The recent market selloff offers a glimpse of what the next four years could bring: chaos replacing the stability that Americans and financial markets desperately need. Investors crave predictability, but with billionaires pulling the strings, chaos seems inevitable. And as history shows, it won’t be the wealthy who pay the price—it will be working Americans.
The phrase, often attributed to Baron Rothschild, “The best time to invest is when there is blood in the streets,” captures how billionaires often profit from turmoil. They have the resources to capitalize on plummeting markets and disrupted economies. What’s more troubling is that they can create chaos themselves, knowing they’ll emerge even wealthier on the other side. This strategy may benefit the ultra-rich, but it leaves ordinary people to suffer the fallout.
We saw this play out during Donald Trump’s presidency, particularly in his handling of the pandemic. By February 2020, the Dow Jones Industrial Average had climbed to record highs, reflecting investor optimism. But as the pandemic unfolded and Trump’s response faltered, the Dow plunged nearly 37% in weeks—the fastest market collapse in history. Billionaires, with their diversified portfolios and financial buffers, were able to seize investment opportunities during the downturn. The average American, however, faced layoffs, shuttered businesses, and an uncertain future.
The market recovery was not a testament to leadership but rather a result of massive government intervention. Trillions of dollars in stimulus helped stabilize the economy and keep businesses afloat. While this unprecedented spending was necessary to avoid a complete economic meltdown, it came at a long-term cost. Inflation, driven by this stimulus, along with supply chain disruptions and pent-up demand, continues to squeeze working families. Prices for food, gas, and housing have skyrocketed, and wages haven’t kept up. The wealthy, meanwhile, saw their fortunes balloon, with billionaires like Elon Musk profiting enormously during this period.
Today, we’re seeing similar patterns emerge. Musk, for example, recently derailed a government funding bill, pushing the U.S. closer to a shutdown. While Musk may see political disruption as an opportunity to flex his influence, the resulting chaos would devastate federal workers, delay paychecks, disrupt essential services, and sow further uncertainty in the markets. Once again, it’s the average American who will feel the pain, while billionaires stand ready to capitalize on the fallout.
Markets thrive on confidence and stability, but both are eroded when leaders prioritize personal gain over the public good. The old saying about investing during crises highlights how billionaires use chaos to their advantage. They buy low when others are forced to sell, and they profit while ordinary families struggle to recover. They also actively bet against the market and profit when it falls, something ordinary Americans don’t have the resources to do.
As the U.S. faces more economic turbulence, the parallels to Trump’s first presidency are undeniable and likely a foreshadowing of what the next 4 years are going to look like. Billionaires will continue to thrive on chaos, markets will remain volatile, and working Americans will bear the brunt of the instability. If we allow the cycle to persist, we’re not just enabling the ultra-rich to profit—we’re leaving Main Street behind. Stability isn’t just a luxury for Wall Street; it’s a necessity for everyone, and it’s time we demand leaders who prioritize it. For those that believe that ship has already sailed, perhaps a hedge or too is in order.
