
I don't mind if the Candy Companies do make more money from this. Even if, as Janesh said, they have a lot of control over what happens in this nation, it actually is very beneficial for children. For example, there are a lot of kids in my neighborhood and they can have their time during Halloween.
Plus if you think about it, if the companies do make a bit more profit, they pay their employees who, in turn, purchase more from other stores.
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