The battle over ESG investing practices and how it influences business and politics continues to heat up. Each of the headline firms of BlackRock, Vanguard, State Street and Apollo Global Management are all among investment groups that have played a well-documented role in several manufactured housing industry associated firms. To present a more balanced view of the battle over the pros and cons of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) investing, this article will begin with information from Ballotpedia in Part I related to a nonprofit dubbed Unlocking America’s Future (UAF) that is defending ESG investing. According to their website: “Ballotpedia features 490,557 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers.” Their about us page states: “Ballotpedia is the digital encyclopedia of American politics, and the nation’s premier resource for unbiased information on elections, politics, and policy.”

So, as noted above and detailed below, Unlocking America’s Future (UAF) is one of several left-leaning and pro-ESG investing groups.

Part II of this article will consider the flip side of that push, using information from the nonprofit 1792 Exchange, which among other things rates the ‘risks’ from firms associated with ESG investing.

Part I – According to Ballotpedia on 2.27.2024, which cited left-leaning Axios and others often on the political left.

ESG advocacy group launches eight-figure campaign (2024)

Axios on February 22 reported on the launch of Unlocking America’s Future’s (UAF) new eight-figure ESG advocacy campaign aimed at pushing back against ESG opponents:

Late last year, Politico’s “Playbook” newsletter reported on UAF’s initial campaign announcement and identified some of the group’s key players:

Two days after Politico’s item was published, Tim Graham, the executive editor of NewsBusters and director of media analysis for the Media Research Center, argued against Politico’s description of the group as nonpartisan:

##

So, per Ballotpedia, which cited the sources largely from the left as shown, UAF is a leftist-led organization closely aligned with Democratic politics.

According to Media Bias Fact Check:

• Overall, we rate Ballotpedia as Least Biased and Very High for factual reporting due to excellent sourcing of information and a clean fact check record.

Part II

According to the 1792 Exchange is the following information, which clearly indicates that their leadership is right or conservative leaning, is the following information.

Paul Fitzpatrick is President of 1792 Exchange, which is a non-profit protecting faith-based and conservative institutions and philanthropy, and helping corporations move back toward neutral to protect free exercise, free speech, and free enterprise.” So says the organization’s about us page.

Corporate ‘weaponization’ of ESG by BlackRock and others has been a topic impacting manufactured housing for some time. For a specific example, the purported abuse of ESG standards was higher profile manufactured housing industry producer Cavco Industries corporate leader William “Bill” Boor in testimony to Congress on July 14, 2023. Boor asserted ESG ‘distorts’ the market and ‘drives up costs.’ That means that affordable housing, for instance, becomes less affordable.

Returning to information per the 1792 Exchange is the following.

During his previous season, Paul served on Capitol Hill. He was Deputy Chief of Staff for U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler of Georgia and Chief of Staff for Congressman Mark Meadows of North Carolina.

Before working in government, Paul served in the nonprofit sector over two decades, including Freedom Partners and Family Research Council. And prior to that, he worked for Xerox Corporation.

Daniel Cameron is the CEO of the 1792 Exchange, working to protect free exercise, free speech, and free enterprise and help American corporations return to the winning formula of producing great products and services, not pushing agendas.

Daniel previously served as the 51st Attorney General of Kentucky from 2019 to 2023. He was the first black American elected to a standalone statewide office in Kentucky’s history. Daniel then went on to win the Republican nomination for governor of Kentucky.

Katharine Sullivan is the General Counsel of 1792 Exchange, which is a non-profit protecting faith-based and conservative institutions and philanthropy, and helping corporations move back toward neutral to protect free exercise, free speech, and free enterprise.

She previously served as the Acting Assistant Attorney General at the United States Department of Justice, a Senior Advisor at the White House Domestic Policy Counsel, and as the Acting Director of the Office on Violence Against Women at the United States Department of Justice.

She was also appointed and served as a trial court Judge in Colorado’s 5th judicial district, presiding over 45,000 cases during her 11 years on the bench. She is a graduate of the George Washington University School of Law.”

Part III

The following is according to the 1792exchange.com and its corporate bias rating tool on 5.27.2024.

