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In The Tank

In The Tank

Written by: The Heartland Institute
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The weekly flagship podcast from The Heartland Institute features in-depth policy discussions connected to current news. Host Donald Kendal leads the discussion with the usual crew of Heartland Institute Vice President Jim Lakely, Socialism Research Center “Commissar” Justin Haskins, Editorial Director Chris Talgo, and others at this national free-market think tank. The entertaining and informative discussions often hit topics such as the environment, energy policy, Big Tech censorship, the troubling rise of socialism, globalism, health care, education, that state of freedom in America and around the world, and much more. This podcast is also available as part of the Heartland Daily Podcast, the “firehose” of all the organization’s podcasts that take deep and entertaining dives into public policy.The Heartland Institute Political Science Politics & Government
Episodes
  • Socialism Destroys Everything? — In the Tank Podcast #523
    Jan 8 2026

    On In The Tank Podcast #523, Linnea Lueken, Jim Lakely, Chris Talgo, and S.T. Karnick break down the latest reminders that socialism doesn’t “fix” anything—it wrecks it. From political theater in Washington to chaos in corporate America, and from Venezuela’s collapse to what’s brewing in New York City, the panel connects the dots on how bad ideas keep spreading.

    The panel digs into Democrats holding a candlelight vigil… for Jan. 6. Then the crew looks at a Hilton franchise caught in a PR firestorm after targeting ICE bookings, and asks the obvious question: when did basic law enforcement become a corporate punching bag?

    The conversation also turns to Venezuela’s oil—why anyone still wants access to it, what decades of socialism did to the country, and why America shouldn’t be taking notes. Finally, the panel looks at NYC’s trajectory, including Mamdani’s tenant-power agenda and what it could mean for the city if these policies keep gaining ground.

    Join us LIVE at 1 p.m. ET every Friday on YouTube, Rumble, X, and Facebook.

    Visit our sponsor, Advisor Metals: https://climaterealismshow.com/metals

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    1 hr and 35 mins
  • The Future of Movies — In the Tank Podcast #522
    Dec 19 2025

    Hollywood is at a breaking point—and audiences can feel it.

    On In the Tank Podcast #522, Linnea Lueken, Jim Lakely, Chris Talgo, S.T. Karnick, and Donald Kendal dig into what’s reshaping movies and TV right now: DEI-era gatekeeping, studios quietly changing course, shrinking opportunities for creators, and the growing role of AI in entertainment.

    They’re joined by Christian Toto, returning for his fifth annual appearance, to break down how Hollywood’s incentives filtered out creative voices—and why so many films now feel safe, preachy, and lifeless.

    The panel also tackles Disney’s new AI deal involving OpenAI’s Sora platform and what it means for writers, actors, and storytelling itself. Plus: the crew runs through their “Unhinged” list of the worst movies and TV of 2025—and what might actually be worth watching next.

    If Hollywood has lost its edge, this episode explores why—and what comes next.

    Join us LIVE at 1 p.m. ET every Friday on YouTube, Rumble, X, and Facebook.

    Visit our sponsor, Advisor Metals: https://climaterealismshow.com/metals

    Chapters:
    00:33 Intro
    01:57 Special Guest Introduction
    03:55 Support Our Sponsor!
    05:50 Unhinged: Worst Movies of 2025
    22:08 Film Affected By DEI
    49:15 AI in Movies? Good or Bad?
    1:19:25 The Future of Movies: Embracing The Experience

    STORIES COVERED ON THE SHOW:

    DEI To Blame? - Writers and other roles in movie companies are being filtered by DEI politics in Hollywood. Does this have an effect on the quality of films?

    https://www.compactmag.com/article/the-lost-generation/

    https://variety.com/2025/film/news/hollywood-drops-dei-programs-donald-trump-disney-paramount-amazon-1236327202/

    AI in Movies - Where is it good, and Where does it suck?

    https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/disney-openai-sora-agreement/
    https://archive.ph/2xtns

    Optimism for the Future: the best films of 2025, what to look forward to in 2026 and beyond.

    https://x.com/vegasstarfish/status/1961588349799731453
    https://www.imdb.com/calendar/

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    1 hr and 38 mins
  • Minnesota: Land of 10,000 Frauds - In the Tank Podcast #521
    Dec 4 2025

    "Woke" and its pushers continues to be exposed for the ugliness, fraud and tyranny their policies unleash on the rest of us, all over the world. We'll cover how the architect of Jaguar’s disastrous rebrand has finally been canned, and Rep. Aftyn Behn’s loss to Matt Van Epps in Tennessee reveals her and her party as very sore losers indeed.

    We'll also take a look at the years of widespread fraud inside Minnesota’s social services system, and discuss how Governor Walz not only buried the problem but may be setting the stage for even more abuse through a new program.

    And on UNHINGED: Multiple-time violent criminals are being released to attack people again, and other craziness.

    The Heartland Institute's Linnea Lueken, Jim Lakely, and S.T. Karnick will talk about all of this and more on Episode #521 of the In The Tank Podcast.

    Join us LIVE at 1 p.m. ET on YouTube, Rumble, X, and Facebook.

    Visit our sponsor, Advisor Metals: https://climaterealismshow.com/metals

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    1 hr and 10 mins
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