EPISODE · Aug 21, 2026 · 8 MIN
Today's Poll Question: Would You Pay Higher Taxes and Take Benefit Cuts to Fix the $40 Trillion Debt?
from The Smerconish Podcast · host Michael Smerconish
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Would you accept both higher taxes on yourself and reduced Social Security and Medicare benefits in order to reduce the $40 trillion national debt? Michael confronts a problem Americans overwhelmingly say matters—but one Washington has repeatedly failed to solve. With the national debt now above $40 trillion and interest costs mounting, Michael revisits Pete Peterson’s warnings and the 2010 Simpson-Bowles Commission, which sought shared sacrifice through higher revenue and reduced spending. Today’s poll puts that tradeoff directly to voters: Are Americans willing to personally pay more and receive less if that’s what serious debt reduction requires? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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Today's Poll Question: Would You Pay Higher Taxes and Take Benefit Cuts to Fix the $40 Trillion Debt?
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