One hopes that the Federal Reserve will be able to engineer yet another soft landing - a slowdown in the economy that will leave the economy free from inflation and recession. After all, it's not hard to make the long-term argument for stocks, even if there is a recession. The United States is a powerful country, blessed with smart people and abundant resources. People are more fragile than stocks, however. And for those who are finally doing well, good times are more than a dividend.
Good times means a lower crime rate.
It means a better chance at a stable home life, and, more importantly, optimism that the future will indeed be better. And those are virtues that build a nation, not just a stock market. But there are several fund families that offer short funds. The oldest is Rydex, which offers the Rydex Ursa fund. If you're really bearish, you might consider Profunds Ultrabear, which is designed to have a beta of -2.