Epstein, Elites, And America’s Affluenza Epidemic

While millions of Americans worry about paying for groceries and keeping their families safe, the media elite can’t stop obsessing over Jeffrey Epstein, a symptom of the cultural affluenza gripping America’s ruling class. Five years after his death, headlines still swirl, feeding conspiracy theories and partisan drama. Even President Trump, during a recent cabinet meeting, pushed back on the frenzy, saying, “Are you still talking about Jeffrey Epstein? This creep? … It seems like a desecration.” He’s right, the fixation says more about America’s misplaced priorities than about justice.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a foundational theory in psychology that categorizes human motivation into five tiers, often visualized as a pyramid. From the base upward, these are physiological needs, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and finally, self-actualization. The premise is simple: individuals must first satisfy lower-level needs before aspiring to higher-level fulfillment.

We are just as appalled by the Jeffrey Epstein saga as anyone. But our frustration is not rooted in the details of the case itself. What is truly baffling is the obsessive media frenzy over something that began nearly two decades ago, long before Donald Trump entered politics and founded the political movement that is reshaping the country.

America, the wealthiest country on Earth, is currently experiencing a collective crisis of self-actualization. This is precisely what Maslow predicted would happen among the extremely affluent. His research suggested that individuals only begin to reflect on more profound existential questions, such as whether they have lived a meaningful life, once they have secured food, shelter, safety, and social belonging. What is true for individuals is also true for nations.

But look closer. Our Financial Stress Index reveals that millions of Americans remain far from secure, still struggling to afford life’s essentials, rather than indulging in elite obsessions.

Compare this to developing nations in sub-Saharan Africa, where necessities like food, clean water, and protection from violence take precedence over philosophical reflection. Migrants crossing borders—whether legally or not—do so overwhelmingly in pursuit of food and shelter. Asylum seekers often claim their lives would be in danger if deported. While some such claims are valid, proving them is notoriously difficult, which is why many applications are rejected. Safety forms the second tier of the Maslow pyramid.

Self-actualization is a luxury afforded only to those who have climbed the rest of the pyramid. It is a pursuit of the elite—people who already possess wealth, status, and power. These are the individuals who shape America's finance, technology, and media sectors. For them, reflecting on injustices, abuses of power, and long-past scandals is not just possible; it becomes a national fixation.

Jeffrey Epstein, who died in 2019 in what officials declared a suicide while in federal custody, is once again dominating headlines. The renewed attention stems from promises by Attorney General Pam Bondi to release surveillance footage from Epstein's jail cell, footage that was allegedly incomplete. Experts say a minute or more of the video is mysteriously missing, prompting conspiracy theories that Bondi herself is involved in a cover-up. Unconfirmed rumors even claimed that top officials within the FBI were prepared to resign over the issue.

Of course, Americans should be disgusted by Epstein. Here was a man with no college degree, somehow teaching mathematics at a prestigious school in New York. With no formal training in finance, he ended up on Wall Street at Bear Stearns, a firm that would become the first major casualty of the 2008 financial crisis. That Epstein thrived in such spaces is a reflection of how much rot was hiding in plain sight in elite American institutions.

By the time of his 2008 arrest in Florida, Epstein had amassed wealth, power, and international connections. He owned a private island, where, according to federal charges, he hosted numerous underage girls for the entertainment of his equally powerful associates and friends. The details are nauseating. It was a grotesque abuse of prestige and money at the expense of vulnerable minors.

But we must ask: why does this story still receive wall-to-wall media coverage? Why are we still consumed with a man who has been dead for five years? America is full of once-revered figures who turned out to be morally corrupt. If the so-called Epstein files ever surface—including the list of high-profile visitors to his island—it will only confirm that many of our supposed leaders are far less decent than the average American.

The obsession with Epstein is no longer about justice. It has become fuel for conspiracy theorists and online ideologues with nothing better to do. While they spin increasingly elaborate narratives, real issues are ignored. The fact is America cannot afford to dwell in the upper echelons of Maslow's pyramid. The country faces far more urgent and immediate problems.

