This was very insightful story on rising candidate Andrew Yang, he brings lot of interesting idea to the table.
8
People like Chris Wilson in the article keep asking what Yang is doing to combat automation. Do they not understand that he's not stopping it, nobody can. To interfere with it would just make US companies uncompetitive on the world stage. He is however the only candidate to fully acknowledge it, and us showing us how we adapt to this upheaval.
13
I think anyone who is interested in politics should have a Twitter account. Add all of your favorite candidates so that you can see their updates. After a bit of time, you should be able to sense the level of energy surrounding each candidates.
There are tons of passionate Andrew Yang's supporters on Twitter and YouTube. Initially, I was skeptical but after going through a Joe Rogan's interview with Andrew, I began to understand his message and what he can bring to this country. I can say that I am now an avid supporter and have contributed to his campaign. First time in my life I have ever made a financial contribution to a presidential candidate.
There are millions of people who share my sentiments. I love this country and I want to do something to help those in financial needs. You may not have to agree to all of the proclaimed merits of UBI but you know that it can be great things for this country and it is only 1 of several initiatives that will come from this man.
12
As long as he runs with an anti-corporate partner, he'll be able to get something done. Otherwise, all these great ideas will go to waste. Team up with Bernie!
More Andrew Yang news :D
If you're interested to find out more about Andrew Yang, don't just accept what someone says as fact.
Look into his policies on his website and listen to some interviews before you decide.
Many people are intentionally spreading false information about him.
Especially regarding him not supporting M4A and UBI being used to destroy existing welfare programs.
Always think for yourself. Don't let someone else tell you what to think.
14
I am open to all reasonable suggestions on basic incomes.
A. Elimination of Billionaires - Will that ever fly?
B. $1,000/mo Guarantee - Really? Assure minimum or lazy?
C. 2% Excess Wealth Tax - Support much needed w min damage - Minimum damage to richest, big benefit to infrastr
D. Please inform me as I don't know, like to hear from U
@WorldPeace24/7
—elimination of billionaires sounds like Maoist class warfare of yesteryears.
—wealth tax has been tried by several European nations, all ended up appealing it as it was problematic in implementation (easy to hide wealth, how to price artwork, valuation of creative items can fluctuate).
Most studies on UBI finds that people end up working more (not mean tested, so no reason to underwork), people are mentally healthier, more likely to volunteer, only people working less are teens (more time for school) and new moms (more time for bonding).
6
Robert M. Beren Professor of Economics at Harvard University,
N. Gregory Mathew is "attracted" to Andrew Yang's VAT and Universal Basic Income "Freedom Dividend," seeing it as the superior method of wealth redistribution.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cL8kM0fXQc
12
I have never given any money to political campaign until Yang came along. So far, I have donated over $500. Yang has solutions for problems/issues. I sincerely hope people read up or watch his long-form interview on YouTube to become informed voter BEFORE forming their opinion.
13
After months of articles focused on how Senator Warren will pay for her programs, in particular MFA, I can't believe the NYT published this article of Mr. Yang's UBI proposal without any mention or question of how he will pay for it. Shame on you!
327167434 Population of USA
87.6% Adults 18 or older
=
286598672 Adults
* $12000
$3,439,184,064,000 per year
More than Warren's proposal for MFA. And don't kid yourself, UBI will not pass Congress without elimination of food stamps, ACA subsidies, earned income credit, and any other assistance to the poor. "We gave them cash, let them spend how they like!" And you bet it won't be indexed to inflation - minimum wage isn't.
https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/RHI525218#RHI525218
3
Evidence and views pro/con on Universal Basic Income needs to be discussed prominently on our 24/7 Cable News. And where are NYTimes op eds about it?
Before Yang's speeches, I never knew Alaska had it, and Nixon proposed it. In 1969 the House passed it, but the Senate blocked it.
Business Insider: A study of Alaska's 36-year-old program shows it doesn’t discourage employment.
Vox article:
“The Alaska Permanent Fund is a state-owned investment fund using oil revenues….since 1982, it has paid out an annual dividend to every man, woman, and child living in Alaska.
That’s not a living wage …. But it’s a truly universal cash transfer program, the only one in the US. Studies show it doesn’t harm the economy of Alaska.”
The US has billionaires super rich beyond the imagination of average citizens. If the super rich were taxed fairly and adequately, a UBI would be easily affordable for the US.
Where is this discussion in our media, as continuing economic inequality is one of the biggest issues for 2020? The media isn’t doing its job in a democracy. Yes, we have to be informed on the Impeachment Inquiry, but not constantly 24/7, to the exclusion of other matters crucial to the nation.
Looks like the media is using its impeachment coverage to avoid discussing the 2020 issues that affect our lives.
10
I was an early supporter when Yang was trying to hit $200k. Not because I'm fully on board with UBI, but his new ways of thinking about the economy, automation, the people left behind, etc. really resonated. I also liked that he was constructive and forward thinking while others were all about anti-Trumpism or single issue (medicare for all).
But gradually I've come to realize that many of the domestic issues we face today are very related to foreign policy. Trade, interventionist wars, pollution, etc. As such, I don't think Andrew Yang is the answer. I'm glad he's having fun running, but look around - we have serious issues which need to be worked out with leaders of Russia, China, Iran, etc. etc. When I see him on the web crowd surfing, skateboarding, and two stepping, it makes my like for him stronger but weakens my perception of his ability to deal with these leaders. His debate performances are not great either. They showcase his ideas, but he lacks strong, breakout persuasion skills which is a must for the position.
My two cents advice: Keep developing those good ideas. Don't demonize Trump or Socialism as there are nuggets of good in both. Never again open your monologue with "hey everyone, I'm giving away $1000!" when others on stage are discussing serious issues. Ditch unpopular ideas unless they go to the heart of you (e.g. convict voting rights).
Most of all, imagine you are the leader of the world, and establish that demeanor.
4
I wonder if the writer of this article realizes how it looks to us out here in Readerland to learn that hacks from other failed campaigns (Inslee, Ryan, O'Rourke) have jumped aboard Yang's campaign. That's not good; it means that professional political parasites will siphon the life out of Mr. Yang just as they've done so many times with so many other candidates. As other jobs decrease in our economy a new Fundraising Industrial Complex is building up in both politics and charities.
1
I like Yang's idea of giving everyone$1000 because it includes everyone and not just the rich who the Republicans want to help and not just the poor who the democrats want to help. I want my $1000.
1
I've read Yang's book and didn't find an answer to my simpleton's question. If everyone receives $1,000/month why would landlords not raise rents by that amount?
4
Go find answers at yanglinks.com... any possible questions and answers are there..
1
@Ick Two
Yang does not address this on the site that you list or any site or in his book. In those sources, he addresses why UBI would not cause inflation.
But my question wasn't about inflation. Inflation is a result of the government increasing the money supply at a faster rate than the economy's growth.
Yang's UBI doesn't come from printing money. Rather, it's in the form of a value added tax (VAT) that all citizens would pay and that (in my example) landlords would be able receive in the form of increased rent. Is this not accurate?
2
@Remarque the rental price will be determined by the then current market, not increased income.
1
Mr. Yang doesn't have "it".
However Yang's gang have been running a very nice campaign.
Well done guys. Pleasant, even keeled and respectful.
2
I wonder if Mr Yang and other politicians expecting a policy of universal basic income to appeal to low income voters have ever heard of the social theory of last-place aversion?
In case you thought Yang was just another politician with a gimmick trying to get elected, please watch the following PBS/Frontline documentary about AI and how it is changing the way we work and live:
https://www.pbs.org/video/in-the-age-of-ai-zwfwzb/
11
Sorry, Yang doesn't do anything for me or anyone I know. No idea where his so called support comes from.
1
“He’s established some of the issues — that we’re going to get run over by automation,” he said. “But what else are you going to do to change that?”
Huh? Change the fact that everything will be automated? Nothing, he's doing to do nothing to change that. It cannot be changed. It should not be changed.
Andrew Yang is the only presidential candidate who is acknowledging that most Americans will be "skilled-out" of the labor force over the next 20 years. There is no solution to this problem that involves human beings continuing to work jobs to earn a living. There are only two outcomes... one, the super rich own all of the robots and accumulate all of the wealth they generate while everyone else starves... two, the robots are nationalized and wealth they generate is shared among all and we are all properous.
You can make a compelling argument against socialism and for everyone working when we still need humans to generate most of the wealth. However, when there ceases to be a need for human beings to perform labor then socialism is the only solution.
Automation is destined to deliver us into a world of leisure and self discovery somewhere on the Wall-E to Star Trek spectrum. It's a utopia I eagerly help move us towards every day. (I work in software automation)
6
I'd never heard of Andrew Yang until I saw the Joe Rogan interview. It was an interesting 2 hours of back and fourth about what Mr. Yang's vision for the country is. I'm a retired UPS Driver and what he say's about automation is very real. The trucks are on the roads now under going road testing. He's the only candidate talking about the future in terms working people understand. He has a long way to go. I'm one of those Democrats who has moved to almost to being a full fledged Independent. I still believe in the Democratic party. I believe what it used to stand for. If anything, whether he has a miracle run or not, Mr. Yang is a welcome sight among the "retreads" running for President in 2020.
16
I get it. Yang is nice, smart, inclusive, well intentioned, full of interesting ideas. In my view, however, he isn't qualified to be president, vice president or in the cabinet. Look at the numbers, people. His campaign is the most successful entreprenurial thing he has ever done. His nonprofit is tiny. The numbers are comparable in size to a below average fast-food franchise. You can see the financial statements for yourself at their own site:
https://s29643.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/Venture-for-America-Inc-2018-Financial-Statements.pdf
2
Love yang! He is very detailed with every single solution he has for problems. He has facts and studies to back up all of his facts
6
I am concerned that the large field of candidates--including people like Yang who have no chance but won't leave--is going to result in followers of these candidates becoming discouraged when their favorite quits. We seem to be playing into the hands of the trump cabal at a time when it probably welcomes the help.
7
Thank you NYTIMES for talking about Yang and his campaign. MSM has ignored him long enough but glad that you guys haven’t.
16
Yang has lost control of his followers. They seem to hunt down Buttigieg and trash him for everything claiming that Buttigieg steals ever idea and things from Yang. I searched to see if this happened to Yang by Buttigieg followers and couldn't find an example of it. I don't know if Yang is encouraging his followers to do this, but they are vicious and it impacts how i feel for Yang. Sad that a Trump strategy is part of Yang's campaign maybe without him knowing it. I hope Yang cleans up his campaign. It's pathetic, especially since he and Buttigieg know each other from the past.
3
@DJK.
Your statement is a hyperbole.A sorry attempt to defend Buttigieg by hitting Yang's supposed 'raucous' voters and implying that Yang who is losing control to his terrible gang. It per se, shows the bitterness of the author.
Yang and Trump are not the same pod. Yang is intelligent and a moderate guy, he unites. Trump, I would not say he is stupid but he is all about the show, and bitterness, and divide.
5
What experience does Yang have in government at all? I’ll wait.
@DJK. i agree with you - whenever i read or view something about Buttigieg, the comments contain an abundance from Yang supporters to the point of being annoying. I have not found the comments to vicious, for the most part - more just suggesting the reader check out Andrew. But the frequency of the posts seem more like a strategy - troll and pounce.
