If AI isn’t built for freedom, it will be programmed for control



Once the domain of science fiction, artificial intelligence now shapes the foundations of modern life. It governs how we access information, interact with institutions, and connect with one another. No longer just a tool, AI is becoming infrastructure — an embedded force with the potential to either safeguard our liberty or quietly dismantle it.

In a deeply divided political climate, it is rare to find an issue that unites Americans across ideological lines. But when it comes to AI, something extraordinary is happening: Americans agree that these systems must be designed to protect our most basic rights.

Voters from both parties recognize that AI must be built to reflect the values that make us free.

A new Rasmussen poll reveals that 77% of likely voters, including 80% of Republicans and 77% of Democrats, support laws that would require developers and tech companies to design AI systems to uphold constitutional rights such as freedom of speech and freedom of religious expression. Such a consensus is practically unheard of in today’s political climate.

The same poll found that more than 70% of voters are concerned about the growing role of AI in our economy and society. And that concern isn’t limited to any one party: 74% of Democrats and 70% of Republicans say they are “very” or “somewhat concerned.”

Americans are watching the AI revolution unfold, and they’re sending a clear message: If we’re going to let these systems shape our future, they must be governed by the same principles that have preserved freedom for generations.

Why it matters now

That concern is more than hypothetical. We are already seeing the consequences of AI systems that reflect narrow ideological agendas rather than broad constitutional values.

Google’s Gemini AI made headlines last year when it produced historically inaccurate images of black Founding Fathers and Asian Nazi soldiers. This wasn’t a technical glitch. It was the direct result of ideological programming that prioritized “diversity” over truth.

In China, the DeepSeek AI model was trained to avoid any criticism of the Chinese Communist Party. Ask it about the Tiananmen Square massacre, and it refuses to give you an answer at all. When models are trained to serve power rather than seek truth, they become tools of suppression.

If left unchecked, agenda-driven AI systems in the United States could soon shape what news we see, what content is amplified — or buried — on social media, and what opinions are allowed in public discourse, thereby conforming society to its pre-programmed ideals.

Biased AI systems could even influence public policy debates by skewing public opinion toward "solutions" that optimize for social or environmental justice goals. These constitutionally unaligned AI systems may quietly reshape society with complete disregard for liberty, consent, and due process.

Regulation for freedom’s sake

Some conservatives bristle at the word “regulation,” and rightly so. But what we're talking about here isn’t micromanagement or bureaucratic control. It’s the same kind of constraint our Founders placed on government power: constitutional guardrails that prevent abuse and preserve freedom.

When AI is unbound by those principles, it doesn’t become neutral — it becomes ideological. It doesn’t protect liberty; it calculates outcomes. And in doing so, it can rationalize censorship, coercion, and discrimination, all in the name of “progress.”

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hamzaturkkol via iStock/Getty Images

This is why Americans are right to demand action now. The window for shaping AI's trajectory is still open, but it won’t remain open forever. As these systems become more advanced and more embedded in our institutions, retrofitting them to respect liberty will become harder, not easier.

Don’t let the opportunity slip away

We are living through a rare moment of political clarity. Voters from both parties recognize that AI must be built to reflect the values that make us free. They want systems to protect speech, not suppress it. They want AI to respect human conscience, not override it. They want AI to serve the people, not manage them.

This is not a partisan issue. It is a moral one. And it’s an opportunity we must seize before the future is decided for us.

AI doesn’t have to be our master. But it must be taught to serve what makes us free.

Democrats pick Beijing over Trump in shocking trade war poll



In a development that would have shocked most Americans just a decade ago, a new poll shows more Democrats now hope China wins the trade war with the United States than want their own country to come out ahead. That’s not exaggeration. It’s not spin. It’s a brutal fact.

A national survey I co-authored for the Heartland Institute and Rasmussen Reports found that 32% of likely Democratic voters want China to prevail, while just 30% say they support the Trump administration in the conflict. Another 38% say they’re unsure.

The poll should serve as a wake-up call. We are not just facing a battle over policy. We’re engaged in a war over the very soul of our country.

By comparison, 88% of likely Republican voters support the Trump administration in the trade war. Among voters who identify as politically unaffiliated, just 16% favor China over the United States.

Think about that. A growing number of Democrats would rather see a repressive communist regime — one that jails political dissidents, censors speech, and persecutes religious minorities — defeat America in an economic showdown, simply to spite Donald Trump.

This isn’t just disturbing. It’s un-American.

