Posted on 10/04/2021 4:28:33 AM PDT by Kaslin
Conservatives are increasingly looking for alternatives to mainstream products and services as we’re getting kicked out of society. We’ve been kicked off of social media platforms, hosting providers, payment providers, domain name registrars, fundraising sites and more. That’s defensive mode.
But we should also be in offensive mood, aggressively avoiding progressive companies as much as we can. The left has become so hostile toward us that we can no longer just kick back and react like we used to. Progressive companies are actively funding the woke agenda now, like critical race theory and suppressing free speech, so we’re essentially paying them to defeat ourselves.
Obviously, it’s not practical for everyone to boycott everything. But one area that has become very easy to make a change is investing. American Conservative Values ETF started an exchange-traded fund in October that basically mirrors the S&P 500 — which is composed of the stocks from 500 leading large U.S. companies — without all the lefty companies included. The founders of ACV noticed a proliferation of environmental, social, and corporate governance funds that are focused on clean energy or being against fossil fuels and wanted to start an alternative. These funds have become so prevalent on the left there is now a term for them, ESG funds, which stands for environmental, social and governance.
Anyone can invest in ACV, even if they’re just a poor student with a small amount of money, by going through an app like Robinhood (granted, some conservatives have been critical of Robinhood, so there are similar platforms available). The ACV fund can be purchased just like any other stock, its ticker is ACVF.
Co-founder and CEO Bill Flaig observed that ACV is combating a double problem, since “politically active companies negatively impact their shareholder returns, as well as supporting issues and causes which conflict with our conservative political beliefs and values." Once companies become politically active, they are no longer maximizing shareholder returns, but are instead putting a higher priority on misallocating shareholder resources to push their pet causes. Tom Carter, ACV’s other co-founder, said, “Companies shouldn’t be involved in politics at all. Maximizing shareholder value and customer quality should be the primary premise.”
Although ACV doesn’t include high-performing stocks like Apple, Starbucks, Bank of America, Disney and Nike, the company makes up for it by weighting a few other high-performing stocks double, and leaving few stocks in that mostly stay out of politics such as Microsoft, so it really does perform similarly to the S&P 500 (founder Bill Gates, despite his own activism, has little left to do with Microsoft). Carter explained, “If you got rid of every tech company that leaned left, you’re not going to have much of a sector.”
Because of the similar track to the S&P 500, the active risk is only plus or minus 2%. ACV can’t guarantee it will track the S&P 500 closely, but it’s predictable performance. Since ACV launched, it has swung both ways, with some periods beating the S&P 500 and some periods underperforming it.
About 27% of the companies in the S&P 500 are left off ACV’s exchange for aggressively seeking a progressive agenda. Google and Apple were removed for pulling the Parler app from their app stores. Amazon was removed for kicking Parler off its web servers. Facebook and Twitter are excluded due to internet censorship. The founders humorously refer to big tech as FAANG — Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix and Google. Delta and Coca-Cola were removed after they condemned Georgia’s new election law.
Consumers may not realize their money is being invested in companies opposed to their values, but ACV has figured it out. For example, many people may not know when it comes to media companies, Disney owns ABC, AT&T owns CNN, and Comcast owns NBC.
Carter explained how ACV is different from Ave Maria, a Catholic provider of mutual funds. Besides the fact consumers can purchase mutual funds directly, without going through a brokerage, financial advisor or app like Robinhood, their selection is slightly different since Ave Maria’s focus is faith-based Christian values. For example, Ave Maria might be more likely to cut a fund related to gaming or healthcare.
ACV’s founders are very qualified in the investment area. Carter has been in the exchange-traded-fund industry for 25 years, almost since the beginning. He’s developed ETFs, raised money, and was with an ETF company for 23 years. Flaig has been in the financial services and investment management for 30 years, on the portfolio management side where he balances portfolios and runs money. Other similar funds to ACV include MAGA and 2ndVote.
Flaig says ACV stays on top of the news cycle, always looking out to see if another company has gone woke. However, they are reasonable about it; sometimes a corporation makes a political statement for effect but doesn’t follow through with its money. The lefty who invented the ESG concept, Tariq Fancy, admitted, “In truth, sustainable investing boils down to little more than marketing hype, PR spin and disingenuous promises from the investment community.”
The ACV fund is doing well. It began with $1 million at startup and is now up to $26 million. Flaig told Fox Business that since the 10 largest ETFs manage hundreds of billions worth of assets, it makes sense to direct half of that huge amount toward conservative companies.
Yep, I make it my priority, NOT to purchase on AMAZON.. gave up Woka Kola, and am doing Mom and Pop food outlets and driving by McDonalds and Burger King. I am looking out for the little guy.
I also stopped shopping at Amazon. I was going to ask you what Woka Kala is. I have not drunk coke in ages, if I want a soft drink I prefer Sprite, or Fanta. I can not tolerate 7Up. I also like Ginger Ale.