Tens of millions of Americans still struggle with food insecurity, lack of healthcare, and unaffordable housing. Safety is also under siege, particularly in the nation's cities. The Biden administration has presided over the entry of an estimated 20 million illegal immigrants, straining local services and increasing public anxiety. Meanwhile, deficit-busting legislation is passed with little regard for fiscal reality, and U.S. military assets continue to be deployed across unstable regions like Ukraine. At home, activist judges and organizations like the ACLU block every attempt by the conservative movement to restore order and rational governance.

Justice for Epstein’s victims is important, and those who committed crimes should be held accountable. But the relentless media fixation years after his death has turned into a distraction from urgent realities. America remains the richest nation on Earth, yet millions of families face rising costs, unsafe streets, and strained services. These are the issues that deserve national focus, not feeding conspiracy theories about a man who can no longer stand trial.

1. Trump Makes ‘Experts’ Eat Their Words With Record-Breaking 3 Weeks—Victor Davis Hanson, The Daily Signal

2. Trump Economy Defies Doomsday Predictions—EJ Antoni, The Daily Signal

3. Labor Unions Kill Jobs—John Stossel, The Daily Signal

4. By The Numbers — Western Propaganda On Russian Losses—Larry C. Johnson, The Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity

5. Mistrusting Government About Epstein And More—Ron Paul, The Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity

6. FBI ‘Grand Conspiracy’ Case Goes Far Beyond Comey And Brennan—Al Perrotta, The Daily Signal

7. Texas Flood Debacle A Predictable Result Of 98 Years Of Government Flood “Control”—Dale Steinreich, Mises Wire

8. Every SCOTUS Justice Seems Annoyed At Ketanji Brown Jackson — Even The Other Libs—Katelynn Richardson, DCNF

9. Biden Says He Had To Use Autopen Because He Simply Granted Too Many Pardons—Reagan Reese, DCNF

10. Combating The LA Riots. A Battle Worth Having—Warren Petersen, The Daily Signal

11. Former Biden Campaign Lawyer Now Works In Trump Justice Department—Tyler O'Neil, The Daily Signal

12. ‘This Was A Very Different Response,’ Noem Says Regarding Texas Floods—Olivia Pero, The Daily Signal

13. Youngkin Slashes Government Red Tape, Saving Virginians $1.2 Billion Each Year—Carrie Sheffield, The Daily Signal

14. America Must Fight Like An Insurgent To Defeat Communist China—Daniel Green, The Daily Signal

15. American Parents Coalition Calls For Federal Investigation Of YMCA—Olivia Pero, The Daily Signal

16. Florida Lawmaker Contrasts His State’s Growth To New York Exodus—Jacob Adams, The Daily Signal

17. Tucker Carlson Urges Public To Pose Questions About Epstein ‘No One Has Ever Tried’ To Ask—Hailey Gomez, DCNF

18. Musk Fires Back At Trump On Epstein Files: ‘Just Release The Files’—TIPP Staff, TIPP Insights

19. Epstein Files Closed, But Trump Backs Bongino In DOJ Rift—TIPP Staff, TIPP Insights

20. Trump Stands By Pam Bondi As MAGA Questions Epstein Claims—TIPP Staff, TIPP Insights

21. MAGA Isn’t Buying Pam Bondi’s Explanation On Epstein Video Footage—Ashley Brasfield, DCNF

22. Trump To Return To U.K. For Historic Second State Visit At Windsor Castle—TIPP Staff, TIPP Insights

23. China’s Housing Crisis Is Worse Than It Seems—Yi Fuxian, Project Syndicate

24. Ex-Israeli PM Calls Gaza Relocation Plan A War Crime—TIPP Staff, TIPP Insights

25. Trump And NATO Plan To Rearm Ukraine, Issue Tariff Threats To Russia—TIPP Staff, TIPP Insights

26. FAA, Boeing Say Fuel Switch Locks On Planes Are Safe After Deadly Crash—TIPP Staff, TIPP Insights

27. Americans Agree Terrorism's A Real Threat, But Is Enough Being Done To Prevent It? I&I/TIPP Poll—Terry Jones, TIPP Insights

