Fitch Ratings recently downgraded the US Federal Government from AAA to AA+. Yeah, that caused quite a stir in the stock market, and all the major indexes took a hit.

Interestingly, amidst all this, real estate investment trusts, or REITs, seem to be holding up better than tech stocks. The Vanguard Real Estate ETF (VNQ) fared better than the S&P 500 and tech-heavy Nasdaq. One reason for this could be that REITs were already relatively cheap compared to the soaring tech stocks.

But, honestly, the downgrade itself isn’t all that significant. It’s more of a reminder to take a closer look at the US Government’s financial situation. And let me tell you, it’s not looking great. We’ve been dealing with deficit spending and mounting debt for a while now. Combined with a falling population growth rate, we might be heading towards what I call a “Monetary Death Spiral.”

Now, I’m no economic expert, but this spiral means that high government debt and deficit spending can actually lead to deflationary pressures. It hampers productive investments and affects aggregate demand. And, my friends, deflation isn’t a good thing.

So, what’s causing all the inflation we’ve seen recently? Well, I did say that the government’s response to the economic downturn, printing money and distributing it directly to consumers, was a contributing factor. The surge in demand and the decrease in production led to price hikes.

But let’s not worry too much about the credit rating downgrade. The US dollar remains the world’s primary reserve currency, and our friend Uncle Sam’s money printer ensures that Treasury bondholders will be repaid, come what may.

So, in times of fiscal messiness and economic uncertainty, what should investors focus on? Quality assets and quality companies, my friends. They’ll always be valuable. Think prime real estate, well-established brands, and companies with solid track records.