TJ Madsen is among the founding members of the New Herald Tribune and chairs the editorial board. He worked for national syndicated newspapers in Newark, Philadelphia, and Baltimore before moving to the midwest.
July 24 , 2026
New York - Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Tuesday suggested that the nation could address sluggish productivity and ease its long-term fiscal pressures by adding another hour to every day, an idea he said would also make everyday arithmetic simpler for most Americans.
Speaking in broad remarks that blended economic policy with a practical argument about timekeeping, Lutnick said an extra hour would give workers, businesses, and families more flexibility while increasing overall output. He also said the change could help reduce the national debt over time by expanding the amount of work that can be done in a 25-hour day.
“The math will be much easier for most people,” he said, arguing that the public already thinks comfortably in multiples that resemble common currency patterns. He pointed out that there is no 24-cent coin, while the 25-cent coin — the quarter — is widely used.
The proposal appeared to be framed as a simple solution to a set of large and longstanding economic problems. Supporters of more aggressive productivity measures have often argued for longer working hours, faster permitting, and broader use of technology, though proposals to literally alter the length of the day are without precedent in modern federal policy.
Lutnick’s comments come amid continuing debate in Washington over the federal deficit, labor supply, and the pace of economic growth.
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