BlackRock

New York (HQ)

Diversified Financials

SUMMARY:

In July 2022, West Virginia placed BlackRock on its Restricted Financial Institutions List for its “boycott of energy companies” according to its ESG policies and publicly available statements. In May 2023, Oklahoma placed BlackRock on its Restricted Financial Companies List for its boycott of energy companies. The company leverages its managed assets to coerce corporate change via proxy votes and other channels to accomplish its goals related to climate change, racial equity, and gender identity. The asset manager will use discretion in lending to ban certain industries, such as guns/ammo and oil and gas, in some cases. BlackRock scored a 100 on the 2023 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a political stakeholder group. By complying with the HRC’s controversial demands, BlackRock increases the risk of dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders. It also uses sex and gender ideology criteria in employee recruitment, vendor selection, marketing, and philanthropic support. BlackRock forces employees to undergo multiple ideological trainings and uses its reputation, corporate funds, and political influence to support controversial sex and gender ideologies, organizations, and legislation. BlackRock provides a benefits package for employees which covers travel/lodging costs for an abortion and transgender medical procedures for covered employees and dependents, including children. America First Legal filed a letter with the EEOC requesting a civil rights investigation into BlackRock over discriminatory practices in hiring. BlackRock is a signatory of the Business Roundtable’s 2019 Statement on the Purpose of Corporation, which promotes stakeholder capitalism over traditional shareholder obligations. It has also funded Planned Parenthood. BlackRock is a member of the Ceres Network, Climate Action 100+, PCAF, and the Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative. The company is a signatory to the CFA Institute’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Code, indicating its support of DEI in its recruitment, hiring, onboarding, and promotions. For these reasons, BlackRock receives a High Risk rating.

Corporate Weaponization

Has denied service to customers, suppliers, or vendors due to their political views or religious beliefs OR corporately boycotts, divests, or sanctions regions, people groups, or industries.

BlackRock gets the 1792Exchange.com on “high risk” rating for the following reasons.

RATIONALE

In July 2022, West Virginia placed BlackRock on its Restricted Financial Institutions List for its “boycott of energy companies” according to its ESG policies and publicly available statements. The West Virginia State Treasurer will remove BlackRock from the list “if the institution demonstrates that it has ceased all activity that boycotts energy companies according to West Virginia Code §§12-1C-1″ (1)(2). On May 3rd, 2023, BlackRock was placed on Oklahoma’s Restricted Financial Companies List for its boycott of energy companies as defined in 74 O.S. §12002(A)(l). After being placed on this list, BlackRock had 90 days to “cease engaging in the energy company boycott to avoid qualifying for divestment by the state governmental entity”. BlackRock has not ceased its boycott and therefore remains on the 2024 list (3)(4). BlackRock consistently leverages its funds to pressure companies towards change around issues like racial equity, gender diversity, and climate change (5)(6). If a company is noncompliant, BlackRock takes action to vote against Board Members, bring shareholder resolutions on behalf of all of their clients (regardless of those clients’ potential disagreements), and more. In 2018, after the Parkland shooting, BlackRock de-listed retailers that sell ammunition from some of its mutual funds (7). BlackRock’s CEO, Larry Fink, unabashedly promotes his viewpoints and thrusts them onto companies via financial threats, proxy votes, and signaling in his regular letters to CEOs (8)(9). Due to an allegedly discriminatory internship program, America First Legal filed a complaint against BlackRock with the EEOC (10)(11). The company is a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment, incorporating ESG issues into investment analysis, decision-making, and other business practices (12)(13). BlackRock’s HRC 2023 CEI rating indicates the company recruits employees based on sexual identity issues. The company discriminates against vendors that do not promote divisive sex and gender policies, indicating it prioritizes sexual issues over merit (14)(15). …”

Vanguard

Pennsylvania (HQ)

Diversified Financials

SUMMARY:

Vanguard scored a 100 on the 2023 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a political stakeholder group. By complying with the HRC’s controversial demands, Vanguard increases the risk of dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders. It also uses sex and gender ideology criteria in employee recruitment, vendor selection, marketing, and philanthropic support. Vanguard forces employees to undergo multiple ideological trainings and uses its reputation, corporate funds, and political influence to support controversial sex and gender ideologies, organizations, and legislation. The company provides a benefits package for employees which covers travel/lodging costs for an abortion and transgender medical procedures for covered employees and dependents, including children. Vanguard has funded Planned Parenthood. Vanguard pledged $5 million to BLM and related causes and funds the ACLU. The company supports the Equality Act and is a corporate partner of the NGLCC. The company is a signatory of the Business Roundtable’s 2019 Statement on the Purpose of Corporation, which promotes stakeholder capitalism over shareholder duties. Vanguard is a member of the MCCA, indicating its focus on recruiting, retaining, and promoting employees based on race. For these reasons, Vanguard receives a High Risk rating.

