Host Lauren C. Anderson, former senior FBI executive, sits down with pollster Stefan Hankin of Lincoln Park Strategies and journalist Joel Anderson of The Ringer and Slate to unpack a national poll released in May 2026.
Key findings: 54% of Americans say they hesitate to express political views at work, online, or in their communities because they worry about the consequences. And 76% express some level of concern that the U.S. is moving toward a more authoritarian form of government. The conversation explores political self-censorship, pressure on First Amendment norms, erosion of the rule of law, and the silencing of critics and journalists.
Together, they discuss generational divides, including Gen Z’s higher confidence in democracy compared with Boomers; the mainstreaming of slurs and hateful speech; and why rebuilding democratic guardrails will take years. Stefan shares how his mother’s memories of 1930s Berlin shape his view of today’s warning signs, while Joel offers practical advice on rebuilding community through schools, churches, volunteer organizations, and local elections.
Guest info: Stefan Hankin is the founder of Lincoln Park Strategies, with over two decades of experience in public opinion polling, data analytics, market research, and communication strategy for Fortune 500 companies, local governments, and political candidates. He was part of the polling team for the election of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States. His work has appeared in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, and the Christian Science Monitor. He’s a “recovering rugby player,” an “old‑man hockey player,” and an “aspiring ski bum.”
Joel Anderson is an award‑winning multimedia journalist, senior staff writer at The Ringer, and co‑host of The Press Box podcast. He previously hosted seasons 3, 6, and 8 of Slate’s award‑winning Slow Burn narrative history podcast and co‑hosted Hang Up and Listen. He has worked at ESPN, BuzzFeed, the Atlanta Journal‑Constitution, and the Associated Press. His 2014 BuzzFeed piece “The Two Michael Sam’s” was featured in The Best American Sports Writing 2015. He is a native of Houston and a graduate of TCU.
Founded in 2016, The Steady State is a nonprofit 501(c)(4) organization of more than 400 former senior national security professionals. Our membership includes former officials from the CIA, FBI, Department of State, Department of Defense, and Department of Homeland Security. Drawing on deep expertise across national security disciplines, including intelligence, diplomacy, military affairs, and law, we advocate for constitutional democracy, the rule of law, and the preservation of America’s national security institutions.
