> investment opportunities are gated based on wealth and income

Anyone can install robinhood on their phone and trade using their credit card.

> Financial policy is very specifically against people saving their money

No, it isn't. People who save money are terrified of risk. There's nothing stopping anyone from investing the money.

> that's why a certain level of inflation is considered desirable to mainstream economists

That's the excuse the government makes to inflate the money. You'll never see a politician point out the real reason for inflation. It's so they can spend it without raising taxes, but it does cause inflation, and inflation has to be blamed on something else. Anything but the truth.