Corporate Weaponization

Has denied service to customers, suppliers, or vendors due to their political views or religious beliefs OR corporately boycotts, divests, or sanctions regions, people groups, or industries.

Vanguard gets the 1792Exchange.com on “high risk” rating for the following reasons.

RATIONALE

Vanguard received a score of 100 on the 2023 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a political stakeholder group. The company recruits employees based on sexual identity issues. The company discriminates against vendors that do not promote divisive sex and gender policies, indicating it prioritizes sexual issues over merit (1)(2).  Vanguard has not publicly fired customers, suppliers, or vendors based on political views or religious beliefs.

Employment policies fail to protect against discrimination based on political affiliation/views and/or religion.

Vanguard does not provide viewpoint protections for its employees (1). Vanguard‘s HRC 2023 CEI rating indicates the company forces employees to attend multiple, controversial trainings on gender identity, sexual orientation, transgender issues, and divisive racial ideology. The company provides gender transition guidelines for its employees and a specific benefits guide with a comprehensive explanation of transgender services funded by the company (2)(3). …”

State Street

Charles River, SPDR Funds

Massachusetts (HQ)

Diversified Financials

SUMMARY:

State Street has exercised its large holding in big corporations to vote against board members who are not progressive or “diverse” enough and has implemented race-based hiring practices. In May 2023, Oklahoma placed State Street on its Restricted Financial Companies List for its boycott of energy companies. State Street scored a 95 on the 2023 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a political stakeholder group. By complying with the HRC’s controversial demands, State Street increases the risk of dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders. It also uses sex and gender ideology criteria in employee recruitment, vendor selection, marketing, and philanthropic support. State Street forces employees to undergo multiple ideological trainings and uses its reputation, corporate funds, and political influence to support controversial sex and gender ideologies, organizations, and legislation. State Street provides a benefits package for employees which covers travel/lodging costs for an abortion and transgender medical procedures for covered employees and dependents, including children. The company has pledged over $6 million to BLM and related causes. State Street is a member of the Ceres Network, Climate Action 100+, and the Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative. The company opposed various state and local legislation intended to protect parental rights, girls’ sports, bathroom facilities, and gendered spaces. State Street denounced various states’ legislative efforts to protect election integrity and security. The company is a signatory to the CFA Institute’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Code, indicating its support of DEI in its recruitment, hiring, onboarding, and promotions. For these reasons, State Street Corporation receives a High Risk rating.

Corporate Weaponization

Has denied service to customers, suppliers, or vendors due to their political views or religious beliefs OR corporately boycotts, divests, or sanctions regions, people groups, or industries.

On May 3rd, 2023, State Street was placed on Oklahoma’s Restricted Financial Companies List for its boycott of energy companies as defined in 74 O.S. §12002(A)(l). After being placed on this list, State Street had 90 days to “cease engaging in the energy company boycott to avoid qualifying for divestment by the state governmental entity”. State Street has not ceased its boycott and therefore remains on the 2024 list (1)(2). State Street is a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment, incorporating ESG issues into investment analysis, decision-making, and other business practices (3)(4). State Street also imposes a climate-related agenda on companies, using ESG to push the agenda of Climate Action 100+ and other climate advocates (5). The SPDR ETF that State Street runs offers a fossil fuel reserves-free fund, which excludes energy companies offering fuel (6). In 2017, State Street voted against the reelection of directors at 400 companies because these companies did not have a woman on their board (7). State Street received a score of 95 on the 2023 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a political stakeholder group. The company recruits employees based on sexual identity issues. The company discriminates against vendors that do not promote divisive sex and gender policies, indicating it prioritizes sexual issues over merit (8)(9).

Employment policies fail to protect against discrimination based on political affiliation/views and/or religion.

State Street‘s HRC 2023 CEI rating indicates the company forces employees to attend multiple, controversial trainings on gender identity, sexual orientation, transgender issues, and divisive racial ideology. The company provides gender transition guidelines for its employees and a specific benefits guide with a comprehensive explanation of transgender services funded by the company (1)(2). The firm also recently implemented new race-based hiring practices that will require proof of interviewing a woman or ethnic-minority candidate before hiring a white man (3). State Street does not provide viewpoint protections for its employees (4).

