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Vanguard Proving Why It’s Too Big, Yet Again

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Just when you think Vanguard might see the light and get back to its roots, it shows once again why it has become too big and is just like any other money-sucking behemoth–like BlackRock. Vanguard has proven this with the introduction of its own ESG investments program.

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In my series “You Invest, They Win,” I prove that you are not necessarily front and center, as you most certainly should be when it comes to how your money is invested. This is especially true with the new, hot, investment flavor-of-the-month, ESG. What is an ESG? It’s a marketing tool hoping to get you to feel good about how your money is allocated.

ESG guided funds follow a “certain” (opaque at best) environmental, social, and governance guideline when investing. In other words, instead of simply focusing on solid investment values, their focus is perhaps on their politics too—with your money—and in the end, it’s always about gathering assets. Yours, that is.

With stocks falling by more than 33% three times so far this century, you have other things to worry about with your money than fighting some boardroom’s social initiative. Already we’ve seen corporate America drop the ball and back the Marxist BLM and side with professional sports that make a mockery of our national anthem.

Do not fall for the ESG narrative. It’s more hubris from the big dogs that know it’s more sizzle than steak (made from peas of course).

Action Line: Instead of owning ESG ETFs, take control of your money, and invest with the counsel and guidance you deserve in stocks that fit your financial needs, not theirs. Fight the inertia holding you back from making the right decisions by subscribing to my monthly Survive and Thrive newsletter. Click here to sign up, and each month I’ll help you defeat inertia, and fight for success.

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E.J. Smith - Your Survival Guy

E.J. Smith is Founder of YourSurvivalGuy.com, Managing Director at Richard C. Young & Co., Ltd., a Managing Editor of Richardcyoung.com, and Editor-in-Chief of Youngresearch.com. His focus at all times is on preparing clients and readers for “Times Like These.” E.J. graduated from Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts, with a B.S. in finance and investments. In 1995, E.J. began his investment career at Fidelity Investments in Boston before joining Richard C. Young & Co., Ltd. in 1998. E.J. has trained at Sig Sauer Academy in Epping, NH. His first drum set was a 5-piece Slingerland with Zildjians. He grew-up worshiping Neil Peart (RIP) of the band Rush, and loves the song Tom Sawyer—the name of his family’s boat, a Grady-White Canyon 306. He grew up in Mattapoisett, MA, an idyllic small town on the water near Cape Cod. He spends time in Newport, RI and Bartlett, NH—both as far away from Wall Street as one could mentally get. The Newport office is on a quiet, tree lined street not far from the harbor and the log cabin in Bartlett, NH, the “Live Free or Die” state, sits on the edge of the White Mountain National Forest. He enjoys spending time in Key West (RIP JB) and Paris. Please get in touch with E.J. at ejsmith@yoursurvivalguy.com To sign up for my free monthly Survive & Thrive letter, click here.

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