In The Tank

The AI Revolution is happening at an incredible speed. New AI products, like OpenAI's Sora 2, continue to push the envelope and blur the lines between reality and fabrication. And as this revolutionary technology continues to advance and integrate deeper into our daily lives, serious questions are emerging about power, control, and human rights in the digital age. Should there be a framework—an “A...

The government is still shut down, and Democrats are warning that the expiration of Obamacare subsidies at the end of this year will make healthcare unaffordable for millions. But that’s not true. While the system certainly needs reform, the real problem lies deeper than temporary subsidies. The Heartland crew will break down what needs to change to make healthcare work for everyone. Meanwhile, Tr...

Are Democrat-led cities spiraling out of control? Weeks of unrest, weak law enforcement, and rising violence are testing the limits of left-wing policies. In Portland, ANTIFA attacks ICE facilities by night while petty crime dominates by day. In Chicago, local leaders defend policies that fuel gang violence and lawlessness. As the Trump administration vows to crack down, the question is — how far...

Are Democrat-led cities spiraling out of control? Weeks of unrest, weak law enforcement, and rising violence are testing the limits of left-wing policies. In Portland, ANTIFA attacks ICE facilities by night while petty crime dominates by day. In Chicago, local leaders defend policies that fuel gang violence and lawlessness. As the Trump administration vows to crack down, the question is — how far...

The United States government has shut down once again as Democrats demand the reversal of major spending cuts while Republicans and President Trump refuse to back down. At the same time, the ADL is facing growing backlash after its “Glossary of Hate” targeted groups like TPUSA, prompting even the FBI to distance itself. Meanwhile, Chicago schools continue to struggle with failing literacy rates, y...

The tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk is still having an impact on current public discussions about the radical left and their intolerance of dialogue and ideas that challenge the prevailing leftist dogmas. The media wasted no time trying to dismiss leftwing political violence as a “both sides” problem, but we know better. The Heartland Institute’s Eann Tang experienced how difficult it is to b...

The impact of Charlie Kirk’s assassination has been felt far wider and deeper than many expected. Tributes have sprung up around the globe — from the UK and Australia to South Africa, Europe, South America, and Asia. Yet much of the media first misinformed the public and then tried to push the “both sides are violent” narrative, while thousands of online leftists cheered his death and desecrated m...

Unspeakable horror struck on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah yesterday. Charlie Kirk, the founder of TurningPoint USA, was murdered by an assassin's rifle shot while he was speaking to a crowd of thousands. Charlie's talent, credibility, intelligence, authenticity, patience, and courage were on display for all to see to the very end of his life. He was a champion of liberty and...

The Heartland Institute and Rasmussen recently collaborated on a poll asking voters under the age of 40 what kind of government they support. Shockingly, more than half said they would back socialist candidates for president — and even more favored nationalizing major industries. This reflects the same troubling trend seen across Europe in recent decades, where increasingly left-wing governments t...

Labor Day has long been claimed by socialists in the United States who pretend to be champions of the working class — but history shows they’ve never truly stood with America’s workers. In fact, socialist policies hurt the middle class and working poor more than anything else, and leftist “soft on crime” agendas only make matters worse. This week, we’re reclaiming the holiday as an America First L...

Just because a war is abroad—and between countries other than your own—doesn’t mean it won’t have impacts at home. In the USA, history shows that U.S. intervention in foreign wars increases federal intervention in our everyday lives; constant involvement in wars has led to much of the creeping expansion of our government over time. The whole world seems to be watching as Trump attempts to broker a...

We are only six months into the Trump Administration 2.0, and The Age of Trump is already in full swing. National Review hails his presidency as “truly historic,” outlining a laundry list of accomplishments he has already achieved. The left and right clash over what Trump’s federal takeover of Washington, D.C., really means. Is this a bold reset of a broken city or a dangerous power grab? Also, Ca...