Corporate Governance and Public Policy

Uses corporate reputation to support ideological causes and/or organizations hostile to freedom of expression.

State Street’s HRC 2023 CEI rating indicates the company agrees to allow a controversial stakeholder group focused on sexual identity issues to dictate marketing or advertising strategy (1)(2). By doing so, the company risks dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders. SSGA signed an open letter in support of the Equality Act (3). SSGA was part of the Freedom for All Americans coalition, which advocated for federal legislation that would overrule state laws designed to protect girls’ sports and similar laws (4). State Street opposed the Florida Parental Rights in Education Act, which would prohibit teaching gender identity and sexual orientation to kids in K-3rd grade (5). SSGA said, “Our main focus in 2022 will be to support the acceleration of the systemic transformations underway in climate change and the diversity of boards and workforces” (6). SSGA claims that climate change is the biggest risk factor to investor portfolios (7). The CEO of SSGA, Ronald O’Hanley, is a member of the Business Roundtable, but has not supported ideological initiatives (8). State Street is a member of the Ceres Network and the Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative, committed to carbon neutrality by 2050 (9)(10)(11)(12). It also has ESG and ETFs (13)(14). SSGA was a signatory of Climate Action 100+, but withdrew in 2024 as signatories were expected to start implementing climate transition plans and after legal investigations from state Attorneys General. A spokeswoman for SSGA “concluded the enhanced Climate Action 100+ phase 2 requirements for signatories are not consistent with [its] independent approach to proxy voting and portfolio company engagement” (15). The company opposed various state and local legislation intended to protect parental rights, girls’ sports, bathroom facilities, and gendered spaces (16). State Street opposed legislation in Iowa intended to protect parental rights, girls’ sports, bathroom facilities, and gendered spaces (17). Chairman & CEO, Ronald P. O’Hanley, denounced various states’ legislative efforts to protect election integrity and security (18). The company is a signatory to the CFA Institute’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Code, indicating its support of DEI in its recruitment, hiring, onboarding, and promotions. Furthermore, the company pledges to integrate DEI into its policies, promote DEI in the investment industry, and provide regular reporting on its DEI metrics to the CFA Institute (19)(20)(21).

All links were last accessed and all information was updated on:
May 23, 2024

Company reports are intended for educational use only. Full Disclaimer 

…”

Apollo Global Management

Brightspeed, LifePoint Health

New York (HQ)

Diversified Financials

SUMMARY:

Apollo Global Management scored a 100 out of 100 on the 2023-2024 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a political stakeholder group. By complying with the HRC’s controversial demands, Apollo Global Management increases the risk of dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders. It also uses sex and gender ideology criteria in employee recruitment, vendor selection, marketing, and philanthropic support. Apollo Global Management forces employees to undergo multiple ideological trainings and uses its reputation, corporate funds, and political influence to support controversial sex and gender ideologies, organizations, and legislation. Apollo Global Management provides a benefits package for employees which covers travel/lodging costs for an abortion and transgender medical procedures for covered employees and dependents, including children. Apollo Global Management intended to roll out unconscious bias and cultural sensitivity training in 2023. The company is a signatory of the Institutional Limited Partners Association’s Diversity in Action Initiative, committing itself to specific actions that advance DEI within the governance and policies of the organization and the private equity industry more broadly. The company’s CEO, Marc Rowan, signed the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion pledge, which includes a commitment to promote DEI through bias education training in the workplace. For these reasons, Apollo Global Management receives a High Risk rating.

Corporate Weaponization

Has denied service to customers, suppliers, or vendors due to their political views or religious beliefs OR corporately boycotts, divests, or sanctions regions, people groups, or industries.

RATIONALE

Corporate Weaponization

Has denied service to customers, suppliers, or vendors due to their political views or religious beliefs OR corporately boycotts, divests, or sanctions regions, people groups, or industries.

Apollo Global Management‘s HRC 2023-2024 CEI rating indicates the company recruits employees based on sexual identity issues. The company discriminates against vendors that do not promote divisive sex and gender policies, indicating it prioritizes sexual issues over merit (1)(2). However, the company has not publicly canceled business relationships based on political views or religious beliefs.

Employment policies fail to protect against discrimination based on political affiliation/views and/or religion.