1
Mr. Yang is an eloquent, intelligent, incredibly genuine, decent person and leader. With his strong business, law background and desire to bring America into the future on stronger policies, he has my vote. I have never ever donated to any presidential candidate and now I have not only donated, but also attended various rallies, speeches. Andrew Yang is the real deal and has my unwavering support. Let's move forward Americans, united and strong. Alaska's oil money for their UBI is our technology money! We must pave the road for us and our future American families.
14
I like Andrew Yang, but will not vote for him. While his focus on the loss of jobs to technology is a valid point, his plan for a universal income of $1,000 per month for everyone isn't well thought out.
For example, he said people who receive government welfare can either choose the monthly $1,000 OR the welfare benefits, yet someone making $350,000 a year still receives the $1,000 a month.
8
@nom de guerre That's why it's called Universal basic income. So that everyone eligible ( 18 years and an American by birth or citizenship's) is qualified regardless of income. This way there's no stigma attached to the money and it would not appear to be a handout like a welfare. It's also opt in. So the person making $350,000 can receive it or not and if they do, it's not based on need it's based on right as a citizen.
4
Yang has a page on his site about supporting the arts. That is what impressed me. It's an issue that no one cares about and nobody speaks about. But it's important, and so he mentions it on his website. Show me another candidate who does that.
14
This kind of thinking will get Donald Trump re-elected. My goodness.
@Christopher Many also don’t realize that the VAT tax would be on top of local, state, and federal taxes! The VAT would increase the tax burden of those citizens who live in states where they also pay for property, school district, and other taxes! Who would want that?
Also, hardly anyone is talking about the inflation that the UBI would cause. Assuming there are 100 million adults who would receive UBI, there would be 1.2 trillion dollars chasing goods. It would increase inflation as each dollar is worth less.
3
Mr. Yang has some good ideas, especially his (not especially unique or original, but very useful and important to the debate nonetheless) support for UBI, in the face of structural unemployment and the dislocations created by innovation and "Winner Take All" markets decimating whole industries, as Amazon (and Jeff Bezos personally, personally reaping much of the spoils lost by vast swaths of the population).
However, Mr. Yang's candidacy underscores one of electoral politics' built-in problems or challenges: should a candidacy succeed or fail on the basis of such proposals or ideas, or rather the political skills and commitment to package them coherently to the populace with the energy and force to see them enacted into policy.
In the end, Mr. Yang doesn't stand a chance because his ideas are not sufficiently embodied in a human career that will or could inspire voters in the way that all successful candidates of either party do. This is not to say Mr. Yang's career fails to show these commitments; it's that voters want to see a clear decades-long commitment centered around a clear political theme or idea, with specific policy proposals clearly flowing from that larger theme and career.
Great ideas are great, but in politics they are naturally expressed by letters or other communications to politicians; they themselves do not make one a candidate or politician, at least a viable one.
3
@Anon...
By way of clarification/qualification: In truth, Mr. Yang may indeed satisfy my criteria as I present them, but in practical terms, for good or ill this "embodiment" of a political theme must resonate as a clear pole within out dialectical process.
While polarization (basically into the overly simplistic liberal vs. conservative dichotomy) is a big source of our dysfunction, in practical terms, to succeed in the current conditions one must build a coalition around one's position in these categories. Or, one could run as a kind of radical centrist, as Bloomberg and Biden attempt (grab the middle).
As a practical reality, if a candidate wants to transcend the traditional categories and be a political paradigm shifter, she or he would need tremendous charisma to budge voters out of their habitual, familiar categories of liberal vs. conservative. Even Biden and Bloomberg can't even attempt to sell the center without some kind of at least attempted charismatic appeal.
This is not a criticism of Mr. Chang, but my take on why in sheerly practical terms he seems to have no chance.
1
@Anon...
Oh Yang does have a chance, and yes, his ideas are inspiring voters across the boards. Unlike the others, Yang's voters are steadfast and most enthusiastic of all. It has been a while since anyone could get people excited, and Yang is able to get the Grassroot level moving.
8
I'm a baby boomer and 100% open to Yang's ideas and possibly candidacy. He won my respect from the first debate onward, "not left or right but forward." He comes across as a uniter, not a divider.
118
@jerseyjazz Bommer here also. Yang has the freshest ideas of any of the candidates - ideas that might actually have a positive impact on people's lives. For example, democracy dollars - how brilliant is that? Or revising GDP to actually measure the health and welfare of the citizens of this country - "Humanity First ".
22
@jerseyjazz -
I find that “not left or right but forward” line (crafted by whom or copied from where?) rather vapid, actually.
Leaving aside “forward” and its associative connotations and meanings. More like “follow”, actually? “Follow me!”, where? Over a cliff? Like lemmings?
Putin will have just loads of fun torturing this guy, if he gets that far.
I listened to Gov.-elect Beshear’s victory speech the other night. Political rhetoric is so empty that it’s depressing.
1
@jerseyjazz Fellow boomer here and echo all you wrote. He is an energizing force. I hope he continues to build momentum and that voters take the time to learn what informs his platform. My dream ticket is Yang/Klobuchar. I just hope he won't be labeled too young, too fringe, etc. He makes more sense when he speaks than any other candidate. His heavy use of data and stats is refreshing.
13
I support Andrew Yang, and I am German. I am living in a country where AI is thriving and yes, the impact is going to shape our world, not just your country. I had to do a small research on this and yes, I am also a little anxious after my research about the impact. I am surprised, none of the candidate actually addressed this except Yang, and I am also surprised how Buttigieg starts to copy Yang, sorry Buttigieg fans, but it is true. Under the EU radar, we have been aware of the impact of KI for some time, even though we are not certain how this will shape our lands: We know it will shake up the kind of jobs we may be used to now or in the past. So, from what I hear from Yang, what he says is true and his mission is understandably humane. So, I think you have yourself a genuine patriot who also happens to be super smart in Andrew Yang.
America has a chance to set precedent in the world with Yang as president, that other countries like Germany could again look up to and deal with reasonably.
By the way, the ones who gain would mostly be the middle class Americans. So, electing Yang would make the most sense--I also believe you can tell someone by seeing how the person deals with hard questions in the interview: Yang wins hands down here all the time, Warren shies away from such interviews. so yes: He's the one who could beat Trump, not Warren, not Buttigieg.
19
I feel like, year after year, we keep talking about the same old things: health care, automation, immigration. But we never change the conversation (instead of talking about how to pay for health care we should talk about how dysfunctional it is first.) We've had a radically different president the past two long years, maybe it's time for a radically different president in the other party. The country can't get any worse than it is right now (unless Trump stays in office, heaven forbid) and on some issues we have made so little progress doing the same old same old.
10
When a candidate for office
gets a lot of money in,
you can bet your bottom dollar
he won't use it all to win --
he might need to pay a mortgage,
or to bribe a maitre 'd;
then there is the lure of Vegas,
and perhaps large screen TV.
Andrew Yang, I do beseech you,
watch your P's & Q's today --
but if you are feeling gen'rous,
please to send some cash my way!
1
Mr Yang has an ego the size of Texas, and believes his $1000 payouts will be the bang-up answer to just what he thinks we need, and has shown nothing for evidence. I see him as a charlatan who, after trying different avenues, would treat the presidency as just another experiment in his life.. Sorry, Mr. Yang. I believe this would be nothing different than your short law career. No vote from me.
19
@Sharon Mr. Yang has very little time in debates to explain is policies in more detail, but he is a very data-driven candidate which is one of the many reasons I like him so much. Alaska, a deep red state, has a UBI in program and it is well liked. His website has a FAQ page on his freedom dividend policy with a lot of information. I hope you find it helpful! https://www.yang2020.com/what-is-freedom-dividend-faq/
63
@Sharon Yang is a self-made man with a provable business and academic record, which is more than can be said for the current president, so I don't know what evidence you have that he's a charlatan. Also if big egos were disqualifying, the White House would have been empty for the past 200 years.
65
@Sharon
I disagree, I have watched and observed Yang, sometimes, analyzed his words, he is a nice guy. So, no he is not a charlatan or even obnoxious, in fact, behind the scene, he is quite grounded and humble in certain aspects. So, unless you've watched and analyzed him, not only are you really misguided to say those things you said but also, frankly ignorant.
62
I was very impressed with Yang's speech in Iowa last week on cspan, and in fact I watched the repeat. Most other candidates speeches I don't care to watch the whole thing!
Yang is intelligent, down to earth, entertaining, and relates well to people in the audience and to questions. I think he had more facts and content in his talk than many of the other candidates.
He's right to talk about tech and jobs and UBI. I haven't yet delved deeply into every one of his ideas compared to his opponents. But I'm looking forward to his next public talk.
He also has a video on youtube at the City University of NY, where he was on a panel discussing "Capitalism and Democracy: Can They Coexist?"
That's a great subject! Where are the other candidates on this?
Imagine Joe Biden ever being on such a panel.
19
I will not vote for any candidates that buy their way into the nomination or use pac money in the primaries. After the people have chosen the Democratic nominee have at the big money to beat trumpism but the primary process should belong to the people.
2
I guess I must be missing something. Being a billionaire or millionaire doesn't automatically qualify you to be president. Yang tells us he is qualified to be presdent because of his success as an entrepreneur. A Bing search tells us his net worth is probably between 600 thousand and one million dollars. That's not a successful entrepreneur. That's less than the average home price in Seattle. Yang is a nice guy but he isn't qualified to be president.
Compare to:
Billionaires: Steyer or Bloomberg
Millionaires: Warren, Biden, Sanders, Harris, Booker, Klobuchar, Williamson
Thousandaires: Inslee, Yang, Gabbard, Castro
5
Yang ran the nonprofit Venture for America. Look it up. He wasn't trying to make a buck, he was trying to improve the world around him. And it succeeded wildly. In fact, his mission there is the same reason he's running.
120
@Robert
Yang is more qualified than your condescending statement: America needs to get the right man who could beat Trump, and lead the country, he is definitely the right one, and also one so much ahead of the other candidates.
3
@robert
Being a billionaire or millionaire also doesn’t disqualify you either. Every candidate should be evaluated on their merits, ideas and experiences.
With that said, the real issue you are trying to get at is campaign finance reform. We are the only developed country that refuses to address this.
if Yang, Steyer and Bloomberg would just put their billions into a PAC to fund a real candidate who might beat Trump it would be so much more rational - but probably not as ego-satisfying
1
Yang doesn't have billions. This is a common misconception. He ran a nonprofit called Venture for America that was designed to help startups create jobs in underutilized urban areas.
8
Yang is addressing the root of the problem behind the new populism - structural unemployment in the manufacturing center. Democrats keep talking about the need for these manufacturing workers to retrain themselves in a different field, but who pays the bills when they go back to school? The future will have to be UBI.
129
@Peter -- He pretends to address the essential problems driving the new populism.
There is left, right, and many other forms of populism, and always has been since the Grange Hall days of late 19th Century farmers.
Yang's actual proposals, when the numbers are crunched, in fact would be very right wing in impact. Take from the poor, give to the rich, on balance.
Yes, universal income might well be a component of a left populist plan. It may be necessary. Not Yang's.
When paper money was first introduced in the US by states, before the US printed Federal bills, the initial distribution was to pass out quite a lot of money to every household, to get them started using it. One of the initial distributions was $200 per household, at a time when that was near an annual income for poor households.
