Two problems most of us agree on

Even in these polarized times, most Americans agree on one thing — that the country is badly out of balance. Two-thirds of both Democrats and Republicans call the federal deficit a very big problem, and four in five Americans say wealth inequality is a big problem.

Yet year after year, Washington fails to fix either one — and often makes them worse. Part of the reason is that the arithmetic is hard. Asked in a poll, many of us say we want a smaller deficit, lower taxes, and more spending on the programs we care about. All three at once can't add up. When few voters understand the trade-offs, it is easy for politicians to promise everything — and to avoid saying what they would actually cut, or whom they would tax.

From quick opinions to considered opinions

Conventional polls ask for quick, off-the-cuff opinions. On complex questions like taxes, spending and inequality, those answers are unstable: they shift with small changes in how a question is worded. But research on deliberative polling — where people get balanced information and time to think before they answer — finds that when people learn the facts, the options and the trade-offs, their views become more consistent, more stable, and less swayed by framing.

What Rebalance helps you do

Rebalance is a game — but about the real world. Each page takes one part of the federal budget and helps you:

Where we hope it leads

As more of us use Rebalance, we will see where we agree — and where we still disagree — once we look more closely at the facts and trade-offs. We expect some surprising areas of agreement, and clearer, more honest disagreements about the rest. With enough users, these Considered OpinionsConventional opinion polls ask for quick, off-the-cuff opinions without the time for careful consideration. Rebalance gives you the background, history and international context, with pros and cons. You can test the effects of alternative policies on the deficit, inequality, and your own finances. That’s why we call the choices you select at the end of each page your Considered Opinions. can greatly inform the national debate: a complement to conventional polls, showing not just what people think at first glance, but what they conclude after thinking it through — along with concrete proposals for how to get there.

The road to 2028

A million Americans with considered opinions on the deficit and inequality — and concrete proposals to fix them — could change the conversation. We want candidates to feel they must say explicitly how they would fix these twin problems. And we want journalists to ask them pointed questions:

• What is your Considered OpinionConventional opinion polls ask for quick, off-the-cuff opinions without the time for careful consideration. Rebalance gives you the background, history and international context, with pros and cons. You can test the effects of alternative policies on the deficit, inequality, and your own finances. That’s why we call the choices you select at the end of each page your Considered Opinions. on the deficit — and on the Income gapThe Income gap is the ratio of the average income per adult of the richest 10% of Americans to the average income per adult of the bottom half (bottom 50%). It counts income after all taxes and government benefits — including cash benefits, tax credits, and health coverage such as Medicare and Medicaid. A value of 9× means the top 10% get nine times as much income per person as the bottom half. A smaller number means less inequality. (Measured per adult; source: World Inequality Database.)?
• Which taxes would you raise or cut, and which spending would you change?
• Show us the arithmetic: what would your plan do to the deficit, and to inequality?

How you can help

Start with the basics, try to balance the budget yourself, and give your Considered OpinionsConventional opinion polls ask for quick, off-the-cuff opinions without the time for careful consideration. Rebalance gives you the background, history and international context, with pros and cons. You can test the effects of alternative policies on the deficit, inequality, and your own finances. That’s why we call the choices you select at the end of each page your Considered Opinions. along the way. Then tell your friends: the more people who take part, the louder our considered opinions will be.