The disconnect between what Americans want and what Congress does is rarely more clear than on the issue of the national debt. While lawmakers routinely vote to increase borrowing limits with bipartisan support, polling data consistently shows that the American public wants the opposite: they want the debt reduced.

The Public's Clear Message

The numbers tell a compelling story. According to the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, 82% of voters say their concern about the national debt has increased, and 77% want addressing the debt to be a top-three priority for lawmakers. Perhaps most tellingly, 75% of Americans believe the federal debt is growing at an unsustainable pace.

This isn't a partisan issue. Pew Research Center found that 57% of Americans said reducing the budget deficit should be a top priority in 2023, up from 45% in 2022. While Republicans are more likely to prioritize this (71%) than Democrats (44%), both groups show increased concern.

The public's commitment to fiscal responsibility becomes even clearer when Americans are asked to make actual budget decisions. In a survey conducted by Public Consultation, when given control over the federal budget, the overall majority reduced the current deficit by $703 billion. Republicans cut the deficit by $492 billion and Democrats by $737 billion. Remarkably, majorities of Republicans and Democrats agreed on changes that resulted in $463 billion of deficit reduction.

What Congress Actually Does

Yet Congress continues to raise the debt ceiling with bipartisan support. In 2023, the House passed the Fiscal Responsibility Act—which raised the debt ceiling—by a vote of 314 to 117. The Senate approved it 63 to 36. A majority of each party's members voted to pass the bill: 149 Republicans and 165 Democrats.

This pattern repeats year after year. Despite public concern about unsustainable debt growth, Congress continues to authorize more borrowing with broad bipartisan majorities.

Americans Want Solutions

The public doesn't just complain about the debt—they're willing to make hard choices. Gallup polling shows that nearly half of U.S. adults say Congress should reduce the deficit either "mostly" (27%) or "only" (22%) by cutting spending, while 17% favor relying mostly or only on tax increases. Another 27% prefer an equal mix of spending cuts and tax hikes.

Even more striking: 87% of voters agree that lawmakers should cut spending or raise other revenue to ensure any potential tax cuts don't add to the debt. This represents a clear mandate for fiscal responsibility that crosses party lines.

The Uncomfortable Truth

The reality is that Americans across the political spectrum share a belief that Congress seems unwilling to act on: the national debt is unsustainable and needs to be addressed. Whether through spending cuts, revenue increases, or a combination of both, the public is ready to make difficult choices.

Congress, on the other hand, continues to choose the path of least resistance: raising the debt ceiling and borrowing more money. The gap between what Americans want and what their representatives deliver on this issue reveals a fundamental disconnect in our democratic system.

When given the opportunity to make actual budget decisions, Americans—both Republicans and Democrats—demonstrate they would reduce the deficit by hundreds of billions of dollars. Yet year after year, Congress votes with bipartisan support to increase our borrowing limits instead.

The question isn't whether Americans want to address the debt. The polling data makes that crystal clear. The question is: why won't Congress listen?