It worked. Those states prospered. This can be done. It has been done, 200 years ago, right here in our own states, some of them our Southern States.
Yet Yang's plan's numbers don't amount to that.
2
@Mark Thomason
"Yang's actual proposals, when the numbers are crunched, in fact would be very right wing in impact. Take from the poor, give to the rich, on balance."
Looks like you crunched the numbers. Can we see the math on this?
20
The fact that it’s automation and not immigration (legal or otherwise) that is taking away jobs is something only he is brining to the table. Someone needs to recognize him for that or do the same.
9
Andrew Yang's campaign is only modestly less dangerous than Trump's. Why does NYT or anyone else give him so much attention?
His policy proposals seem to completely ignore or downplay unintended consequences. This can make them sound good for the duration of a tweet or a debate response but also makes them fall apart with any scrutiny.
There are plenty of other candidates who do not campaign on obviously unrealistic promises paired with laughable assumptions. It would be nice if they got more coverage.
1
@Alan Yang is #11 in media attention, but #5 in polling, plus he just put out his very first ad last week. He isnt getting nearly as much attention has he deserves. I urge you to YouTube Andrew Yang where he has many podcasts, going into detail at length of his policies and how they will be implemented. I had concerns too, but after looking into him I can definitely say that Andrew Yang is the best choice for the democrats in 2020.
8
If you live in New York, San Francisco or Seattle you might be forgiven for thinking things are going pretty well in America. It's not. The majority of Americans are struggling. Most can't pay an unexpected $500 car repair or medical bill. Self-driving trucks and automation are in the process of destroying the most common jobs in our society. The reason I support Andrew Yang is because there is no policy proposal on either side of the aisle that would help more struggling Americans right where they're at than the Freedom Dividend. And unlike the signature policies of the other Democratic candidates you don't need to convert a single conservative into a big-government liberal in order to get a consensus on it (see deep-red Alaska and the Permanent Fund Dividend). If you're skeptical about Yang, watch him for 15 minutes on YouTube and see if you don't get a little surge of hope for the future like I did.
19
I could easily see myself voting for Yang. UBI is forward thinking and the right step to address our gaps in income inequality and the coming changes to society from tech. But I also believe he has the right approach on healthcare and climate crisis and that by prioritizing these two areas he can address upfront many woes. He’s not my top choice but I think he should but up there as a top tier candidate, and if the option was him or Buttigieg, Bernie
Or Biden, I’d definitely be all in for Andrew.
13
After being shocked by Trump's election and carefully considering Andrew's motivations, problem solving skills, and policies for Americans across all walks of life, I've concluded that Yang can uniquely unify the country and address the challenges of the 21st century with innovative solutions. Frankly, while I have certainly benefited from the current system, I believe it's not sustainable for our future generations. Yang is an once-in-a-generation leader who has brought so many important issues to the national dialogue. America, cherish this opportunity and let Yang beat Trump!
27
UBI is much more than just a gimmick. So much of our politics is focused around arguing over where we should spend our money. Which groups and programs to support, etc? What batter way to accomplish this than to give money to the actual people and let them choose what they want to spend it on. At lower incomes, this is not enough to live on, but it will make a huge difference for those living paycheck to paycheck - providing security and some economic stability to more people than any other idea that has been proposed so far. For this alone, he deserves serious consideration.
12
So this is what Weimar America looks like. Super cool.
If most Americans wanted anything to do with ‘math’, then our educational system would likely emphasize mathematics a bit more.
You can call fool’s gold anything you want; at the end of the day it’s still pyrite.
1
@ubique “Math” means make America think harder. Nothing wrong with that.
2
I'm very interested in Yang's proposal for UBI (coupled with 10% VAT tax).
Most of the other candidates proposed excellent plans to pay for college, pay for healthcare, etc but what is driving those costs up? Why are people unhealthy? Why is there a fixation with obtaining a university degree?
With $1,000 per month, people can decided to purse their own path. There are regions in the US where many people decided not to go to higher education. Imagine how much Yang's Freedom Dividend could revive a rural town? How much more mobility does low-income individual receive with the extra money? Money that would be immediately re-circulated into the local economies.
Restaurants, stores, online retailers, mechanic shops, movie theaters, arts/culture, ride-share drivers, food/beverage manufacturers, consumer goods/durables (car sales), hardware stores, building products manufacturers, independent contractors and construction would all see immediate and rapid growth.
I am part of the group of people who learned about Andrew Yang from Joe Rogan's podcast and I'm very excited to see how far his campaign can go.
23
Yang needs to make more people aware of him. I've been telling folks I meet how I plan to vote for Yang, or that, after hearing their problems, that they too should consider voting for Yang, and most of them say, who?
8
@drez He just bought his first TV ad last week. He is #12 in media mentions while #5 in polling. I blame the media 100% for this actually, even the NYT.
5
I've changed from Independent to Democrat to vote for Yang in the KS primary. I have never volunteered for a political candidate until Yang. Yang is inspiring, trustworthy, and brilliant. His 100+ policies are unique, thoughtful, and data-driven.
17
Give it all to a Democrat who can win!
7
I am supporting another candidate, and I appreciate Yang's contributions to the conversation. I don't think he'll win the nomination but will vote for him if he does. #BlooNoMaddaHoo
10
Yang does not have the credentials to be president. His campaign is based on vanity.
He has zero experience in state or federal government. If he thinks he can just hire the “right people” and do poll testing like Mayor Pete, Mayor Mike, billionaire bozo Tom Steyer are engaged in then the presidency will be once again turned into a ceremonial position. Yang who sits in his Manhattan headquarters playing politics is “underwhelming.”
Yang and all of theses straw-men need to get a life and run for local offices and then go for statewide/ federal offices before running for the top office in the land. Yang needs to prove himself to voters and get some credentials. Same goes for Mayor Pete, and the two billionaire who are attempting to buy their way to the nominations. We already have a rich dude in the Whitehouse who came without any serious credentials to be president. Look where that has gotten us.
1
@Sendan Uh...unlike the current WH occupant? Yang is smart and genuine. He can knock trump on his big fat whatever.
2
the guy before this one had no experience either. seems like a coin toss at worst
2
Andrew Yang’s idea of universal income is a curing a symptom and not the cause. With the exception of stay at home parents, we are saying that people no longer have enough economic value to sustain themselves.
Too many Americans educated for a 1950s America when the economy is decidedly 21st century. Heck, we need to be thinking about what skills will be needed in the late 21st and dare I say early 22nd century. But we are to myopic for that kind of forward thinking. Too focused on social wars and the size of taxes.
The reality is America is too cheap to properly fund education. Moreover, too many Americans are too selfish to consider helping poorer areas with their funding. We are too cheap to pay teachers and educators. Too cheap to invest in technology and curriculum.
Our rabid fear of anything smelling of central planning prevents us from properly planning and tuning our education system to the modern and near future times. We won’t hold poorly performing schools accountable either.
We are not going to make it if we continue to cede all educational opportunities to the elite.
4
@Practical Thoughts - If one wants a city then there is a need for coffee baristas, janitors, food delivery, store clerks, and the like. If a person cannot make a living being a barista, then does the city want coffee in the morning? Is the job of a CEO, like Jeff Bezos more important than that of the lowly barista? I would like to see Amazon function one day without baristas pulling shots.
1
@Tom,
The reason baristas and food delivery clerks don’t make much is because the labor pool for that talent is too large. If there were as many sommeliers as there was baristas, baristas would be making a fortune.
100 years ago, full functional literacy was not needed to earn a good living. Today, literacy is essential for 99 percent of all jobs, including the low wage ones. Today, one needs to read directions, work independently and do basic math.
The 21st century barista will probably be a lone technician that runs the entire store or group of stores. With AI, the coffee will probably take 10 seconds to make on demand.
That barista job will be automated at some point. So will the food delivery driver. However, new jobs will be created by all the information and discoveries AI will unlea.
1
Give it up.
1
There's only ONE candidate capable of unifying all Americans, uplifting them out of poverty, washing out dark money in politics, making us healthier, wealthier, safer, and well-positioned to tackle the problems of the 21st century (climate change, automation, the rise and inevitable reshaping of society through technology)...that candidate is Andrew Yang.
#Yang2020 #YangGang #MakeAmericaThinkHrder
9
Andrew Yang may just going to be the first Asian American president of the U.S. He has the potential. If Obama made it, why not Andrew Yang.
11
@McLean123 - Obama was a senator and at least had some experience getting a bill from an idea to a law.
3
I donated a modest sum to his campaign on behalf of my teenage son and I get frequent emails imploring me for more donations. The emails make his financial situation sound so dire so this article comes as a surprise!
5
@JC Yeah they are in it for the long haul and are trying to stretch it, competing with front runners who have got like three to five times as much in cash. They are pretty much on the edge I guess.
2
Regardless of the outcome of Yang’s campaign, he has already made a huge contribution to the future of America by making Universal Income a permanent topic of our national discourse. I basically see Universal Income as an extension of Social Security, much like Medicare for All is an extension of Medicare. It is high time that this nation buries the archaic everyone-on-their-own mentality deep in the ground. That is not a society or nation. That is for caveman hunter-gatherer tribes.
16
Between the brain power of Yang and Warren and what’s looming in the 21 century is there any doubt.
2
@CathyK All we need now is a money tree!
Well the freedom dividend sounds great! Give me back my hard earned taxes.
Of course, somebody else will have to pay for government. But hey, as long as it's not me, right?
2
Yang’s campaign isn’t really shifting to a more human focused message, because it’s always been that way. Maybe the media are just now picking up on it, and that’s OK. He is politically inexperienced but a very quick learner, and that’s what we need in the White House—an intelligent human. He has many more ideas than UBI, too.
I keep discovering new Yang supporters everywhere I go, from kids who will be old enough to vote for the first time in 2020 to octogenarians. It’s not that we want free money. We want our value as humans to be acknowledged. Homemakers and artists and people who are realistically living in the 21st century. And we really want to feel proud of the USA again.
27
I wonder where Mr. Yang's money is coming from. Keeping him in the race makes it easier to portray Democrats as wacky out-there Socialists, and dissuade more swing voters.
Basic Income may be a better idea, but Taxing Billionaires is much more palatable for more voters. We need a winning platform. We can sort out the best policy later.
3
@Paul Well some of it came from me and a whole bunch of folks who are craving for someone genuine. And smart. He is it.
3
He has supoort on the far right AND the far left. That alone speaks volumes. I think he's the best for the nation because he ACTUALLY unites the country, rather than empty platitudes to the effect.
22
Don't know, but I know America owes the world 21.97 trillion US dollars.
6
A critical point the author seems to have overlooked, intentionally or otherwise: Mr. Yang spent substantial time in New Hampshire having attended Phillips Exeter in Exeter, New Hampshire, graduating in 1992. This is a state with which he already has some familiarity.
7
Andrew will win. He's the smartest person running.
11
@Ben
If it takes the smarts to win, trump wouldn’t have won. It takes something else ...
What an embodiment of American spirit of a campaign this is!
Thank you for inspiring so many of us, the disengaged, to care and be hopeful again.
18
Yang's message of UBI has taken roots since I first heard him on a podcast . After years of working with people in crisis - mostly the extremely poor - it was noteworthy how many of them would not have ended up in the situations they were in if they had the dignity of a mere $1k a month.
