Economic Upheaval

By Dolly Haik-Adams Berthelot © 2025

Since Trump waged his campaign heavily on the promise of a better economy, let’s focus there today, an issue that concerns people of all political inclinations, a common concern, beyond the unfortunate culture wars ripping us apart.

Are you better off this month than you were last April? Or last November? Is anyone you know or care about or even hear about better? Not me. I’ve lost big in investments that I may not live long enough to recuperate. Everything costs more, and I’m also experiencing higher levels of unwholesome citizen concern, anxiety, fear, dread, than ever in my life.

And I’m not one of the unfortunate civil service personnel whose total livelihoods are threatened through no fault of their own.

My feelings spring from concern for myself and for others who may be quite different from me. These feelings are rooted in both empathy for others and self preservation. I come from a place both patriotic and personal.

Some background may be useful:
Our American Empire is in Decline, says Richard Wolff, University of Massachusetts professor emeritus, and host of Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff.

“We are in decline,” he says on national TV news, “but blaming foreigners is just a cheap shot that a real president would not do.”

Wolff is the author of many books on capitalism, socialism, marxism, etc. He and other experts emphasize the rising risk of recession.

The tariffs and threats of tariffs have caused our stock market to crash, and that has hurt countless more people than the very wealthy. I personally find the false dichotomy between Wall St. and Main St. both disingenuous and foolhardy. Yes, the rich have far more invested, but the less that the middle class has invested may actually be needed more by them, and have more direct impact on their future.

In the March 25 Motley Fool, Jack Caporal says 162.000 Americans or 62% of adults own stock. I am a minuscule part of that 62%. Granted, middle class people own barely a sliver of that owned by the very wealthy, never mind the billionaires, but that sliver matters to us!

For retirees, even if we keep the social security and Medicare that is also threatened, it may be the difference in having enough to live out our lives. May determine whether we can stay in the homes we love, whether houses, condos, assisted living facilities, whatever, or must be reduced to hovels we hate.

And prices will likely soar further on everything from foods to phones. The head of the Toy Association says that Christmas is threatened. A huge proportion of toys come from China, and China is hardly happy with us.

Some among the multitudes thrown out of government jobs may find themselves struggling to pay bills and even wind up out on the street. The bulging poverty and homeless populations will benefit no one.

Many more government employees still have their jobs, but face daily anxiety about suddenly being dumped. Trump and Musk keep the threats coming in all directions.

Government efficiency is a worthy goal; however, the rampant and wanton firings—too many without cause or explanation—are helping no one and hurting many. Although reality seems to shift with the winds, the threats themselves, running roughshod over our entire government, and throughout our culture, are likely undermining health.

“Calling this efficient is a silly joke,” Wolff says. “We are containing ourself. Isolating ourselves. We are the rogue nation. Flashing as it declines.”

Wolff emphasizes that for 50 years we’ve known that this approach is wrong. The US is weaker than it has been economically and politically, Wolff says, we are 10-12 yrs into decline…

So he is not putting all blame on President Trump, merely saying that Trump is making everything worse, not better.

Like many Americans, I have minimal knowledge or understanding of the US or world economy, but I am trying to pay attention to experts who do, and consensus seems to indicate this: things are bad and getting worse.

Few economists think the tariffs will serve us well, and the stock plummet was a clear sign of terror. The swift rise when Trump backed off proved the point. If we wind up in a full fledged recession, as now seems likely, it will be directly man made and avoidable. No pandemic to blame.

We have barely moved beyond the awful physical and mental toll of the Covid pandemic. I suspect the health toll of today’s unpredictability and chaos, mean threats and harsh realities, may take a similar toll, particularly on the most vulnerable. Extreme stress makes you sick, and we are suffering through times of extreme stress. Much of today’s stress is man made and could be avoided.

Meanwhile, that rising price of eggs so blamed on Biden, is even higher under Trump. Higher prices hurt everybody.

Yet this administration promises things will soon get better, in fact, “better than ever.” I’d love for that to prove to be correct, for myself and my friends and family, for our nation and all its people to thrive economically. On that goal, I hope all Americans—red, blue, purple, or green—agree. Good luck, Mr. President, for all our sakes.

The next Dr. Dolly’s Musings will address what deters many concerned average individual citizens from addressing threats to our Democracy—and some small actions each of us can consider to fight the rising oppression

(Featured image Copyright © 2025, Dolly Berthelot, taken November 28, 2023, “Heavy Skies.”)