Today's Poll Question: "Would America be better off as two countries?"

Today's Poll Question: "Would America be better off as two countries?"

September 8, 2026 · 16 min · Episode 2018

About this episode

Michael examines the provocative idea of an American 'disunion' through various lenses.

Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: "Would America be better off as two countries?" Could America’s political divisions eventually become national borders? Michael examines the provocative idea of an American “disunion” through two very different lenses: Kurt Andersen’s new novel 'The Break-Up', which imagines a divided United States after civil conflict, and Syracuse professor Ryan Griffiths’ research into real-world secession movements and why they so rarely succeed. From red and blue states to national security, polarization, democracy, and the practical nightmare of drawing new borders, Michael explores whether breaking America apart could ever solve its problems—or whether the better answer is finding a way to live together. Listen here, then vote - and be sure to rate, review and share this podcast! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

More episodes of The Smerconish Podcast

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Smerconish Podcast podcast page.