The poll results reveal a troubling reality about today’s left. Partisan hatred has overtaken even the most basic sense of national loyalty. It’s no longer about what helps America — it’s about what hurts Donald Trump, even if that means handing a strategic victory to our greatest geopolitical adversary.

This debate isn’t about tariff policy. Reasonable people can disagree on trade. This is about cheering on a totalitarian regime simply because it opposes a U.S. president. That’s not ideology — it’s pure partisan spite. And it should alarm every American who values country over party.

Some might dismiss this as ignorance. But the survey suggests something deeper. Everyone understands what the Chinese communist regime represents. This is the government that covered up the COVID-19 outbreak, steals hundreds of billions worth of U.S. intellectual property annually, and props up its economy with forced labor.

Yet, a large share of Democratic voters would still rather see China win a trade war than watch Trump succeed.

This is the rot at the core of the modern progressive movement: a deep, pathological loathing for everything that even resembles traditional American values — capitalism, strength, independence, and yes, national pride. That’s why so many on the left can’t bring themselves to cheer for a U.S. victory in a confrontation with a foreign adversary.

The poll should serve as a wake-up call. We are not just facing a battle over policy. We’re engaged in a war over the very soul of our country.

It’s no longer enough to assume that all Americans, no matter how fiercely they disagree, are on the same team when it comes to defending our national interest. That assumption is now demonstrably false.

The fight for the future of the United States is not just happening in Washington — it’s happening in the hearts and minds of our fellow citizens. And based on this data, that fight is far from over.

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New poll showing majoritive approval for Trump across various racial groups is bad news for Dems, good news for America



The Democratic Party was dealt bad news this week in the form of Rasmussen Reports' presidential tracking poll.

The top line indicated that 56% of likely U.S. voters approve of President Donald Trump's performance. This was likely a gut-punch on its own, given it exceeds the number enjoyed by former President Joe Biden at any stage in his presidency. However, the greater revelation was that the American majority pleased with Trump's work so far is consistently represented across various demographics, including those long taken for granted by the Democratic establishment.

According to the poll, the total approval for Trump among white, Hispanic/other, and black voters was 55%, 58%, and 57%, respectively.

Head Rasmussen pollster Mark Mitchell stated on X, "Trump approval currently has NO racial demographic signal. Wild!"

Rich Baris, the director of Big Data Poll, told Mitchell on X that his outfit had similarly seen little sign of a racial demographic signal, adding, "The guy is freakin' popular right now with pretty much everyone, to include voters of all ages."

'It also takes their most potent weapon out of the hands of the crypto-Marxists.'

American software developer Eric Raymond noted in reply, "The symbolic weight of this report coming out the day after Trump gutted DEI is amazing. Donald J. Trump has de-racialized American politics. I've had plenty to say about him that's critical in the past, but for this alone, he deserves to be remembered as among this country's greatest Presidents."

"This is a result that reflects well on everybody. It says good things about the MAGA base, good things about Blacks, and encouraging things about the capacity of our country to heal its divisions," continued Raymond. "It also takes their most potent weapon out of the hands of the crypto-Marxists. Worth celebrating on every level."

Trump's total approval was similar not only across various racial groups but for both sexes. The poll indicated that 55% of women and 56% of men approved of the job Trump is doing. While significantly lower than other cohorts, 35% of Democratic respondents signaled approval for the president.

Mitchell, who did not immediately respond to Blaze News' request for comment, noted on X that where Trump's approval rating across the different racial groups is concerned, "We are probably going to see some drastic mean reversion, but the fact that it is possible is incredible."

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Elon Musk says he suffered 'major side effects' from booster shot, felt like he was 'dying for several days' — but his healthy cousin fared worse



Elon Musk admitted Friday evening to suffering "major side effects" after he received his second COVID booster shot — a shot he indicated was obligatory on account of business travel.

This admission came after Rasmussen Reports published recent survey results revealing both the apparent prevalence of vaccine side effects and the majority desire for a congressional investigation into how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) handled vaccine safety.

What's the background?

Rasmussen Reports released the results of a poll on Jan. 20, indicating that 70% of Republicans, 48% of Democrats, and 54% of unaffiliated voters want a congressional investigation into the CDC's handling of vaccine safety during the pandemic.

While the results skewed along party lines, majorities of every racial category (56% of whites, 51% of black voters, and 66% of other minorities) noted a desire to hold the CDC accountable.

The majority of respondents may get their way.

The Republican-controlled Congress has authorized the creation of a new House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, which the Washington Examiner noted will have broad jurisdiction.