Over just the last seven months, Trump’s administration has landed one blow after another on the administrative state and “deep state.” Most recently, Trump’s EPA and Department of Energy teamed up to announce a pending repeal of the greenhouse gas Endangerment Finding, which has allowed the government to regulate nearly every aspect of our lives since its passage in 2009.  Democrats still try the...

A recent and highly disturbing New York Times article promoting the idea that doctors should expand the definition of death in order to harvest more organs is stirring up disgust and debate about utilitarianism and the role of doctors or so-called “bioethicists” in shaping medical policy. What is the current state of the organ donation industry and what kind of policy actually makes sense. How far...

Ever wonder what happens when political spin meets reality? It's like watching a magician whose tricks have been exposed – suddenly everyone can see the wires! 🎭 In this explosive episode, we're serving up a feast of political commentary that's more satisfying than whatever's NOT rotting in Kansas City's taxpayer-funded grocery experiment.  • 🎯 Obama's Russia-gate narrative gets the fact-check i...

Is America quietly shifting from a nation of property owners to a nation of renters? In this episode, we expose the growing forces behind the decline in homeownership—from skyrocketing prices to the corporate consolidation of housing. How is this trend impacting society and the political landscape? Plus, we dive into another urgent emerging issue: the rise of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs...

After losing the presidential election and seeing the administrative state’s efforts steamrolled by Trump’s agenda, the left is ramping up its calls to violence—and even acting on them. Just in the last week, there were two attempts on the lives of ICE agents, resulting in injuries and deaths. Likewise, real "color revolution" insurrection plots are being staged by ex-USAID employees who believe t...

On this special 500th episode of the In The Tank Podcast, the team takes a look at Culture -- from pop culture like movies, to broader American cultural trends like national pride. Is the dominant left-wing culture finally on its way out? Or are recent flops just a a hiccup in some eternal progressive march? Should conservatives even participate to try to influence it, or is it a lost cause? The H...

Riots are once again breaking out in California, all the way to Chicago and East coast cities. The National Guard is on the streets of LA to handle violent protests against ICE, and it seems there is evidence that these multi-day protests are anything but organic. Similar protests are planned around the country this weekend, attempting to counter a military showcase parade President Trump has plan...

Join The Heartland Institute's Linnea Lueken, S.T. Karnick, and Jim Lakely as they dive into Episode 497 of the In The Tank Podcast. This episode explores timely and provocative topics, including the Democrats' ongoing quest to find their own version of podcast superstar Joe Rogan—can they cultivate a voice that resonates widely in the digital age? The team also discusses President Joe Biden's rel...

The legacy media that half this country relies on to inform them about the world is irrevocably broken. For the past five years, they’ve lied constantly to cover up the biggest political scandal of the century: that Joe Biden has been in accelerating cognitive decline since before he was sworn in as president. Of course, it's worse than that. The media attacked anyone who merely stated that obviou...

The Heartland Institute and Rasmussen just completed another polling study—this one asking people how worried they are about AI and what should be done about it legislatively. To no one's surprise, people are worried and think the government has a responsibility to get ahead of it. We’ll also cover the way people can fool even themselves with AI, how some are totally outsourcing their thinking to...

The Heartland Institute and Rasmussen Reports released a new poll showing that 71% of Democrats support Elon Musk being IMPRISONED for his DOGE work. This insane position is held by 80% of self-reported "liberals" from the polling. The poll results were released the same day as this episode. This is sadly not very shocking, as we take a look at what leftist-dominated Reddit says about Elon in our...

Spend any time at all watching or reading the news, and you may notice an odd trend in the Democrat party-- they seem to be embracing policies more and more that totally alienate the "normies," people who hold generally average views on social and political issues. Democrats increasingly favor extreme positions, like defending gang members and embracing ideologies that would have been universally...

Tariffs are the subject of heated debate not just between Democrats and Republicans, but within the spectrum of right wing economic thought as well. Trump has announced reciprocal tariffs for every country on the planet, in an attempt to end unfair trade imbalances across the board. Some countries have already started falling in line, the question is, what will the end result for American citizens...