How the middle class will be harmed

The middle class is often the last to realize they are under siege. But today’s economic trajectory means middle-income earners will be squeezed from all sides:

• Shortages: Supply chain destabilization, border blockades, and withdrawal from global trade mean increased shortages on food, medicine, and consumer goods.
• Tariffs: New tariffs are driving up prices on electronics, cars, pharmaceuticals, and construction materials. Inflation from the trade war could hit middle earners hardest.
• Pollution and toxins: With the EPA rolled back, expect more toxins in water and air—especially in suburban and exurban communities with aging infrastructure.
• National parks and public lands: Deregulation means parks may be privatized, fracked, or closed off—cutting off access to affordable recreation and open space.
• Economic instability: With falling markets and international capital flight, pensions, 401(k)s, and small businesses are increasingly at risk.

Historical analog: During the 2001 Argentine economic crisis, middle-class savings were wiped out by a combination of bank freezes, inflation, and currency devaluation.