Rubin and Gephart launch Rescue America Project on U.S. debt

Les Rubin and Cliff Gephart have launched the Rescue America Project, a public education campaign aimed at making the national debt easier for Americans to understand and harder for lawmakers to ignore. The initiative comes as federal debt tops $40 trillion and tries to turn public concern into pressure on Congress.

Why it matters: - The Rescue America Project is built to turn the federal debt debate into a voter issue, not just a Washington budget fight. - The campaign says rising deficits, interest costs and unfunded obligations are already pressuring households, future generations and the government's ability to respond to the next recession, war or financial crisis. - The project argues that public pressure on candidates and members of Congress is the path to fiscal action.

What happened: - Les Rubin, founder and president of Main Street Economics, and Cliff Gephart launched the Rescue America Project on Sept. 14, 2026. - The new effort is a public education and awareness initiative focused on the nation's multi-trillion-dollar deficits and debt. - The campaign uses short-form videos, social media, educational materials and traditional media outreach to explain federal spending and debt in plain language. - The project launched with a first video that uses humor to show Uncle Sam taking the earnings from a child's lemonade stand while the child chases after him. - The project website includes more information and the campaign's “Throw the Rope” push.

The details: - The project highlights what it calls the immediate consequences of the fiscal trajectory: inflation, rising interest costs, pressure on Social Security and Medicare, and a growing burden on future generations. - The campaign also connects federal spending and debt to everyday economic issues such as inflation, interest rates and economic growth. - Rubin said the project aims to make the issue understandable for a parent, small-business owner, retiree or child, not just economists and budget experts. - Gephart said the goal is to make the national debt visible in terms Americans can connect to their paycheck, mortgage, retirement and children's future. - The “Throw the Rope” campaign asks Americans to sign a public demand for action and pledge support only for candidates who commit to addressing federal spending and debt. - The project describes itself as a nonpartisan public service program. - Main Street Economics says it was formed to provide economic education in easy-to-understand language for the American public.

Between the lines: - The launch reflects a bet that abstract fiscal warnings are not enough to move voters. - Rubin and Gephart are using humor and simple visuals to reframe debt as a household-level issue, which could make the message more shareable than standard budget messaging. - The campaign's political strategy is explicit: change voter behavior first, then create the pressure needed for Congress to act. - The framing also ties deficit reduction to potential near-term benefits such as lower inflation, lower interest rates and stronger economic growth.

What's next: - The Rescue America Project plans to keep producing videos and outreach aimed at showing the effects of Washington's spending on everyday Americans. - The campaign wants Americans to sign the pledge, support the “Throw the Rope” effort and demand action from elected officials. - Rubin said the effort will continue until more Americans understand the seriousness of the debt problem and are willing to back difficult fiscal choices. - The project is also seeking to expand public awareness through social media, educational materials and media interviews.