It is an idea that could radically shift the way we lived. The lives of the poor and middle class (including my own) would be transformed. We would be less fear-based and could make decisions based more on fulfilling our human potential vs. the need to survive.
24
Andrew Yang is in my top tier of candidates. I may not agree with all of his positions, but he thinks things through and gives intelligent answers to questions. I want to hear more from him.
34
By all means, let's put another businessman who has never held public office into the most demanding job in the world. What could go wrong?
11
@Sparky
You would think we have learned.
1
@Sparky
If you took any time to follow Andrew's campaign, you would not be saying these words.
11
Severely underestimating Yang by equivocating his smarts with an average ‘businessman’ and no less than Trump! Please have a read before you shout back at the most qualified candidate to address our 21st century issues - Andrew Yang.
12
Not stated explicitly in the article but should be noted is that all this money Yang has raised has come from small donations, averaging about $30 -- Bernie territory! -- which is an indication of his wide popularity.
27
Go to C-SPAN and listen to his town hall in Marshalltown Iowa from a few days ago. When you hear Andrew at length and doing Q&A with ordinary citizens with real world problems, you get a sense of what a great leader he'd be. No, he's not ready to be president and probably not vice president (like Tom Steyer, he lacks the foreign policy chops that are imperative now), but most definitely a Secretary of Commerce or as a special Cabinet level advisor. He has a future --- we're lucky he's put himself out there.
16
@notrace Are you saying you like trumps foreign policy? Please say no.
1
I like Yang. He is bright and has insight into issues of employment and financial security. I think someone should ask him how he intends to pay for his $1000 per month to so many people. An attractive idea but the money has to come from somewhere.
4
From what I gather, the brunt of it would be paid for by a European-style VAT tax on automated services and luxury products (e.g. tax two cents on every robot-driven truck mile, Google search, or Amazon purchase.) Though by my calculations, that would pay just over half, instead of the vast majority as he's said.
All the same, it is an intriguing idea and I think is largely feasible. As attractive as the 'tax billionaire' talk can be to us in the middle-class, it can be difficult to logistically achieve when you have politicians paid by billionaires blocking real legislation. This strikes me as the only approach to distribute income that has a chance of not angering fiscal conservatives.
10
Don’t forget the ‘Democracy Dollar’ initiative of Yang’s platform, which will wash out lobbyist money by an estimated ratio of 8:1.
5
I've visited Yang's website to see how he is going to pay for his Freedom Dividend. Unfortunately I don't see the Math. One source of funding would be eliminating the cap on social security tax. Is this idea even remotely politically viable? Any additional social security tax collected should be used to shore up the social security trust fund which is projected to be depleted by 2035
9
I'm not certain what I think about universal income guarantee; mostly likely I cannot support it. Andrew Yang now has name recognition and he should run for something he could actually win. Congress, governor, mayor. He would then get my support although it sounds as if he doesn't need my money.
According to a recent article in Scientific American, he is incorrect about the current rate of technological change. It has slowed since the 1950's rather than increased (when compared with the Industrial Revolution, for example).
1
@Old Hominid the rate of major breakthrough may have slowed, but it's the implementation and scaling up that's creating the fastest and widest spread job displacement in history.
2
Andrew Yang is not your typical politician. He is a problem solver who saw the country headed in the wrong direction and decided to make a difference. He spend many years heading a non profit that created jobs in mid America that was adversely impacted by Automation. This is the kind of person that should lead our country.
22
https://thehill.com/opinion/technology/469750-ai-and-automation-will-disrupt-our-world-but-only-andrew-yang-is-warning
"A recent report from the consulting firm Deloitte found that, among more than a thousand surveyed American executives, 63 percent agreed with the statement that “to cut costs, my company wants to automate as many jobs as possible using AI,” and 36 percent already believe that job losses from AI-enabled automation should be viewed as an ethical issue. In other words, while media pundits dismiss worries about automation, executives at America’s largest companies are actively planning for it.
It may seem odd to worry about AI and automation at a time when the headline unemployment rate is below 4 percent. But it is important to remember that this metric only captures people who are actively seeking work. Consider that, in 1965, only 3 percent of American men between the ages of 25 and 54 — old enough to have completed education but too young to retire — were neither working nor actively looking for employment. Today, that number is about 11 percent.
In other words, the percentage of working-age men completely disenfranchised from employment markets has nearly tripled. The economist and former Treasury secretary Laurence Summers has estimated that, by 2050, that number could more than double again to a quarter or even a third.
19
UBI isn't a bad concept but does not a viable presidential candidate make. The limited appeal of Yang's campaign is in full evidence in the comment section of this article: Basically nobody but the YangGang even bothers to tune in.
5
@Michael there's still time. And we are in it for the long game.
2
UBI isn't a bad concept. But the limited appeal of Yang's campaign is in full evidence in the comment section of this article: Only the YangGang (that sounds eerily automated) even bothers to tune in.
7
Thank you, Matt for the article. A few key points that were not in the story but I thought people should know.
1. Yang's campaign's $10 million is from small donors. The "Yang Gang" is a real thing.
2. Yang is not so much a businessman as he is an entrepreneur and non-profit guy. His last and longest job was starting Venture for America to promote entrepreneurship in struggling US cities, in a similar vein to Teach for America. He is clearly against running government as a business, but is more interested in solving problems than fighting ideological battles.
3. Yang is much more than $1000/month (which is actually a reasonable idea once the radical novelty of it wears off--at least that's what happened for me). Tons of great policies like Democracy Dollars to wash out lobbyist cash and supplementing GDP with life expectancy, inequality, etc. as a real measure of economic well being.
4. More people should give Yang a thorough look before dismissing him. As he says, Make America Think Harder!
34
@L
What is wrong with thinking smarter and/or more strategically ? All this doing stuff (working, training, playing, parenting, you-name-it-ing) harder is just
sending the wrong message of being overly driven.
1
A thousand bucks to every American makes little sense. Why? Do the very wealthy not have enough windfall loopholes with which to line their pickets already? And that automation? If it was applied to thinking, and the goal being a result of a strong democracy (or republic), then automate, automate, automate. That simply means deploying resources so there is a vast majority of educated and “well paid” individuals who understand the balance of a social contract between individuals and the varying contexts of communities. We must demand that balance, its appearance center stage, with foremost energy to its construction.
3
Considering Yang's proposal for UBI is paid for in large part by a VAT (a value-added tax that nearly all large European countries currently have), the wealthiest Americans would be paying hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars for every 1k they get a month. This is because VAT essentially acts as a consumption tax that can be scaled the highest to luxury goods like yachts, and the lowest to everyday household items.
A wealthy American who spends their money heavily and frequently on luxury goods is thus paying much more to the government than a low income family would be. As VAT provides additional infrastructure to our economy of consumption, Yang is in fact advocating for a much stronger foundation and balance than Warren's wealth tax, for example.
10
@Alex I made this argument the other day and it was pointed out to me how many of our nations richest hoard most of their capital through investments which accumulate more and more and do not really circulate and would not be subject to VAT taxing. Capital gains tax reform is also necessary...
I read his platform on his website. Let them eat cake! Yes, hand it out a week before Thanksgiving and keep Walmart and Target open 24/7 for a week around Black Friday and Cyber Monday so everyone can eat their Happy Meal in front of their new 90 inch TV. I'm a Liberal and will pay higher taxes for better health coverage for everyone and higher prices if that's the result of a higher, federally-mandated minimum wage. Or a $1000 payment into bank accounts that are required to pay half of what the bank charges on credit cards. Otherwise, it's just another stimulus. And why should lower income people try to save the money when they can't get a decent return on it, and if a bank will open an account for them, fees will eat up a big portion of the money?
3
I want him to stay in the race, but he won't win. He doesn't have a deep political resume and he doesn't have broad enough appeal -- and that's more a comment on a lack of discernment on the part of voters than on him and what he has to offer.
I very much hope that we end up with Trump out of office (though I'm worried that he'll win again), and Yang somewhere in the administration. Yang's time will come. He's a smart guy, and I wish him well.
2
I heard this guy on Freakanomics and there is no way in the world I would vote for him. He has no idea of how politics or human nature works.
7
the only thing Yang's "success" has proven is that the American electorate has yet to grow up, and they're for novelty outsiders rather than settling in to the real work that needs to be done.
7
@Elizabeth SG
I’m afraid we really are in for a future where AI and automation really will be doing 90% of all necessary work: road building and all infrastructure and other construction, manufacturing, education, retail, probably even childcare and medicine. At some point UBI will be absolutely necessary. That point may be sooner than we think...
Granted Andrew Yang has a novel approach to policy and politics that he wants to apply to a nation of nearly 330 million people and a country that was, until recently, considered the world leader economically, politically, militarily, and diplomatically. And working in Yang's favor is that voting anti-establishment is all the rage these days in the U.S. and Europe.
But, haven't we learned anything from the Trump presidency? How well has having a president with no real political experience and who relies on some personal idiosyncratic "novel" ideas and gut feelings worked out for this country?
Large corporations don't hire CEOs with no actual experience managing and administrating large corporations. We don't go to doctors, choose lawyers, or hire engineers who have lots of enthusiasm and new ideas but no real experience or background in an area that is highly complex and requires expertise.
Most of all, the Yang candidacy, especially as portrayed in this article, demonstrates the ridiculousness of have a campaign system that is based largely on how much money a candidate can raise from private donors.
There is just something fundamentally wrong in a democracy when anybody with enough money (personal fortune and/or big donors) can run for president because they want to or some big backers want them to, even if they have no political experience or track record to substantiate their skills.
7
@PB Yang has plenty of executive experience and he's successfuly demonstrated that he believes in people-based solutions.
If politicians are so great, why is everything so messed up? What proof do the 'politicians' have that they know what they're doing, or can break through partisan bickering to achieve solutions?
Comparing Trump's psychopathic con man behavior to Yang is ridiculous. The men are opposites in every way.
27
Love this candidate, but the team hired to write the campaign emails after Carly Reilly took on the role of 'finance director' (evidently an extremely poor decision!) sends the most depressing, misleading, and blame-ridden messages on a daily basis. They did not change their tune after many supporters requested it for months. They don't keep track of if you donated before asking for donations, sometimes on the same day or week or month, claiming that you have not yet donated, even if you'd only ever used one email address to contact them. They claim the same exact random number from every state needs to donate in order for Yang to make the next debates (not true, though obviously more money is always helpful). I was among the earliest supporters (still waiting for my early donor merch to arrive from a 6-wk-old order), but had to unsubscribe from ALL campaign emails last week. It is not a good excuse that all campaigns use scarcity mindset emails to scare people into donating. The attraction of Yang is that he's an unconventional candidate. Maintain the positive tone that drew people to his candidacy in the first place! Stop running hot and cold! Reiterating daily that they could use the money is fine. Lying and saying that [x campaign milestone] will not happen if the email recipient does not donate is not fine. It's stupid to argue that Yang bests professional politicians, but ignore Yang Gang who push back against the tactics of professional marketing consultants. Fix this!
16
@000-222
I donated and then couldn't get them to stop contacting me. Finally, I answered a text msg from a local person asking me to join them for a meeting and requested that I be allowed some silence. He was very helpful and disconnected me.
On the other hand, I have been steadily donating to Pete. They send me emails daily but no texts. I just delete the emails. I will not be coerced into donating to anyone. It has to be when and how I want it.