While this subcommittee will probe the origins of the virus, it will also reportedly investigate vaccine development, COVID-related school closures, and other issues pertaining to the pandemic. It could possibly look into what the CDC knows about side effects of the vaccines.

"There’s a lot of confusion out there, there’s a lot of uncertainty out there, and I believe every American regardless of their political ideology would like to know the truth,” said House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chairman James Comer (R., Ky.).

Rasmussen Reports, also interested in a general sense of whether the CDC "provided the public with complete information about the danger of side effects from COVID-19 vaccines," previously posted a video on Jan. 16 detailing the findings of another survey of 1,000 U.S. adults conducted between Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, 2022.

Mark Mitchell, head pollster at Rasmussen Reports, suggested that "since there are approximately 260 million American adults, that implies that 177 million [roughly 68%] of them are vaccinated. According to our poll, with a 41% side effect rate, that means that 72 million Americans have experienced at least a self-identified minor side effect."

"Using a 7% major side effect rate [on the basis of this polling data], 12 million of those 72 million American experienced a self-identified major side effect," added Mitchell.

When asked whether they "personally know anyone whose death [they] think may have been caused by side effects of the COVID-19 vaccines," 28% of respondents answered "Yes." 61% answered "No," and 10% indicated they were not sure.

\u201cPublic opinion about #CovidVaccine deaths and side effects has far-reaching public health consequences. \n\nAll other pollsters have ignored the issue. WHY?\n\nPlease share this zero-commentary clip of our vaccine polling. \n\nDiscussion at Youtube: \nhttps://t.co/wkrXIrawVn\u201d
— Rasmussen Reports (@Rasmussen Reports) 1673893964

The tech magnate's admission

In a follow-up Twitter post referencing these takeaways, Rasmussen posed the question, "How many people does CDC estimate had major side effects?"

Elon Musk responded to the post after it had been retweeted by Dilbert cartoonist Scott Adams, providing a brief personal account of the troubles he faced after receiving his second booster shot.

Musk wrote, "I had major side effects from my second booster shot. Felt like I was dying for several days. Hopefully, no permanent damage, but I dunno."

\u201c@ScottAdamsSays I had major side effects from my second booster shot. Felt like I was dying for several days. Hopefully, no permanent damage, but I dunno.\u201d
— Scott Adams (@Scott Adams) 1674224054

The tech magnate explained that he had been infected with the original COVID-19 virus "before the vaccines came out and it was basically a mild cold."

He later received the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, and indicated that with the exception of a temporarily sore arm, he suffered no "bad effects."

However, things changed for Musk when receiving his next series of shots.

Musk noted that he ultimately received two mRNA booster shots. The first one was "ok, but the second one crushed me."

\u201c@peters8620 @stillgray @ScottAdamsSays I had OG C19 before vaccines came out and it was basically a mild cold.\n\nThen had J&J vaccine with no bad effects, except my arm hurt briefly.\n\nFirst mRNA booster was ok, but the second one crushed me.\u201d
— Scott Adams (@Scott Adams) 1674224054

When pilloried over this admission that he got a second booster shot, Musk indicated that it had been "required to visit Tesla Giga Berlin. Not my choice."

Although Musk was allegedly "crushed," his cousin reportedly suffered a worse fate.

The Twitter CEO added, "And my cousin, who is young & in peak health, had a serious case of myocarditis. Had to go to the hospital."

The CDC contends that "COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective and severe reactions after vaccination are rare," noting that "The benefits of COVID-19 vaccination continue to outweigh any potential risks."

The agency also claims that myocarditis, pericarditis, Guillain-Barré Syndrome, thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome, anaphylaxis, and reports of death after vaccination are "rare."

As of Jan. 13, the CDC continues to recommend "that everyone ages 6 months of age and older stay up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccination; this includes individuals who are currently eligible to receive an updated (bivalent) vaccine."

The agency claims that "Staying up-to-date with vaccines is the most effective tool we have for reducing death, hospitalization, and severe disease from COVID-19."

Contrary to these federal implorations to keep vaccinating, Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo has recommended against mRNA COVID-19 vaccines for men in the 18-39 age range, after his state's health department found "an 84% increase in the relative incidence of cardiac-related death among males 18-39 years old within 28 days following mRNA vaccination."

"Studying the safety and efficacy of any medications, including vaccines, is an important component of public health," Ladapo said, according to a press release. "Far less attention has been paid to safety and the concerns of many individuals have been dismissed – these are important findings that should be communicated to Floridians."

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