28. Dan Turrentine Frustrated That Fellow Democrats Turn Blind Eye To People —Who Attack ICE—Mariane Angela, DCNF

29. ‘One Big Beautiful Lawsuit’ Seeks To Eliminate Gun Control Law—Fred Lucas, The Daily Signal

30. ‘High Probability’ Trump Will Meet With China’s Xi This Year, Rubio Says—Virginia Allen, The Daily Signal

31. First Amendment Triumph: IRS Recognizes Pastors’ Right To Free Speech—Zack Smith, The Daily Signal

32. Defense Authorization Bill Protects Ukraine Aid, Boosts Border Security, Military Pay—George Caldwell, The Daily Signal

33. Battleground Georgia To Clean 478,000 Ineligible Voters From Rolls—Fred Lucas, The Daily Signal

34. Give The House Freedom Caucus The Credit It Deserves—Star Parker, The Daily Signal

35. Are Pro-Natalists The Real Malthusians?—Jeffery L. Degner, Mises Wire

36, Judge Continues Block On Defunding Planned Parenthood—Mariane Angela, DCNF

📊 Market Snapshot

• S&P 500: ▲ 6268.56 (0.14% )
• 10-Year Yield: ▲ 4.427%, (0.4 basis points)
• Crude Oil (WTI): ▼ $66.83 (2.37%)
• Bitcoin (BTC): ▼ $116,756.56
• US Dollar Index (USD): ▼ 97.97 (0.13%)
• Gold: ▼ $3,342.34 (0.43%)

Bigger Charts: $SPX | $TNX | $WTIC | $BTCUSD | $USD | $GOLD

📈 Featured Stock

Our pick for today’s featured stock

📰 News & Headlines

This ‘Strong Buy’ Stock Just Hit New All-Time Highs—Jim Van Meerten, barchart

Self-Made Billionaire Karthik Sarma Sold His Entire Stake in Nvidia and Bought This Incredible Stock Up More Than 100% in 12 Months—Adam Levy, The Motley Fool

⭐Recent Featured Stocks

Pagaya Technologies Ltd (PGY) (7/14)
Sofi Technologies Inc (SOFI) (7/11)
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (RCL) (7/10)
Tencent Music Entertainment ADR (TME) (7/9)
Rocket Lab Corporation (RKLB) (7/8)
Blacksky Technology Inc (BKSY) (7/7)
Dave Inc (DAVE) (7/3)
Seagate Technology (STX) (7/2)
Ouster Inc (OUST) (7/1)
Carpenter Technology Corp (CRS) (6/30)
More here

🧠 Macro Insight

🟩 Futures Hold Steady as CPI and Bank Earnings Take Center Stage
Markets hover near flat as investors await key inflation data and results from major U.S. banks to gauge economic resilience amid trade tensions.

🟨 Big Banks Kick Off Earnings Season
JPMorgan, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, and BlackRock report today, expected to post modest gains in net interest income and solid trading revenue as investment banking recovers.

🟦 China GDP Beats Forecasts Despite Trade Headwinds
China’s economy grew 5.2% in Q2, slightly above estimates, keeping its full-year growth target on track. Export strength offsets weak domestic demand and property woes.

🟥 CPI Data to Test Inflation Trend
June CPI expected at 2.6% YoY and 0.3% MoM, signaling a mild uptick. Core CPI seen steady at 3%, with traders watching for signs of renewed price pressure.

🟧 Nvidia to Resume Chip Sales in China
Nvidia shares rise as it prepares to restart H20 chip sales after U.S. export restrictions ease. The company also unveiled a new AI-focused GPU for Chinese factories.

📅 Key Events Today

🟩 Tuesday, July 15
08:30 – Core CPI (MoM) (Jun)
Tracks underlying monthly inflation excluding food and energy.
08:30 – CPI (YoY) (Jun)
Annual inflation reading; key for Fed rate outlook.
08:30 – CPI (MoM) (Jun)
Monthly headline inflation figure, includes all categories.