Apollo Global Management’s HRC 2023 CEI rating indicates the company forces employees to attend multiple, controversial trainings on gender identity, sexual orientation, transgender issues, and divisive racial ideology. The company provides gender transition guidelines for its employees and a specific benefits guide with a comprehensive explanation of transgender services funded by the company (1)(2). Apollo Global Management intended to roll out unconscious bias and cultural sensitivity training in 2023 (3). The company does not provide viewpoint protections for its employees (4).

Corporate Governance and Public Policy

Uses corporate reputation to support ideological causes and/or organizations hostile to freedom of expression.

Apollo Global Management’s HRC 2023 CEI rating indicates the company agrees to allow a controversial stakeholder group focused on sexual identity issues to dictate marketing or advertising strategy (1)(2). By doing so, the company risks dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders. Apollo Global Management is a signatory of the Institutional Limited Partners Association’s Diversity in Action Initiative, committing itself to specific actions that advance DEI within the governance and policies of the organization and the private equity industry more broadly (3)(4)(5). The company’s CEO, Marc Rowan, signed the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion pledge, which includes a commitment to promote DEI through bias education training in the workplace (6)(7).

All links were last accessed and all information was updated on:
May 24, 2024

Company reports are intended for educational use only. Full Disclaimer …”

Part IV – Additional Information with More MHProNews Analysis and Commentary

In no particular order of importance are the following points and observations.

1) In a Q&A with Bing’s left-leaning Copilot were the following chat sessions.

How much does a private equity fund such as BlackRock influence the management of a company that they take a significant stake in?

Private equity funds like BlackRock can have a significant influence on the management of companies in which they hold substantial stakes. BlackRock, being the world’s largest asset manager, exercises its influence through active engagement with company management and board directors¹. This engagement can affect strategic decisions, including executive compensation, environmental policies, and long-term corporate strategies².

Learn more

1 thestockdork.com 2 bing.com 3 blackrock.com 4 medium.com 5 prospect.org…”

FWIW the above was on the creative or purple setting response by Copilot, which MHProNews normally uses the blue or balanced setting.

2)

> Is the situation similar with private equity firms such as Vanguard, State Street, or Apollo? Link results.

Yes, the situation is somewhat similar with other private equity firms like Vanguard, State Street, and Apollo, as they also exercise influence over the companies in which they invest, but their approaches and the extent of their influence can vary.

Vanguard is known for its unique ownership structure and commitment to passive, index-based, low-fee funds. It has a more cautious approach to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing and doesn’t heavily rely on external ESG ratings services¹. Vanguard’s investment stewardship involves direct company engagement, sharing perspectives, and understanding companies’ corporate governance practices and long-term strategy².

State Street, through its investment management business State Street Global Advisors, focuses on insights, engagement, and proxy voting as part of its ESG efforts³. It aims to reduce environmental impacts and manage climate-related risks, and it has a significant role in influencing corporate decisions and governance due to its large positions in companies’ outstanding shares⁴.

Apollo Global Management applies a value-oriented lens to its investments and seeks to drive both financial success and impact at its portfolio companies. It pursues private equity-like opportunities with the intention to generate positive, measurable social and/or environmental impact while generating attractive risk-adjusted returns⁵.

Each firm has its own strategies and principles guiding its investment and stewardship practices, but all share the common goal of influencing company management to create long-term value for their investments.

Learn more

1 hbr.org 2 corporate.vanguard.com 3 statestreet.com 4 pitchgrade.com 5 pitchgrade.com 6 corporate.vanguard.com 7 corpgov.law.harvard.edu 8 corporate.vanguard.com 9 statestreet.com 10 corpgov.law.harvard.edu 11 mckinsey.com 12 apollo.com13 apollo.com 14 apollo.com 15 ir.apollo.com…”

3) While the nature of the communications is unknown at this time, the Wall Street Journal, others in mainstream or financial news, and MHProNews in the industry trade news space have all reported that certain large private equity firms have disclosed that they are in settlement talks with the SEC over apparently problematic communications/records keeping practices.  Blackstone, TPG, and Carlyle have filed disclosures, but others were named in the report that is linked below that have ties to manufactured housing which may also get caught up in the SEC probes. Per the cited sources, some $1.7 billion in fines have been issued since this communications/record saving crackdown began.

4) When higher profile MHI members “Frank and Dave” (Frank Rolfe and Dave Reynolds) recently ripped “special interests” and their negative influence over housing affordability, that euphemism is often used when private equity is involved.  Rolfe stated: “Don’t Tell Me We Cant’ Solve Affordable Housing’ because the truth is that ‘ We don’t want to solve affordable housing.’ Those and related remarks from a 6.8.2024 “memo” by Frank and Dave are unpacked in an exclusive report with analysis linked below.

