>It's very hard to find investments with positive inflation-adjusted returns
While I understand that you're perhaps not asserting this personally, and are restating the words of others it's important to say that this part is absolutely untrue. In fact, if somebody with wealth actually believes this, and isn't just using it as propaganda in class warfare, that person is a poor steward of capital and it would be best if it were in more capable hands. Trivial investment choices, like total-market stock index funds, have solid returns that easily beat inflation, and little to no risk on 10 year time scales, which is where investment should take place. If they can't stomach any temporary negative dips, TIPS will give them that. In any case there is an abundance of easy, inflation-positive investments out there just lying around. Even the middle-class that have saved small amounts can get first-class investment in index funds.
While I understand that you're perhaps not asserting this personally, and are restating the words of others it's important to say that this part is absolutely untrue. In fact, if somebody with wealth actually believes this, and isn't just using it as propaganda in class warfare, that person is a poor steward of capital and it would be best if it were in more capable hands. Trivial investment choices, like total-market stock index funds, have solid returns that easily beat inflation, and little to no risk on 10 year time scales, which is where investment should take place. If they can't stomach any temporary negative dips, TIPS will give them that. In any case there is an abundance of easy, inflation-positive investments out there just lying around. Even the middle-class that have saved small amounts can get first-class investment in index funds.