Marketplace · Thursday, August 13, 2026
Greg Ipp noted that despite an unsustainable fiscal path, public concern about the U.S. deficit is low, with voters prioritizing lower taxes and more government spending. He stated that until voters demand deficit reduction, politicians lack the incentive to seriously address the issue, as it doesn't align with electoral priorities like maintaining social security or increasing healthcare subsidies.
“When you actually poll on this question, there isn't a lot of concern out there among, uh, voters about the deficit. What are they concerned about? They want their taxes to stay lower. They want the government to pay for more things. Keep their social security nice and safe. Uh, more subsidies for healthcare.”
“So until they start asking for that, it's not obvious what the political value is for anybody in Congress or anybody running for president to seriously address it.”