 

5) The apparent duality (or what certainly seems like blatant hypocrisy) of leaders like Cavco’s Bill Boor in his approaching a year ago to Congress on distortions and increased costs caused by ESG are examined in the reports linked below. Given that rapidly rising insurance costs are a hot button issue for many, the first report linked below may be of particular and ongoing interest.

 

 

6) The distortions caused by the headline firms and others involved in private equity could be viewed through the prism of how much those private equity firms have invested in companies in manufactured housing, including Cavco Industries (CVCO).

 

 

7) It should be noted that the private equity giants have extensive investments in conventional housing. That should not be overlooked in the role that plays in MHI’s policies and practices.

 

 

8) Conservative talk radio host and author Mark Levin has said that there are a thousand ways to undermine our culture. The wedding of corporate power to that of leftist causes are arguably among them. The left-leaning Jacobin says that Levin is trying to stir up a new red scare. Perhaps so, but isn’t the more pertinent question if Levin and those like him are doing so based on solid evidence? From Jeff Bezos-founded Amazon’s website is the following on Levin’s American Marxism.

The seven-time #1 New York Times bestselling author, Fox News star, and radio host Mark R. Levin explains how the dangers he warned against in the “timely yet timeless” (David Limbaugh, author of Jesus Is Risen) bestseller Liberty and Tyranny have come to pass.

In 2009, Mark R. Levin galvanized conservatives with his unforgettable manifesto Liberty and Tyranny, by providing a philosophical, historical, and practical framework for halting the liberal assault on Constitution-based values. That book was about standing at the precipice of progressivism’s threat to our freedom and now, over a decade later, we’re fully over that precipice and paying the price.

In American Marxism, Levin explains how the core elements of Marxist ideology are now pervasive in American society and culture—from our schools, the press, and corporations, to Hollywood, the Democratic Party, and the Biden presidency—and how it is often cloaked in deceptive labels like “progressivism,” “democratic socialism,” “social activism,” and more. With his characteristic trenchant analysis, Levin digs into the psychology and tactics of these movements, the widespread brainwashing of students, the anti-American purposes of Critical Race Theory and the Green New Deal, and the escalation of repression and censorship to silence opposing voices and enforce conformity. Levin exposes many of the institutions, intellectuals, scholars, and activists who are leading this revolution, and provides us with some answers and ideas on how to confront them.

As Levin writes: “The counter-revolution to the American Revolution is in full force. And it can no longer be dismissed or ignored for it is devouring our society and culture, swirling around our everyday lives, and ubiquitous in our politics, schools, media, and entertainment.” And, like before, Levin seeks to rally the American people to defend their liberty.”

 

9) There are aspects of Levin’s thesis that find echoes in the book by South African born author Hanne Nabintu Herland and her non-fiction book Billionaire’s World. As MHProNews has noted, Herland has connected the dots between methods used by the billionaires and corporate elites (that clearly would include Blackrock, State Street, Vanguard, Berkshire Hathaway, etc.) at short circuiting the constitutional safeguards built into our system. She also says that the middle class is shrinking while the billionaire class “takes it all.” Those are explored in greater depth in the still relevant reports with analysis linked below.

 

 

 

10) It is routinely the billionaires and the corporate class that fund not only leftist and RINO politicians, they are funding nonprofits and foundations in an effort to influence and even dominate governmental policies and spending. Because these business leaders and corporate interests wield an outsized influence over numbers of manufactured housing industry firms, these are ever-timely topics needed for a more complete understanding of the dynamics at play ‘behind the scenes’ in manufactured housing.

 

11) Ironically, operations like the left-leaning Private Equity Stakeholder Project (PESP), MHAction, HBO’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, and others from that orbit may spotlight the woes caused by these financial giants, but routinely fail to mention that those groups – as Herland, the Heritage Foundation, Heartland, and others have argued with evidence – are often funded by billionaire and dark money linked leftist groups.  Buffett, Gates, and others like them are not on the political right. They are on the political left.  So those railing against these big money influences are getting that same big money.  Which calls to mind the maxim of Vladimir Lenin, that the best way to control the opposition is to lead it themselves.

Kevin Roberts, Ph.D., led Heritage is sounding a similar alarm to what Herland, Levin, and others have.  But they are also helping prepare a solution to these woes should Donald J. Trump become the next president.