1
Yang should be asking for $5000 per month for everyone. By the time the self-described fiscal conservatives in Congress finish ripping his proposal to shreds, we might each end up with $1000 per person. Asking for only $1000 at the outset guarantees that each of us will wind up with around $25 after the Republicans and corporate Democrats have chewed Yang up and spit him out.
2
I like Mr. Yang's ideas. In fact I donated a small amount to his campaign a few months ago. But as things have unfolded it's clear that he hasn't gained enough support or recognition, despite the increased donations, to be a serious candidate. His most fatal flaw is that he isn't well known enough, nor have such a compelling message, that he could beat Trump, and in the end, that's what most Democratic voters are going to measure him by.
"Can s/he beat Trump?"
That's the litmus test for any of the Democratic candidates. While Andrew is earnest, and bright, and certainly has innovative ideas to address our problems, he's probably too far ahead of the curve for most people. I think he'd be a good Labor Secretary, and maybe some day become governor of a state to really try out some of his ideas there. By then, maybe people will catch up and catch onto his thinking, but for now he's more like Don Quixote.
3
@Kingfish52 Since we haven't even started voting yet - might we not see how he actually does in the first few primaries before you toss him to the dustbin? It is quite impressive that someone with no political buzz at the outset has already beat out O'Rourke, that NYC mayor, and how many others who had much buzz about them?? Just stop with all of this "forecasting" and let the actual votes decide.
13
@Kingfish52 Yang and Bernie are the only two Democrat candidates that Trump supporters have said they would cross the aisle to vote for; many reluctant Trump voters (who were given precious little choice since Hillary backstabbed Bernie in the primaries) have said to him 'you're what I was hoping for when I voted for Trump' - meaning solutions, not empty rhetoric. MANY Trump voters knew he was a Molotov cocktail thrown into the center of our democracy; it was a cry for help from people undergoing economic and other pressures too much to bear. Yang has correctly identified the problems (automation taking millions of jobs) and they will get worse. None of the other candidates are prepared to deal with the reality that is now coming at us like a self-driving freight train. The 'front-runners' (today's media darlings, as long as their ad money holds out) are all in their 70s. It's obscene to me that a candidate would consider running for the hardest job in the world at that age. Stand down and let the younger generation take over. It's their turn, and the boomer's 'politicians' have made a mess of it.
7
@signalfire I actually agree with everything you say, but I don't think Andrew has explained enough about all the other things that have to be addressed. Maybe it's still early, and maybe if he wins or comes close in an early primary my POV will change, but while I agree with his message, I don't think he's the best messenger right now. Bernie is a much more seasoned, and has a much longer track record. That said, if Andrew were to somehow get the nod, I'd be happy to vote for him and to see him beat Trump.
The centerpiece of Yang's campaign is his proposed $1,000/month "freedom dividend" provided by the government to every American adult.
There is zero mention of the phrase "minimum wage" in Yang's website. Therefore, there is no Yang proposal to raise the federal minimum wage from the abysmally low $7.25/hour (unchanged in over a decade).
Instead, Yang is proposing to subsidize (via the "freedom dividend") these low-paying corporations/businesses...thereby eliminating any incentive for these companies to ever raise their wages.
Proposing and fighting for a $20/hour federal minimum wage (which is paid by employers rather than taxpayers) is the better solution as opposed to Yang's corporate subsidy proposal (aka freedom dividend).
Yang appears much better suited to the Republican Party and their pro-corporate anti-worker platform.
5
@John
Have you been inside a McDonalds lately? Have you seen the digital ordering kiosks?
How about the self check-out line at your local grocery?
How high do you think minimum wage should be before employers start seriously thinking about how cost effective it would be to replace an employee with a kiosk, a piece of software, or some other form of machinery.
Amazon is soaking up $30 billion dollars in sales every year from the Main Street economies in cities and towns across the US, and paying zero in Federal taxes.
Mom and pop shops have to deal with lower demand and a demand for lower prices. If you raise minimum wage for them, all you're doing is expediting the expansion of another Amazon fulfillment warehouse filled wall to wall with robot pallet pushers.
18
@John
Yang has said on the record that he is not against a minimum wage increase. Right now he proposing the FD wish will give a $6 raise to everyone, not just workers but also caregivers at home.
Also, have you considered what this major minimum wage hike would do to small business owners that can't afford it? Hours would be cut or the business will tank. How do we combat that?
8
@Mark
The national unemployment rate is currently sitting at a 50-year low.
This is after the internet revolution of the late 1990's and the complete retooling of most factories to robotics.
The "job-killing" rhetoric of "automation" is nothing more than fear-mongering by Yang to push his pro-corporate agenda.
2
Why, why won't these people with so much money to spend, i.e., Yang and Steyer put it where it will count? Put it in local races across this country at the grass roots level. All we see with these two men are egos!! They will never be a nominee although they are nice men. George Soros is another example of wasting money on political causes that will not make a dent for democratic causes.
4
@pb
I don't see how putting Yang and Steyer in the same sentence about money makes sense. Steyer is a billionaire and has already spent over 45 million on ads. Yang has a net worth of 1 - 2 million and has only spent 1 million on ads. Bernie apparently is going to be spending 30 million right now in the early swing states.
9
Yang doesn’t have personal money to spend, all his campaign money is donations to the campaign itself. He has one of the lowest net worths in the field.
13
@pb Why not the same rant towards Biden or others?
4
Regardless of whether you personally prefer tenure or blue-sky opportunity, the future is coming. It doesn't know or care about people's preferences. And it's coming at an increasingly rapid rate.
Andrew is the only person I've seen so far for whom this is the most pressing reality. There are some other reasonable people in the Dem field, and I think some could do a reasonable job of restoring a 20th century sense of stability and optimism -- but I also think that's a dead end.
If the flames are chasing you higher and higher up the building, it's probably better to jump from the 2nd or 3rd floor than waiting until you're on the roof.
We might learn a thing or two from the past (the same things you can see in the bible, frankly.), but the way we handle a world of 8 billion must be fundamentally different from the world of 2 billion I was born into. Andrew's ideas may or may not work as offered, but at least they're not same old ones just warmed over.
Now I have to be on my way. Gotta test some TV tubes at the drug store. Then I'm off to the Plaid Stamps redemption center.
14
Voters are going to sell their votes for $1000 per month? What happens when Republicans get ahold of that proposal and mutilate it so that recipients lose one dollar of the UBI for every dollar they earn, in the same way that they did with welfare? We used to have welfare on a grander scale, you know, and it came with penalties. If you earned extra money, you lost a substantial percentage of your welfare, so you were always stuck in the low-income trap, regardless of what you did. They punish recipients for working by taking away assistance. This always seemed like the height of irony to me, but I'm a nobody, so who cares what I think. Bottom line: There is a portion of voters in this country who will fight tooth and nail to avoid sharing any taxpayer money with anyone who doesn't have a regular job, and one of their tactics is to take away assistance as soon as the recipient shows signs of being financially stable on a combination of assistance and earned income. Call it welfare, call it UBI, it doesn't matter - our so-called fiscal conservatives on both sides of the aisle will find a way to kill it, because again, they all side with employers against labor. Can't keep wages low if people aren't desperate for a job!
1
@Allison
Your argument of proposals being mutilated is counterproductive as this could happen to any proposal by anyone in office. Lets be optimistic for a moment. UBI is no strings attached. You will not be penalized for trying to better yourself by finding a higher paid job, or making a purchase that welfare considers an increase in income. You don't need interviews or reports to justify your welfare needs. No red tape. This is what makes UBI powerful. UBI will incentivize instead of decentivize.
1
@Glenn: And yet people are withholding support from Warren and Sanders precisely because they claim that their proposals will be mutilated in Congress. Somehow Yang supporters aren't thinking ahead to the resistence that will come from those who are dead set against making life any easier for low-income people, yet they are perfectly willing to say they won't vote for Sanders or Warren because there will be too much resistence toward their proposed policies. When is a proposal pie-in-the-sky and when is it practical? Is it pie-in-the-sky when the person delivering the message doesn't appeal to you, or is it practical when the messenger is someone you like? Because it's starting to look like the validity of proposals is being judged solely on the basis of how much personal appeal a candidate has, and not whether it's a proposal that can be practically implemented in a severely divided country.
1
@Glenn: To adress your second point: UBI is what it is on paper. It has not been put through the wringer of the legislative process. Remember that the ACA originally included the much-demanded public option, but that had to be removed from the bill to please the Republicans, who would not even consider the bill with it. So we are stuck still needing a public option, and have had to deal with an unwieldy market-based system that is failing precisely because it was not implemented as proposed. Don't get me wrong. I love UBI. But I loved the ACA before the Republicans and corporate Democrats got their hands on it, too. I love Warren's proposals as they are, too. I'll bet there are still Trump supporters rooting for him to build that big wall that Mexico is going to pay for, as well. FDR's New Deal and Johnson's Great Society were both slowly strangled by the anti-tax forces in this country, and they continue their attacks on Social Security and Medicare. They have been fighting on behalf of economic inequality for nearly a century. What makes you think they are going to stop? Yang's UBI is just another target for them.
1
Andrew Yang’s Campaign Has a Lot of Money, donate to Joe Biden.
The writer fails to mention that that is all small grassroots donors.
3
The real answer to Yang's question about automation is that each individual will be vastly more productive with all that automated help, and the product of that will be widely shared by all.
In the 19th Century, most Americans lived in a manner that would today be considered poverty stricken. Today, almost everyone lives much better than that.
We can continue that trend with automation.
Limits to Growth is not the issue. We can automate that issue too. Right now, Sweden is setting up steel mills that make top quality steel from ore, entirely green. Their new blast furnace uses hydrogen instead of carbon, and takes away the oxides from ore as water vapor instead of carbon dioxide. They use green electric sources too, which exceed their current needs in their far north.
That is one example of how growth can be green. If it costs more, we will have more to pay for it because of all that automation.
Another place is experimenting with 20 hour work weeks, four days of five hours. It was written up here in the NYT. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/06/opinion/five-hour-workday-experiment.html
It is actually very productive, getting people's best energy levels and full attention.
They key is to share out the product of the work.
$1,000 to a poor mother, and an equal $1,000 to a well-off retiree or highly paid worker in peak earning years, does not share out well at all.
2
He’s DOA, another distraction, just another spec swirling in the maelstrom. He’s perfectly free to run for president without having any prior experience holding political office, of course. As am I. One small difference between us, though, is that I know better.
5
Too bad he is against Elizabeth's medicare for all. Otherwise I would have loved to see a Warren/Yang ticket.
1
If everyone spent their $1000 a month responsibly and in just the right way that would be one thing, however someone might be forgetting human nature. Can’t wait to see all the eventual strings attached that will have to come for all this “free” money to work like we’re told it will.
1
All Warren is proposing is for the uber-rich to pay their fair share. Many are paying zero federal taxes.
Many corporations, like Amazon, gas, oil, earn billions and also pay zero taxes.
How is that fair?
Warren isn't against the wealthy, she is wealthy. She is leveling the playing field.
No one is going to vote for Yang.
$1,000 a month is a joke. Rents are $2,000-3,000 a month in most cities, high tuition costs, high student loan payments, car payments. $1,000 won't help lift anyone out of poverty or stabilize them long term.
Having corporations and uber-rich pay their fair share and rebuild the middle class is the only way out of this mess.
Yang knows he doesn't have a change. His campaign is purely ego-driven.
