Page S. Gardner
@pagegardner.bsky.social
180 followers 130 following 350 posts
President of PSG Consulting, Founder of Innovating for the Public Good, Founder and Former President of Voter Participation Center https://innovatingforpublicgood.org/
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pagegardner.bsky.social
The Senate and House need to establish rules for those who come to Congress to testify- particularly cabinet officials.
pagegardner.bsky.social
REGISTER NOW: Join us on October 20 at 12pm ET for our #FirstMondaysWebinar, Rethinking Strategy in a Time of Democratic Crisis. us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
pagegardner.bsky.social
Every singe democrat elected official should not allow- interrupt- any media person who repeats the Republican lie about who can and cannot get health care services. Don’t let them keep repeating the lie.
pagegardner.bsky.social
I think the Supreme Court justices who keep rolling out the legal red carpet for Donald Trump should save Americans a lot of time and money and just pre-announce that whatever Trump wants Trump gets in the Supreme Court
pagegardner.bsky.social
From rigging maps in red states to weaponizing federal power against blue cities and bending the Pentagon to his will — Trump’s moves form a blueprint for authoritarianism. Those who can’t connect the dots are missing democracy’s dismantling in real time. www.politico.com/news/2025/09...
Trump, justifying domestic military action, tells Pentagon leaders to ‘handle’ the ‘enemy from within’
The president suggested “dangerous” American cities should be used as Pentagon “training grounds” during a dark and winding 72-minute speech.
www.politico.com
pagegardner.bsky.social
Trump told generals the U.S. military should treat American cities as “training grounds” and “handle the enemy from within … before it gets out of control.” It’s one piece of a broader roadmap: keeping power at all costs and stacking the cards for 2026. youtube.com/shorts/L-eGL...
Connecting the Dots: Trump's Military Meeting is One Part of a Larger Authoritarian Roadmap
YouTube video by Page S. Gardner - PSG Consulting
youtube.com
pagegardner.bsky.social
As @nytimes.com' David Brooks explained in his recent column, democracy falters when dark passions go unacknowledged. It's a timely reminder of why this deeper work matters — check it out: www.nytimes.com/2025/09/18/o...
Opinion | The Era of Dark Passions
www.nytimes.com
pagegardner.bsky.social
What William Galston calls “dark passions” — anger, hatred, resentment, fear, domination — now permeate our politics. @ifpg.bsky.social has identified three underlying forces that are poisonous to America — Othering, Fatalism & Hyper-Individualism. innovatingforpublicgood.org/2025-strateg...
pagegardner.bsky.social
Our democracy faces threats that demand immediate action & long-term solutions. Operating as if the once-normal rules of the game still apply is no longer viable.

Learn about Innovating for the Public Good’s plan in this recent webinar & hear from CEO Omar Parbhoo: www.linkedin.com/posts/innova...
pagegardner.bsky.social
Meanwhile, the rich are getting richer. Since 2009:
— Household incomes for the top 10% jumped 30%
— While the lowest earners gained just 16%

As midterms approach, the economic reality is clear: working families are stretched thin while the wealthy race ahead. www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/...
Inflation quashed household income gains in 2024, census finds
The U.S. Census Bureau found that the richest Americans’ income rose last year, and women and Black people lost ground.
www.washingtonpost.com
pagegardner.bsky.social
Everyday Americans aren’t imagining the economic hardship they feel. New Census data shows inflation counteracted income gains for most families.

Women & Black households are falling even further behind:
— Women now earn just 80.9% of what a man makes
— Black household income fell 3.3% in 1 year
pagegardner.bsky.social
Trump’s eulogy to Charlie Kirk so unmoored.
pagegardner.bsky.social
Republicans have championed free speech for years. Now Trump is pushing real censorship. Silencing Jimmy Kimmel is the latest move to muzzle critics & intimidate networks that employ them.

It’s a page from Putin’s playbook — & a hallmark of authoritarian rule. www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a...
The Grave Threat Posed by Donald Trump’s Attack on Jimmy Kimmel
The President and his allies are using the power of the state to silence speech they dislike.
www.newyorker.com
pagegardner.bsky.social
Earlier this week, Omar Parbhoo, CEO of Innovating for the Public Good, and I hosted a webinar to outline IFPG’s vision for the future and its plans to advance bold, long-term solutions to ensure our democracy truly serves all Americans.

Listen here: www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...
pagegardner.bsky.social
Some of the wealthiest oppose the bill, recognizing its harm to ordinary Americans despite benefiting themselves. A CBPP analysis shows households earning over $1 million would see a 4.3% after-tax gain, while the lowest 20% would see just 0.6% — about $90 a year. ⬇️
www.cbsnews.com/news/gop-tax...
How much would Americans of different income save in taxes if the GOP bill is signed into law?
The greatest benefits would go to high-income households, while low-income families would see a much more modest boost, analyses show.
www.cbsnews.com
pagegardner.bsky.social
For good reason, the Big Betrayal Bill isn't supported by the majority of Americans. Historic cuts to Medicaid & SNAP will leave millions without basic necessities. And now, many of those who stand to gain the most from the bill oppose it. ⬇️ www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
pagegardner.bsky.social
Instead of easing pressure on families, the Big Betrayal Bill is making life even more expensive. It is this context and climate in which the mid-terms will be held.

More data and figures from Doug Sosnik in @politico.com: www.politico.com/f/?id=000001...
www.politico.com
pagegardner.bsky.social
The gap in consumer spending (the engine that fuels the economy) between the top 10% & the middle/lower classes has grown larger & will continue to grow thanks to the Big Betrayal Bill. As inflation increases and the social safety net is starved, fewer everyday Americans will be able to spend. ⬇️
www.politico.com
pagegardner.bsky.social
Adding fuel to the fire here. Two-thirds of Americans view the economy negatively — and nearly half think it will get worse over the next year. ⬇️
steverattner.bsky.social
Americans’ feelings about their economic futures have dropped off a cliff since covid — now only 25% think they have a good chance of increasing their standard of living.

My @morningjoe-msnbc.bsky.social Chart
pagegardner.bsky.social
That’s why IFPG exists: to build the tools, strategies and partnerships that can restore trust in public institutions and strengthen our democracy.

Read the full IFPG report and explore the new appendix: innovatingforpublicgood.org/barriers-to-...
Barriers to Benefits: The Decline in Public Trust | Innovating for the Public Good
innovatingforpublicgood.org
pagegardner.bsky.social
Innovating for the Public Good's new report, Barriers to Benefits: The Decline in Public Trust, now features an appendix with additional resources on administrative burden & public trust in government.

When basic support becomes an uphill battle, families suffer — & so does trust in democracy.