12) ‘ESG investing’ are just aspects or tentacles of this multi-decade developing pattern. There are plenty on the right who are catching on to this, even as some on the left have been decrying the power of these forces, sometimes while getting their funding from them (see MHAction as an example).  While these leftists often ask for rent control, or right of first refusal, some other ‘solution’ to these problems that indeed plague aspects of the manufactured housing industry (or American society more broadly), what they routinely fail to do is press for criminal prosecutions under RICO, antitrust, or other statutes.

13) According to a letter from Senator Elizabeth Warren found in the report linked below, Rolfe and Reynolds have benefited from this form of big private equity backing.

14) Put differently, absent a clear grasp of how paltering, posturing, and projecting can operate out in the open, it is easy to be misled. Those who seem to be railing against these practices are often getting funding or other benefits from those that they protest against. It is a charade that aims to confuse, and thus delay, the understanding and solution to such issues. Meanwhile, as leftist Michael Weinstein recently observed, tens of billions of dollars annually are being wasted by ‘the affordable housing industrial complex.’

15) MHI and Democrats are backing plans that fail to mention, much less press for implementation, of existing federal laws that could reverse the affordable housing crisis in the shortest possible time. Other than MHProNews/MHLivingNews, there is literally no other known source in MHVille that is even attempting to document and expose these patterns of behavior.

16) So, the 1792 Exchange has taken their place in the constellation of those on the right who are working to expose and perhaps grapple with the legal ways to end these vexing realities.  As was noted above, Heritage and others are joining forces to led the charge for what has been dubbed Project 2025, ‘the personnel is policy’ part of the solution to these woes should Trump upend Biden, or whomever the Democrats might replace Biden with. As the Lois Starkey, who was formerly with MHI, and her story reflects (see below), manufactured housing is literally involved in this unfolding D.C. drama.

17) The Weaponization of ESG is just part of a broader pattern of ‘weaponization,’ which includes the legal system.

18) Since this still relevant report was published, the Trump Campaign reports hundreds of millions of dollars in campaign contributions, with tens of millions reportedly coming from first time and smaller dollar donors.

19) As one observer quipped, the core of the charge against Trump amounted to a claimed bookkeeping classification error.  And even then, the payment was by the privately held Trump organization was made after the 2016 election. So how was it election interference? Meanwhile, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s (D) campaign got a slap on the wrist tiny fine for far worse. The post-conviction polling indicates that Trump may have gotten a boost, while others seem to indicate that no net harm has come to their 2024 campaign efforts with the public. The following data is per Real Clear Politics (RCP).

20) So, while the 6.8.2024 Frank and Dave memo may prove to be useful, properly understood, it is also part of an apparent pattern of paltering, deception and misdirection.

“If you want to solve U.S. affordable housing you would have to eliminate all the barriers…But, of course, that’s not going to happen, and we all know it. So don’t tell me “we can’t solve affordable housing” because the correct statement is “we don’t want to solve affordable housing”. There are too many special interests – both inside and outside the government – to ever let that happen.”

– Frank Rolfe, Dave Reynolds memo of 6.8.2024.

Rolfe and Reynolds have been asked for reaction to the report linked here. So far, nada. Nor has MHI, their outside attorney, or their ‘communications professional’ Molly Boyle commented per requests. To learn more, see the linked and related reports.  ###

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Again, our thanks to free email subscribers and all readers like you, as well as our tipsters/sources, sponsors and God for making and keeping us the runaway number one source for authentic “News through the lens of manufactured homes and factory-built housing” © where “We Provide, You Decide.” © ## (Affordable housing, manufactured homes, reports, fact-checks, analysis, and commentary. Third-party images or content are provided under fair use guidelines for media.) See Related Reports, further below. Text/image boxes often are hot-linked to other reports that can be access by clicking on them.)

By L.A. “Tony” Kovach – for MHProNews.com.

Tony earned a journalism scholarship and earned numerous awards in history and in manufactured housing.

For example, he earned the prestigious Lottinville Award in history from the University of Oklahoma, where he studied history and business management. He’s a managing member and co-founder of LifeStyle Factory Homes, LLC, the parent company to MHProNews, and MHLivingNews.com.

This article reflects the LLC’s and/or the writer’s position and may or may not reflect the views of sponsors or supporters.

http://latonykovach.com

Connect on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/latonykovach

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