9
Plenty of people are going to vote for Yang, as polling and his donor base show. I’d recommend you look at his broader policy proposals before jumping to conclusions about their impact on billionaires. Wealth taxes are not the only (nor arguably the most effective) way to address income inequality.
14
@Hope
You've very astutely pointed out the problem in your own argument.
Our current tax system was not designed to allow for corporations to pay zero federal taxes.
The sad truth is taxes are very easy to game, and the wealth tax is no exception. This is largely why the wealth tax has been declared a failure in the several European countries in which it's been implemented.
A value added tax, however, is categorically different. Since it's added at each step of value creation, buyers are always incentivised to make sure the sellers are paying the tax. It's notoriously more difficult to cheat.
Andrew's pointed out the need for those same companies you mentioned to pay their fair share. He just has the better way to do it
6
@Hope You honestly think that someone who is struggling at the poverty level wouldn't benefit from $12k a year? Must be nice to be so well off that you do not know the value of a dollar anymore.
7
Now what? Endorse Ms. Warren and accept cabinet position.
A value added tax or VAT proposed by Yang is essentially the same as a sales tax and is a regressive way to gain income for the government. Give us $1000 a month and then take much of it away with a VAT? No thanks.
4
Actually that depends on how it’s set up. VATs are used in every one of our major trading partners, all OECD countries, and 166 UN nations. They provide a stable revenue base for government, encourage savings, and close tax loopholes that only the wealthy can access. A lot of countries carve out exceptions for daily necessities, education etc so it isn’t regressive. The more you spend the more you pay, which hits the wealthy. I’d recommend you read a little more into the pros and cons.
20
Negative comments like this seem logical until you compare the USA to the rest of the developed world. The majority of developed nations have a VAT because of its efficient way to tax and extract money from corporations. Which nations offer better governmental solutions for their people: the one where life expectancy is declining, people are uninsured despite spending twice of average nations per capita, health outcomes rank 37th... or any of European countries?
18
@Jan Winter
It really doesn't take that much effort to think a little bit harder about the math involved.
Typically, 40-50% of a standard 10% VAT is absorbed by the business when you look at the countries in which it's implemented in. This is what's called the 'pass-through rate'.
So you're looking at about a 5% increase in prices. Now, even if you set aside the fact that Andrew has spoken many times about implementing the VAT in such a way that it excludes most necessities, and assume that ALL GOODS across the board go up 5%, that means you'd need to spend over $240,000 annually on goods to offset the $12,000 Freedom Dividend you're receiving.
If you're spending $240,000 a year on goods then maybe you fall under the category of people for whom a lot of the critics of the Freedom Dividend argue shouldn't be receiving the Dividend in the first place. If you spend more than $240,000 a year, well then you essentially start paying for other people's dividend.
A VAT in a vacuum is regressive, but Andrew would never want that, and it's not what he's proposing. VAT + UBI would be the single largest rich to poor transfer proposed by any of the Democratic candidates so far, vastly dwarfing Elizabeth Warren's 2% wealth tax. It's also a universal raise of $6.25, and one that won't hurt businesses and force corporations to fastrack the automation of minimum wage workers like Bernie's minimum wage proposal.
15
Where will the $1,000 a month per person come from? There are over 329 million adults living in the US. It’s already in debt to the tune of trillions. While it would be fantastic, I just don’t know how it could work.
3
@AAA Please read his website to find out. He wants to implement a VAT. You might be stuck in the old republican mindset that it will come directly out of your pocket. There are other ways....
4
@AAA -
You essentially pointed at it — “it” being the impossibility.
We already have a VAT, “Value Added Tax”. You pay it every time you buy something from a retailer. It’s called “Retail Sales Tax”. Some of the revenue raised by sales tax goes to the city, some to the county, some to the state. Yang would siphon their revenue streams by adding yet another layer.
Retail sales tax is regressive. It’s a kind of poor tax. And by raising prices at the retail level it depresses overall demand for products and services. Ultimately, it’s self-defeating.
@AAA
There are TON's of youtube videos on how he would pay for it. He has explained numerously.
I'd have you look at his website for the break down:
https://www.yang2020.com/what-is-freedom-dividend-faq/
Check out "How will we pay for the Freedom Dividend"
We have the money to fund it.
1
Andrew Yang's campaign is domed to failure.
Why?
He's failed to do the most important thing a Democratic candidate must do to win the presidential nomination; build a broad based coalition.
The central appeal of his message has captured the attention of policy wonks and the media. But his outreach to working class Americans, black Americans and Latinos has been meager at best. He might do well in Iowa and New Hampshire, but he'll get killed in the Southern primaries. He simply has not established the ground game to win there. He'll be out of the race after Super Tuesday.
47
@Carl On the contrary, which 'working class American, black and Latino' families couldn't use a guaranteed $1000 a month per adult citizen? The other candidates are offering platitudes and the minutiae of different health care plans (not something you can hash out in 1 minute debate sound bites); Andrew has One Big Plan, the Freedom Dividend, and over 150 other great ones, over on his website. Hopefully the Southern states have learned they have to take a few minutes to learn about the candidates before they vote in the primaries.
People are noticing, Yang doesn't trash his opponents or talk badly about others; his kindly demeanor and intellectual heft is in direct contrast to the Trump years.
137
@Carl Yang is going around the special interest groups and going directly to the people. He hasn't reached out to the black leaders, latino leaders, gays, etc. because he doesn't need to have those leaders "deliver" "their people". He is talking directly to the people, and that is the antithesis to how things are done in Washington now. I think a lot of people will find this refreshing. It remains to be seen if he can break through the gatekeepers for each of these interest groups. I hope he can.
74
@Carl
Unfortunately, his biggest flaw is that he's intelligent. He'll have to dumb himself down if he wants to win, as America has shown time and time again that they prefer simplistic, unintelligent candidates. I have no faith in the voters to finally pick an intelligent candidate, but I hope I'm proven wrong.
The only winning candidates who portrayed themselves as intelligent (like Obama) were still able to simplify their talking points well enough to win over an uninformed populace.
29
I’m not sure he is my preferred candidate, but if someone as smart and decent and caring and hard working as this is our new president, I’ll dance on the streets all night. What a change that would be. What a change.
42
Yang is the only candidate who doesn’t seem beholden to the toxic identity politics that has ensnared Democrats and Republicans alike. He comes across as an actual unifier, which is an increasingly undervalued trait in our political class. Plus I haven’t heard a politician in years that has such an admirable mix of forward thinking, compassion and common sense - everything from tax and spending reform to gun safety. I think he might be the horse to watch in this race.
48
@Paul -
He does?
He comes across to me as someone without any public policymaking or policy implementing experience who also couldn’t get any legislation through Congress even if his life depended on it; even if Democrats controlled it.
3
@Steve Singer Curious, but do you think the existing partisan group of Congress persons are more equipped to do this?
IMO, Yang speaks to people of different political affiliations quite well because he's not a talking points and group think candidate- it's why people ranging from Van Jones, Anderson Cooper, and former Berners to Ben Shapiro, Dave Rubin and former Trumpers like him.
None of the other candidates seem capable of getting that broad level of support.
5
@Steve Singer
And how will the other "progressive candidates" hope to get any legislations passed with their toxic attitude toward others with different view points? And what has public policy experience gotten us so far? We need someone with outside experience that with unite the Country. Andrew Yang is that person.
1
Money money money! I am so sick of the horserace! Bloomberg has billions. Trump has billions. Steyer has billions. Now Yang has billions ... or millions, anyway. I "get" that money is, or can be, dispositive in our current completely broken electoral system ... a system of, by, and for the plutocrats. But why not report instead on the number of donors, the number of volunteers? (Hint: Bernie has the most of both.) Why not report instead on the candidates' plans and policies and records and histories? (Hint: Bernie has the best.) Why not be a responsible news organization and provide information voters can use to help them make a decision and bring about the changes we need to wake us from our current nightmare and actually move us forward?
5
Yang is the poorest candidate in the race. His net worth is about a million and he gave up working for 2 years to run for president. Everybody in Congress is collecting government check while running. Sanders and Warren are worth $4 and $12 million... none of them started national businesses. Yang founded a nonprofit. Hes losing the most by running.
20
The average donation to Yang’s campaign is c. $30, comparable to Bernie. He’s not a big money candidate.
15
@Daniel
Please, let us not move from the cult of Trump to the cult of Bernie. Announcing his policies are "the best" doesn't make them so, anymore than your other assumptions. Bernie had his chance - now he needs to go away. He is not getting resurrected, despite the Jesus complex.
6
Yang is the only Dem I would support besides Bloomberg over Trump.
Biden has lost a few steps. Warren and Bernie are too radical.
12
Just like the country get sick of the Kennedys with the rejection of Ted and the country get sick of the Bushes with the rejection of Jeb, the country is tired of billionaires with Trump burnout.
Mr Yang, if you want to do the best thing for your country throw your support and money behind the candidate that has the best chance of defeating the accused serial criminal Trump.
Right now it's Biden.
1
@Paul I strongly disagree there, and we will see a much faster progression in growth from AY over Biden. Biden has not offered any solutions, all he has done is chirp about how he can take down Trump. The majority of voters are a lot smarter than we give credit for, and they can see right through him. Is it a long shot for yang to win the nomination? Absolutely... but the fact is, he’s polling steadily at 4% and his campaign started from nothing. Not a person knew who he was, and now he’s pulling in millions just from small donors. If you want to take the time and listen to a few of his interviews (New Hampshire public radio is probably the best one for diverse policy proposal), you’ll likely find out that the data is correct, that he and Bernie are the only candidates pulling republican support. If Yang got the nomination, I genuinely believe he would win the election.
3
@Pete
"The majority of voters are a lot smarter than we give credit for, and they can see right through him." Really? On what do you make that assertion? The majority of the voters are getting their information from news outlets that deliver simplistic pop information. The majority are uneducated and most don't read. The majority with vote based on their emotional response to the candidate. THIS is why people are still betting on Biden - because he still does well with people emotionally. They like him. They feel comfortable about him, much as they did about W. They can imagine going for a beer with him. THAT's who's going to get elected. And that is not necessarily the person with the smartest policies.
1
@Pete Thank you for your reply. Never say never Pete but I would give Yang about the same odds of winning the super bowl that the giants and jets have.
Biden is no Lincoln by far but he is what the country needs now, a well known uniter that can appeal to the most people.
If you want to get rid of Trump now is not the time to promote a long shot no matter how enlightened this guy may be.
1
Paraphrasing Clinton’s Campaign,
“ It’s the accelerating Structural inequalities stupid.”
3
A serious question (to which I do not have the answer) is whether it makes sense to have a president who has no prior political experience.
Running a government is not quite the same as running a business, and it's reasonable to think that the required skill sets are not the same. Large businesses are organized hierarchically. No matter how much "team work" is valued, there is a clear chain of command and bosses have the power to see that it is enforced. Not so in government, where Congress and the courts are separate, co-equal branches on a par with the executive branch.
Presidents cannot make law and they cannot simply order Congress to make the laws they want. The operations of executive branch agencies are subject to congressional oversight (no matter how much Donald Trump wishes that this were not so). The courts have the power to restrain and even reverse presidential initiatives by finding them contrary to the Constitution.
