GenZhou: GenZedong Without the Shitposts(TM)
See this GitHub page for a collection of sources about socialism, imperialism, and other relevant topics.
We have a Matrix homeserver and a Matrix space (shared with GenZedong). See this thread for more information.
Rules:
Capitalists found out that their liberal populations will accept anything they define as tyranny or immorality as long as it has one degree of separation from government. It’s not “government propaganda” that says that we need to say, bomb Djibouti, no it’s the “Institute for the Promotion of Peace has released a study on why bombing Djibouti leads to peace”.
Same reason why it’s outrageous corruption if someone gives a politician a bribe, but if they “lobby” them then it’s okay.
Identify issues (real or fake) and then suggest policy to solve (or profit from) said issue. Think tanks almost always have a specific ideology that they pursue.
I think they shoot stuff
edit real answer:
They are what the upper class use when they want to do something but need to say 'studies show...',
If the people they pay dont say what they want they fire them or hire a different group of people until they find someone who agrees to say what they want to say.
Its what happens when you remove reproducibility from research and corrupt the funding process as well as not only attempting to avoid research bias, but obfuscate it as much as possible.
All of these answers accurately describe parts of the elephant 👍
Also, over & over I misread this as, “What do you think tanks actually do?” 
Me too and I was hoping for a surprise fact like 4 out of 5 tanks don't have a canon or turret and are used only to cross difficulty terrain safely.
All of these answers accurately describe parts of the elephant 👍
Every answer apart from the one I provided*
I was going to say "crush counter revolutionaries"
They employ a list of big names (or failsons/faildaughters).
Some create strategies on how to build and maintain the American empire. Even publish whole books on it. Brian Berletic frequently cites think tanks in his videos.
I have no idea who the aforementioned man is, because this is the first time I have seen his name.
I've watched some of his stuff in the past. He's an analyst. I couldn't tell you what his politics actually were, but he seemed anti-imperialist and pro-China, and his analysis is decent enough.
he's a former US marine who has gone anti-imperialist
Former US soldier who now does independent journalism. He does a very good analysis of current conflicts and the global geopolitical situation. But I don't think he's a leftist.
Yes, Brian is great explaining the Ukraine conflictand U.S hegemony. He is on YouTube under The New Atlas.
Also explained the US next steps regarding it war against China. Trumps ideas of retaking the Panama channel and increasing military presence on Greenland are part of that strategy.
My brain took several minutes to not register this question as "What do you think tanks actually do?" and was confused as to what the fuck everyone was talking about.
Idk. From what I've heard, they're vanguards of the capitalist class, so I guess it gives a hint to that nature?
From my experience, a think tank (sometimes called an institute) is a group of thinkers subordinate to a political figure. The think tank produces political discourse adhering to the ideology and views of that political figure when actual research institutions refuse to and when bribing them is not worth the effort.
The Big Stall, by Donald Gutstein talks about how specifically in Canada they provide cover for oil companies. More broadly they're just another voice to support right wing (sometimes left wing) talking points. They'll publish official sounding studies that are skewed to show whatever objective they want. Day to day, I assume not much, maybe they have large projects with deadlines.
Propaganda
They pay your friends when your not in office.
They don't think much, that's for sure.
on a daily basis? its probably a whole bunch of "yes man"-ing through emails.
they think about tanks.. lots of different kinds of tanks
A jobs program for useless ivy leaguers.
They carry heavy ordinance weaponry and protect it with thick armour.
Think tanks are used for developing and researching an ideology or political perspective, both theoretically and how to apply it to real world scenarios. Although obviously in bourgeois society, bourgeois ideology is going to get the most investment for development, they are not necessarily all bourgeois.
For example, The Tricontinental is a sort of Think Tank, though it goes by "Institute for Social Research". It develops geopolitical research and thought from a Marxist perspective.
Though what is usually referred to as a think tank is things like the Hoover Institute, which provide cover for imperialism and neoliberalism.
If you want to delve deeper, look up Marx's "dominant ideology " concept and Gramsci's "hegemony". Think tanks are research institutions that serve the explicit and intentional goal of struggling in the battleground of cultural hegemony.