[what10th]

we're all familiar with the article in the constitution that gives the federal government the power to decide for states how to set their clocks, i assume.

i guess you can always count on the times to advocate for centralized power

[DerekL]

The Commerce Clause: >Article I, Section 8, Clause 3: [The Congress shall have power] To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

Here's an example. Suppose I'm driving down the highways, and I arrive at some town and I decide to stop for lunch. I see a parking space, but it says I can't park there at certain times. But every city in the country sets its own clocks. How do I figure out what time it is? That's a pain, right?

[AnimalMuppet]

That's quite a stretch. (Of course, the Commerce Clause has been stretched far beyond sanity before...)

And standard time was not instituted by the government, using the powers of the Commerce Clause. It was instituted by railroads, who found the exact issue you described to be a pain when trying to schedule trains.

[DerekL]

Yes, the Commerce Clause is not the best basis for this. Clause 5 is much better:

> [The Congress shall have power] To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;

[CydeWeys]

The Constitution grants the federal government the power to pass laws, and "setting your own time" isn't explicitly enumerated as a right that is reserved to the states.

[krapp]

Any rights not granted to the Federal government by the Constitution are reserved by the states and the people by default.

[CydeWeys]

The commerce clause seems limitless in what it will allow.

[KMag]

Rights not explicitly reserved for the federal government or individuals are reserved for the states.

[mywittyname]

You're talking about the Commerce Clause?

[mikeash]

I don’t see any advocacy here.