Successful presidents are not merely good executives; they are good politicians. They know how the legislative process works and they know how to negotiate with recalcitrant members of Congress who have agendas of their own. Successful presidents appreciate the importance of keeping the public onside and using public support to overcome the reluctance of their political opponents to support their initiatives.
So, why shouldn't we insist that candidates for the highest office in the land have significant political experience?
4
Andrew has repeated said that he understands that business is different from government. He said that it would be stupid of him to run government like a business.
That said, for 7 years he ran a non profit, Venture for America, so he actually has experience in the declining cities of the US and knows that he has to have stakeholder involvement.
If you have time, he is seriously a candidate with looking into.
3
@Stephen N -
In a word, “no”.
Universal Basic Income makes a lot of sense and would be easier - and less expensive- to administer than means tested assistance programs.
15
@David Gregory -- It would deliver less to those who actually need help, and much more to those who need it less.
Where can an adult live on $1,000/mo, supporting dependents too?
If it was real help, it would go to the dependents too, not just the adult caring for them.
It would be a big help if added to Social Security, but would it in practice replace more SS with less cash? Reports are he'd make people choose, so only those who already have more would dare choose it.
It isn't a living wage. It is something else, an attack on help to those in need.
2
The freedom dividend is not meant to be a replacement for work. It’s meant to supplement income and assist with a transition if necessary. Also it does stack with many SS programs, just not means tested ones like SNAP and TANF which all have many strings and income reporting that makes it difficult to administer and also misses one in four Americans who live in poverty. If you receive more than the 1000 you can keep it, but many people I’ve talked to receive far far less in means tested programs
5
@Mark Thomason UBI is not meant to be a living wage. It is meant to supplement your current situation. How many secretaries make less than $35K? How are they paying for $1k rent? Now add 12k to their salaries and they might actually be able to put a roof over their heads. What about single moms or dads? 12K would cover childcare so they could work. Most people are not making enough working full time to pay that rent you are talking about. That is reality. But you just want to keep the same old policies and hope that somehow it will change things....
4
$1000/month + 10% VAT tax is a far better way to address inequality than Warren’s 2% wealth tax. I don’t understand why Warren and Bernie are pushing a solution that has failed in Europe multiple times. Furthermore, the first goal should be to eliminate poverty, not eliminate billionaires as Bernie has suggested.
370
@Mike
Why either/or? How about both? Mass impoverishment and excessive wealth are equally functions of our out of control economy's neo-Gilded Age inequality. The presence of individuals with the wealth of small nations is an inevitable distortion of the positive decision-making functions of the marketplace, which were advocated by Adam Smith as a replacement for centralized decisions by the Crown. What we have allowed is our economic system to produce increasing numbers of Kings and Queens, royal families of them, with personal power to make out-sized decisions about our collective life.
36
Ask Europeans if they like the VAT tax.
7
@RRI yes for both but eliminating poverty FIRST is much easier and effective with yang's plan. Why wait until figuring out punishing the wealthy when we can lessen the suffering right away?
33
Yang's appeal for me comes down to the fact that he's radically different than Trump, but not by merely being a far left counterweight. He offers solutions that are new and different, and that will tend to build unity. UBI is progressive in that it helps those in need far more than the wealthy, but because it's for everyone, it doesn't feed into the makers vs takers narrative that the Republicans have used for decades. Democracy Dollars, ranked choice voting, and a compassionate approach to our drug crisis are other examples of changes that don't feed into resentment.
348
@Patrick -- At first glance, money for everyone seems far left. When you analyze the numbers, it is money for the rich, and even less for the poor, once again. It would be anything but left in practice. Trump could be proud of it.
3
@Patrick
Where do you think this money will come from? It is a clever catchphrase but not sure it will be a real solution.
2
@Patrick Ranked choice voting alone would rid us of many of the problems inherent in politics and elections. We could vote for the person we *really* wanted, and everyone would be less likely to get a candidate we hated. It would likely reduce polarization if everyone's 2nd or 3rd choice won vs. 1st choice or "no way not him" candidates.
9
Andrew's message has staying power because it gets to the heart of a major area of concern - economic stability! While healthcare is also another lightning rode issue for this coming election - it makes no difference if you have cheaper healthcare if unemployment and wage stagnation stifles economic growth.
25
@Fernando
In agriculture, depending on rain often disappointed. The rain gods were unreliable. Irrigation came in. Mr. Yang is an is proposing irrigation.
Best if he avoids the landmines.
3
@Fernando
Well, I agree with you up to a point. I'm still not convinced that $1000/month is going to cover existing healthcare premiums and costs. And it's not clear that Mr Yang has a workable plan to do that. He's assuming that people will use that $1000 to buy more things and thus shore up our crippling capitalist system. How, specifically, will his plan address "unemployment and wage stagnation" outside of putting more money into corporations' pockets?
1
@JH UBI gets spent in our communities on things like car repairs, daycare expenses, date nights out, etc. Because consumers have more money to spend, companies see increased business (this generates more tax revenue for our government) and they hire more people (this generates more jobs). The Roosevelt Institute estimates that UBI would create 4.5 million jobs (though they ran studies of a UBI funded off a deficit).
As for wage stagnation and growth, we will likely see two things happen: jobs that people don’t enjoy will be forced to pay more and jobs that people enjoy and find satisfaction from will be able to offer less.
Andrew Yang first got the idea for UBI from Andy Stern’s book Raising the Floor. Stern (a famous labor leader) argued that employees would become less exploitable if they could meet their basic needs without a paycheck. Currently if a worker is underpaid or suffering miserable working conditions, they have no choice but to suck it up because they need to feed their family or pay rent. UBI allows workers to easily strike (it acts as a permanent strike fund) or move to a new city or state with better opportunities (because it is portable).
5
I’m glad his message is starting to focus this away, although about thirty minutes of honest research will tell you that that his human dignity angle has been a core principle of all of his policy for as long as he’s been running.
24
Yang is undoubtedly smart and a refreshing presence in the field but he is also been pigeon-holed in coverage as a one policy guy, and its a problematic one. The UBI might sound like a great boon for working-class families but it will be very costly (estimate: $2.8tn). He states that giving people this money will grow the economy, some of which will be derived from consumer spending. But he's also stated that most people live from check to check and have no savings in the bank, and the UBI will allow them to accumulate savings for emergencies. So which is it? Must they save the money or spend it to stimulate the economy? Ideas like this make great talking points but are they feasible? I'm glad he's at least introducing other talking points into his campaign. He needs to be more than a one-trick pony and it appears he is learning fast.
4
Experience in government should be a job requirement for the Presidency. Trump should be an object lesson as to why.
10
@Bill Seng The issue with Trump is NOT his lack of experience.
7
Some times I am so surprised that people who actually listened him talk and walk away with question "what are we gonna do about automation?". They needed to be hammered. fed in spoon. Automation is inevitable and it affects everyone. So freedom dividend give you cushion during this transition. Without the desperation and fear of your livelihood challenged, you cab get on the new path to find your way to navigate through this automation tsunami.
8
Yang is a great unifier.
He identified Trump voters not as racists and misogynists, but fellow Americans that have fallen into dire economic times and spiraled into a Mindset of Scarcity, leading them to vote the way they did. During his rallies, he personally call for former Trump voters, and the whole crowd cheers and welcomes them as they id themselves.
Yang's 7 years as the founder and CEO of Venture for America gave him a front row seat in regard to middle America's decline from years of capital flight and brain drain. Creating jobs in this setting was difficult, but his nonprofit still pushed forward with its mission of job creation. He understood after such experience that something much bigger is needed to re-inject capital back into middle America's decaying and rotting cities and towns, and that's UBI.
His Freedom Dividend (UBI) will help equalize not just the ever-widening income inequality, but it will help equalize regional inequality state to state, and it will also equalize the city-rural divide at the same time.
Bridging the multiple divides tearing this country apart is what a true unifier of the country needs to do, Yang's policies will get it done.
45
I wonder if our billionaire masters can even begin to conceive of what $1,000 a month would do to transform --literally, fundamentally transform--the lives of millions of working class, middle class, and poor Americans. What is chump change to them is life's blood to the rest of us.
Can we even dream of what it would feel like to no longer have to choose between making a college payment OR painting the house (not both at the same time) of not having to wake up every night worrying what happens if one of the many jobs a couple juggles to keep a toehold on the middle class lifestyle is lost? Do they pause to consider the impact we could have in our communities if we actually had disposable income?
I sometimes daydream about how many people I could help out if I could actually afford to have housework done...the painters, roofers, carpenters who in turn would have more work. They might spend that extra cash on goods bought in boutique shops. Cash could flow.
I can't understand how this has been lost on the Greedy Class. The stranglehold it has on the rest of this country ensures that small businesses are stifled and fail, that restaurants falter because those in the neighborhoods they're built in often can't actually afford them, that by forcing so many of us to live so close to the bone they actually strangle innovation, creativity, and productivity, a point lost on henchmen like Gates.
With more money, we can invest in each other. Andrew Yang gets it. Everyone should.
76
I, too, donated to his campaign, liking his out-of-the-box thinking, which comes across as calm and measured, and in the spirit of uniting people, as opposed to vilifying certain groups. (The antithesis of at least two of the other candidates).
18
During the latest French presidential election, a similar UBI was promoted by a socialist candidate and it ended up only energizing the far-right. although it may seem workable for some economistsx on the voting field it only showed that even the poor French do not want ´charity’ funds and the far-right think it would only benefit the lazy. Maybe it is a good idea but if even people in the proven ´socialist’ countries think it is an outlandish solution shall the US really be a pioneer ?
As emphasized by many commentators, 2020 should not be a debate about some pie in the sky but on how to convince on-the-fence voters in swing states to trove Trump. Period.
In France the election was finally won by Macron whose most famous centrist phrase was ‘at the same time’. People in bad times can be happy with boring stuff.
20
@Jaf Have you heard the phrase "Correlation does not imply causation?"
It's ludicrous to propose that the far right was energized because of a proposal that never materialized.
Also, UBI is not necesarilly a socialist idea. Milton Friedman proposed something similar to it, and he was no socialist..
I think the US is the BEST country to implement UBI, because it is the country that innovates the most, and has the largest economy in the world. If the US can't do it, the no one can.,
14
@Jaf If you want a candidate who has a handful of flashy, innovative policies, the answer is Yang. If you want a candidate who can win over undecided voters in swing states, the answer is ALSO YANG!
Yang has the most ideologically diverse base of any candidate, with loads of disaffected Trump voters, libertarians, and independents in addition to liberals and progressives. Yang has had extended conversations and found points of agreement with figures as disparate as Tucker Carlson from FOX and Ezra Klein from VOX. Most pollsters don't include Yang in the head-to-head polls against Trump, but an Emerson poll from New Hampshire a few weeks ago showed Yang performing better than every primary contender other than Biden, who he trailed by only a point.
22
@Brian -- universal basic income is not "charity" -- quite the opposite. You've heard of Medicare for All? UBI is like Social Security for All. The beauty of it is that it is NOT means-tested. It does not discourage work, but frees people up to do jobs they'd like to do; is a safety net without all the bureaucracy of welfare programs.
18
Well here are a few ideas.
1- Shift corporate taxes from a tax on net income to a 5% tax on Gross Revenue. Many corporations hardly pay any taxes after all of their deductions. GE in the last fifteen years has had close to three trillion in revenue yet has not paid taxes due to write offs of bad investments. There are many just like it . So under my method they would of paid $150 billion. A Pizza business with one million in revenue would pay $50,000. Keep it simple and fair. Twenty billion in revenue pay one billion.
