Today's Poll Question: Smartphones vs. School Pressure...What's Really Making Kids Anxious?

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Get ready to vote on today's Daily Poll Question at smerconish.com.

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But first, Michael explains it for you, right here.

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Welcome to The Smerconish Podcast from SiriusXM.

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For Independent Minds.

Michael Smerconish (0:13)

Hello, hello. Hi, gang, it's Tuesday, it's the 20th of October, 2026 We had 33,452 vote yesterday at smerconish.com in the Daily Poll Question, which asked, could a Democratic Congress rein in President Trump? 60.65% said yes, 39.35% said no, 60.4 then, saying yes, a Democratic Congress can rein in President Trump. I'm not sure how. I explained yesterday on air and I explained in a commentary on CNN on Saturday that what's really at stake, the biggest prize in midterm elections in my view, confirmations and control of confirmations or the ability to stop Trump's confirmations. And I'm thinking cabinet, although we can appoint acting people, ambassadors, not sure how big a deal that is, federal bench. Oh, that's a biggie.

That's a real prize. That is a real prize in the midterm elections. But Democrats have to win the Senate for that. And if they don't capture the Senate, what do they get with the House? They can investigate, right? They have subpoena power.

They can move the needle on accountability. But legislate?

I mean, they can't get past his veto pen. In fact, they can't even get to his veto pen unless they control the Senate as well. And then they can say, well, we passed X, Y and Z, and the president vetoed it, but at least we tried. I guess that gives them something going into 2028 But can they really stop him? Stop him suggests that he has a legislative agenda, and they're going to not allow him to enact it. He doesn't. There's nothing of great significance right now being worked on in Washington on debt, on immigration, on, you know, fill in the blank. So I think that 60% is wrong. Time will tell. It was a follow up to Saturday's poll question, which asked, if Democrats win the House, what would they prioritize? Investigations of what should they prioritize? Pardon me. That's a biggie. What should they prioritize? Investigations or legislation? 82.17% said legislation. Saturday was the day that the poll question didn't work until mid morning and we missed our window when the newsletter gets delivered and so forth. The fact that 21,217 nevertheless voted told me that was a big poll question. That would have probably hit 50 if we didn't have the glitch. So that's the poll question from yesterday, the poll question for Saturday as well. Today's poll question, please hear me out on this. Which has done more harm, more to harm kids' mental health? Which has done more to harm kids' mental health? Smartphones and social media, that's the conventional wisdom.

Or school pressure and less play? I'll explain in a moment.

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The Smerconish Podcast from SiriusXM.

Michael Smerconish (3:20)

Are you joining me on Veterans Day November 11th at Parks Casino in the Philly Burbs? I hope so, because Rob O'Neill will be in the house. Yeah, the guy who took down Bin Laden along with his SEAL Team 6 teammates, we are honoring him. It's going to be an extraordinary night. Parks Casino in the Philly Burbs, you can be there, but you got to get tickets now. We will be in the Liberty Bell Beer Garden at Parks Casino. Tickets are 50 bucks. They are still available. We will salute all veterans and raise our glass to Rob O'Neill.

The guy who wrote The Operator, the man who served for 17 years, took part in over 400 missions, which included the raid at Abbottabad. You go to Parks, parxcasino.com/entertainment.

You can also check out my social media. We have got it pinned on my Facebook page. parxcasino.com/entertainment. You got to be 21 Gambling problem. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Bring somebody as a guest who wore the uniform of this country. It will be a fun night.

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The Daily Poll Question at smerconish.com.

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A non-scientific social political question designed to spark broader discussions about current issues.

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Get ready to cast your ballot and leave a rating and review of this podcast on your favorite podcast app.

Michael Smerconish (4:40)

Yesterday, Peter Gray was on the program. I had so been looking forward to this conversation with Peter Gray because he's published a brand new book. It's called Restoring Childhood.

What's the full title? How to Set Kids Free in the Age of Anxiety. So Peter Gray brings down, breaks down the, you know, the time periods for our kids into four different brackets. He says, the first half of the 20th century was the golden age of unstructured way. Uninvolved parents, the kids were OK.