Top 10 Holdings
| ACVF | DEMX |
| Microsoft Corp. 6.80% Adobe Inc. 2.35% NVIDIA Corp. 2.21% Berkshire Hathaway Inc. 2.18% Procter & Gamble Co. 1.82% Costco Wholesale Corp. 1.69% Home Depot Inc. 1.61% Visa Inc. Cl A 1.60% Cisco Systems Inc. 1.58% Tesla Inc. 1.54% | Apple Inc. 5.24% Facebook Inc. Cl A 4.69% M&T Bank Corp. 4.03% Danaher Corp. 3.89% Costco Wholesale Corp. 3.73% Starbucks Corp. 3.69% IBM 3.66% NVIDIA Corp. 3.50% Moody's Corp. 3.34% Amphenol Corp. Cl A 3.15% |
I’ve got an acquaintance that was harassing me about “taking the commie” side when we were discussing price gauging. It was when those people went around several counties and bought all the hand sanitizer up, then essentially forced people to buy it from them at a markup when everyone was first in fear of Covid. I thought they were vultures profiting off the fear of people. He thought they were smart capitalists and there was nothing wrong with what they did.
This same guy invests heavily in Alibaba. The Chinese Amazon. I tell him he is subsidizing communists, but he says he’s just being a smart capitalist. The irony is amazing.
I’ve been doing that. I launched a giant purge of my browser, my phone company, my search engine, my bank, Coke which I drank several times a day for 45 years, even my razors. Whenever possible, I avoid doing business with Leftists.
Nearly impossible to do these days. Most corporations are run by left wing fanatics.
Its website states:
2ndVote’s mission is to stop companies and organizations from funding the attack on traditional American values. Your first vote is cast at the ballot box, hoping to make a difference. Your second vote is in the checkout line. Corporations use a portion of the money you spend to fund a number of causes, many of which are harming our families, our communities and our future. With 2ndVote, you become an informed consumer who knows how your money is used after it is spent.
Same here. My strategy has been buy local when possible, and if you have to do Amazon make it seldom and only for things that just aren’t available elsewhere. I suggested to all my friends and family members to so the same. If you have to buy from lefties just cut it back as much as possible. I figured that if 80 million people cut their Amazon shopping in half Bezos would feel it. You may give up some convenience, but you won’t be funding your own demise. Also if you are dropping someone you’ve been with for years make sure they know why. I did that with Chewy’s, ATT and Verizon. The lady at Chewy’s assured me they did not support BLM nor had dropped Mr. Pillow products. I suggested she look at her company’s webpage. They didn’t try to hide it. Millions to BLM and proudly stayed they were an ally. ATT offered me all kinds of incentives to stay. Kroger’s got inundated with letters and phone calls after their very public support of BLM. Within weeks their corporate slogan changed to ‘fresh for everyone’, their version of ‘all lives matter’.
Sprite is owned by Coca Cola.
We all know the leftist by their deeds and fruits so to speak.
These people who vote and spend their every breathing moment hating republicans and supporting the democrats seem to think that Socialism or Communism “won’t happen to them” because they have more money. Every lefty supports abortion, the teachers, and all get offended because they were supposedly the kinder-gentler people all these years - until their mask came off for Hillary, double standards, BLM and ANTIFA. They all think they will be safe from socialism but not a one has been to Europe and lived there to experience it.
It is hard not to invest in large lefty corporations when investing mutual funds, but they are the safest way to go in general.
Whenever this topic comes up, I always recommend investing in ‘The Vice Fund.’ It’s been very, very good to me!
“The Vice Fund invests in domestic and foreign companies engaged in the aerospace and defense industries, owners and operators of casinos and gaming facilities, manufacturers of cigarettes and other tobacco products, and brewers, distillers, vintners and producers of other alcoholic beverages. These sectors have exhibited resilient demand through economic cycles and have fundamental strengths that help explain why they’ve endured for centuries. (Symbol: VICEX)”
The LAST things people give up in Hard Times are their smokes, their booze, their gambling and their guns. Aerospace investing is just the cherry on top. :)
So, basically, it invests in everything the Socialist Democrats (claim to) hate - but I’ll bet they’ve got money parked there too! ;)
https://usamutuals.com/vice-fund/
This thread needs this link:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=free+to+choose+milton+friedman
I’m thinking...Americans, stop buying Chinese made goods. Look at your labels.
If millions of Americans boycott Chinese goods, It will send the message to all these globalist corporations...we don’t want Chinese produced crap.
Bring manufacturing back to America.
If I follow this author’s advise, I’m totally screwed.
For nearly a quarter of a century my IRA sat passively in a fund that tracks the S&P 500 and I’ve done extremely well through any 5 year period.
Most of these companies are ran by progressives. What to do?
I can’t buy government bonds, aside from the fact that they’re yields are too low, government is the ultimate big spending progressive.
Good luck. “Convenience and Addictions” dictates cause and effect, no one has the strength and resolve to actually do it.
We should have all started this back in 2008... BEFORE they completely took over government like now. It could have all been nipped in the bud.
Loves me some Milton. He’s Da MAN! :)
Stop describing the socialists / commies as Progressives.
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