by Travis Mateer
For anyone who finds themselves emotionally invested in the outcome of America’s upcoming national elections I have a question for you: why?
I spent this week shit-talking Montana Republicans because their opposition to Montana Democrats is merely performative. At the end of the day it’s all about MONEY, and if there’s money to be made, don’t believe for a second that Republicans won’t sell out this country for a buck just like Democrats have been doing these last 4 years by pretending that Biden isn’t DEEPLY compromised.
So go ahead, Montana Republicans, vote for Tim Sheehy if you don’t care that this China shit-talker is ALSO making money off his Chinese investments.
His business investments range from the mildly amusing — between $1,000 and $15,000 in Roblox Corp., developer of the kid-oriented video game of the same name — to the potentially politically problematic, especially in the context of both major parties’ hawkishness toward China and Sheehy’s own mixed record on climate change.
He has invested, for example, between $250,000 and $500,000 in the Pzena Emerging Markets Value Fund, a mutual fund that includes sizable investments in Alibaba, the Chinese e-commerce and technology company. He also previously held a small amount of stock in Tencent, another large Chinese corporation. A recent Sheehy campaign ad begins with a grainy video of Chinese President Xi Jinping riding in a parade while Sheehy narrates, “China is building a fierce military.” (Anti-Chinasentiment is not unique to Republicans or to Sheehy. Tester, for instance, has been a leading proponent of restricting the ownership of land in the United States by China and other so-called foreign adversaries).
Sheehy also holds between $50,000 and $100,000 in Cloverly, a self-described “sustainability as a service” company with software that allows companies to measure and offset their carbon output. In July, critics dinged Sheehy after ABC News reported that Bridger Aerospace had removed language from its website touting itself as “fighting on the front lines of climate change.” Republicans both in Montana and nationally are crusading against environmental, social and governance (or ESG), an investment strategy that ostensibly prioritizes protecting the climate and other not-strictly-profit-based incentives.
People who care about this election seem sad that Kamala Harris is positioned to sink Tester’s reelection bid, creating a political abortion for her political agenda. Since I’m not voting, the only thing making me sad right now is that Chatty won’t make me an image of a black female politician pointing a coat hanger at the state of Montana.
Isn’t this upsetting? Why does Hollywood get to have all the fun with violent content?
If you think voting matters and polls are accurate, here’s some hand-wringing about why Kamala is a big drag for Big Sandy’s most famous farmer, Jon Tester:
Tester is a centrist Democrat who has already won three terms in the Senate in a heavily Republican state, a feat he accomplished by combining a folksy working-class background, moderate political views and a willingness to reach across the aisle — hallmarks of Biden’s own Senate career.
Tester positions himself as a bipartisan populist who supports the Second Amendment and veterans’ issues, said Christopher Muste, a political scientist at the University of Montana.
Harris, on the other hand, was this century’s second-most liberal U.S. Senator after Elizabeth Warren, according to the UCLA Voteview project. Her views on green energy and social issues don’t play well in a heavily agricultural state with a significant coal industry.
And then there’s the fact that she’s from California. Large numbers of Californians began moving to Montana during the pandemic, prompting a significant backlash as natives blamed the newcomers for skyrocketing home prices, congestion and a loss of access to public lands. “Don’t California my Montana” bumper stickers began popping up all over the state.
Across Montana, “there’s a resentment of Californians,” Johnson said.
Kiersten Iwai agreed.
And here’s a Montana Democrat seeing shady shit regarding money and saying NO THANK YOU! Maybe Jesse Mullen really does want some RADICAL TRANSPARENCY!
If you appreciate my local disdain for BOTH major political parties, please consider donating to Travis’ Impact Fund (TIF). Any little bit helps.
Thanks for reading!