2- Tax all foundations, trusts and universities that have more then one billion at 45%. Harvard has over $35 billion and for some reason pays no taxes. It’s time for change.
2- raise taxes on any and all hedge funds to 50%
4- Release records of all financial funds held offshore.
5- Release records and identities of all property owned by LLC . So a dictator from China can’t own 5% of the NYC property market by simply forming a LLC.
5
I am sure Mr. Yang is a nice guy. But come on, he's not going to be able to win against Trump. No way this will happen. The Democrats need to get real and narrow this field down to Warren, Biden and Saunders. I am not thrilled with any of them. I do not believe either one of them have a chance in this divided country. Dems need to have a middle of the road candidate, Biden is probably the best one to fit this description. Of course this all depends on how well the Republicans cheat. This will determine the winner. God help us all cause we are gonna need it.
6
@Peggy Polls prove you wrong. Andrew Yang is one of the two candidates according to a recent Economist poll that more than 10% of trump voters would vote for in the general election. If he's the Democratic nominee he can easily win against Trump. He's got lots of bipartisanship and praise from conservatives.
30
@Harsh No one knows who could win. Look at Obama and Trump.
3
@Peggy to I'd just like to say that I sincerely believe that if Yang won the primary, he would have the best odds of beating Trump.
5
Cannot see any attraction to him as a Candidate. Universal basic income is totally unrealistic and a gimmick.
4
@Philip W MLK, Thomas Paine, Barack Obama, Elon Musk, Stephen Hawking, and over 1200 economists have endorsed Universal Basic Income. It is not a new idea by any means. Look at Alaska. They've had an oil dividend where every citizen in the state gets $2000/year. UBI is inevitable once automation takes over most of the traditional labor we do today.
39
@Philip W it's actually a very old idea that has garnered the support of well respected economists any MLK... It's not a gimmick
4
UBI will be needed in the future. And I agree that some need it today (but not all - hence it’s not universal). But to use your example of Alaska, it has many many social problems. Look at any story about healthcare in Alaska.
2
If he can drop that nonsense of 1k universal giveaway and start talking incoherently about daily issues, he will have great chance advancing.
He is truly a fresh face and undoubtedly very smart.
Yes. He needs to hire veteran experienced hands to guide him.
May I suggest Steve Schmidt or David Plouffe.
2
@morGan Universal Basic Income is not a new idea. It has been championed by MLK, Thomas Paine, Elon Musk, Barack Obama, Stephen Hawking, and I've 1200 economists. It is inevitable.
15
Andrew Yang is the one candidate who presents ideas that are supported by both theory and real-world experience. He is not a single issue UBI candidate. Yang's ideas on the economy, campaign finance, education, veterans' rights and healthcare are the right choice for America.
24
I like his pitch - not right or left but forward.
30
@Norm Andrew Yang is ready to move forward and find solutions to problems, he is the only candidate who can unite the country at this pivotal time. Check out his website for tons more policy.
The yet unsounded note in advocating a universal basic income is that does away with much of the vast bureaucratic apparatus we devote to the ugly, antiquated, impossible task of discriminating between the deserving and the undeserving poor, instead simply providing support to humans as such. Demeaning both to those who receive assistance and those who do not, that bureaucratic apparatus serves as an aggregator and conduit for every free-floating moral hypocrisy that from time to time gathers political headwind in our society. Doing away with it would be a true note of liberty and a tangible affirmation of our common humanity.
38
Democracy, we know having the most greed for money of a few individuals is their main reason for living. Every breathe they take, every move they make, depends on how it will enrich their empire. We really do not make a difference, only your vote, if it can be bought, is important to them.
On the other end of this rainbow are two men that know that rainbows only appear after a storm clears the dust. The storm is happening and the grassroots are taking over this country. Bernie and Yang have no ulterior motives. Bernie loves American Democracy and certainly our Constitution, the Constitution that believes every person shall be able to live with dignity.
Yang agrees.
The media must strive to return the dignity of our people, we just cannot be reduced to a few 'got-cha' remarks with smirks and smiles. The wealth of this country is its people and the media must make the mirror reflection of our true values in the greatest country in the world.
Bernie Sanders and Andrew Yang make us shine, they are the reflection of our true selves. That is you in the mirror, you are beautiful America.
20
If you aren't yet sure about Andrew Yang's ability to win, consider this: the man asks Trump supporters at his rallies to raise their hands, and then asks the audience to applaud them for being open-minded. How will Trump attack kindness? No basket of deplorables in the Yang Gang. We are all people looking for some relief of what ails us, and all are welcome in the Yang Gang. Love beats hate. Yang beats Trump.
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I like this guy a LOT. He is so full of real information and he’s such a good explainer. He is so comfortable in his skin, as they say, and he has very good ideas. I hope he becomes president. Maybe Stacy Abrams for VP. Two smart clear thinking people.
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Hey who doesn't want free money. "Freedom Dividend" of $1000.
That sounds even better than MAGA. I would vote for Yang.
6
Not a big Yang fan, but he has some interesting ideas, he seems honest, and I would way rather have him than Buttegeige, Biden, or Bloomberg, or any of the others at the bottom. I guess we'll hear more from him, at least until Iowa.
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@ChesBay
Do you mind if I ask why you're not a fan?
1
@Mark -- Suspicious of the $1000 a month. I think it's an entre into eliminating Social Security, and then Medicare. I will say that the Justice Democrats have not written him off. That's interesting. Why do you like him?
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@ChesBay it takes a while for the freedom dividend to sink in. at first it seems like a gimmick, then it seems impossible, but then you start to realize it can improve almost every ill and every division within our cities, our states, and our country. That homeless guy on the street, taken care of. That panhandler, gone. Mass incarceration and high recidivism rate, dramatic improvement. Drug and alcohol abuse, also improves as well. Most of our societal ills all stem from a mindset of scarcity and the downward spiral that overwhelms the human mind. Just imagine a family member repeated deprived of that $200 when they pass GO playing Monopoly. The VAT is a great way to raise the initial startup cost, then the trickle up benefit of the Freedom Dividend will make it cost neutral.
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Maybe his thoughts will spur new thoughts that grab hold but right now, he is taking away real contributions.
We need unity, not more distractions. Unified, we are almost guaranteed a win. With just a few more distractions, we are sure to lose and goodbye democracy.
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@WorldPeace24/7
We're on the brink of several critical issues here. Avoiding Trump's election in 2020 is only one of them.
What good is getting Trump out of office if whichever candidate we elect is woefully unprepared for the impending wave of unemployment due to automation?
Unity should not come at the cost of critical evaluation. Group think is the root of the tribalism-prone culture we have today.
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@WorldPeace24/7 Casting aside a candidate who has one of the most passionate bases and one of the only campaigns that has shown an upward growth trajectory over the last few months as a 'distraction' does not strike me as a very good way to foster unity.
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He should use some of that money to pay his staff. Yang organizers in NH are living out of their cars and paying for their own gas. In our town on the Seacoast, there are six living in one apartment sharing a bathroom.
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@Momma you mean the guy who is offering UBI to the country can’t provide it for his own staff? What a shock.
I'm wondering why Booker is not farther up in the pack.
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I’ve been #YangGang since I heard a podcast on him last year. I donate regularly.
I know the UBI will save the US in the long run. I had 3 kids placed with me in foster care because their mother was homeless. Those kids stayed with us at the cost of thousands of dollars a month (court costs, social workers, transportation, foster care payments). Two of those kids are now in residential care at he cost of over $80k/year! With the UBI, that mother could afford rent. It wouldn’t have solved all her problems but people who says it’s too much or would cost our economy too much don’t know how our systems are failing us now.
As far as him not having enough foreign policy experience- it doesn’t matter. Kerry, McCain, Hillary all had that in spades and it didn’t help at the polls. To have foreign policy experience you have to have been in politics for decades. Reagan, Clinton 1, Bush 2, Obama.... they were all new faces.
When are the Democrats going to figure it out that Americans are tired of voting for the same old political hacks who have been in office for decades and haven’t changed anything for the vast majority of us. (I’m looking at you Biden).
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@Katalina
I am not worried about Yang's qualifications. But the YangGang is hurting his campaign by vicious attacks on the other candidates, especially Buttigieg. Stop it. If you have to use vicious tactics to advance your candidate, then he is not worth trying to advance. We already have a president that is vicious and demeaning. Why do we need another.
Andrew Yang freedom divident is going to be a great foundation to start helping the poor and homeless especially all the homeless kids and teenagers. we have to start somewhere and Andrew Yang will create that starting point. Andrew yang has my vote and I encourage everybody to read all his policies and you tube him. Yang2020 Humanity first..
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Only a very tini percentage even cares he's running.
Maybe he can pay people to vote for him?
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@AutumnLeaf
Depending on what numbers you're looking at, he's currently either 4th, 5th, or 6th in the polls.
Ask yourself this. Is it easier to go from a total unknown with zero political experience to 4/5/6th in a field of over 20 candidates with over 2 centuries of combined political experience, or is it easier to go from 4/5/6th in an election and win the whole thing? Because the latter happens all the time.
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Don’t like him and won’t support him in the primaries. But if he wins the primary I will vote for him enthusiastically into he general election even though I don’t like him. See how this election is going to work?
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Andrew is a distraction from the serious contenders. I have trouble voting for anyone for President who has not served in serious leadership positions that require political negotiating skills embedded within solid policy positions. Look what that got us this time.
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@Mister Ed
Do you really think the main problem with Donald Trump is a lack of political experience?
If he had the ability to wield influence from the White House more effectively - do you see that as a more ideal situation? Because it terrifies me.
Political experience can be sidestepped by surrounding yourself with veterans and experts who have the requisite experience and connections. What we need to cast our vote for in 2020 is a vision strong enough to mend a broken country and the integrity to stay the course.
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@Mister Ed -- its unfair to compare any candidate with limited government experience to Trump and claim that it's disqualifying because look what happened with Trump. Real-world experience founding and managing companies or nonprofits is certainly a good indicator of executive ability. Trump not only had no government experience, he had zero support in the Republican party with anyone experienced in government themselves. Yang, by contrast, is talented in bringing people together; it's basically been his job for years. He goes out and talks to truckers and listens and looks at the data and thinks before putting out a policy proposal. His thoughtful, respectful approach is very much like Buttigieg's, another candidate who has been criticized for lack of government experience. Actually, I think the two of them would make a fresh, powerful team!
4
The best candidate to navigate us through the coming tech disruptions. Pragmatic, reasonable and little in the sense of having maniacal ego issues. If not the nominee he should definitely serve somewhere in the next administration.
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The majority of primary voters are not going to help nominate an amateur politician, no matter how great his/her ideas are.
I’ve listened to Yang. He is offering the same free money every politician is offering, just to a different subset of people. I think from an economic theory point of view, he makes sense. If Yang were a Senator with a track record, I might be more enamored. But he has no experience in Washington, and will be ineffectual as POTUS.
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@bdmike Yang’s policy proposals are drastically different than the other candidates. Warren’s billionaire tax will have major implementation issues, as most billionaires will find ways to keep their money hidden. Bernie’s minimum wage increase will do nothing for workers who are displaced because of self serve kiosks. Yang doesn’t have the same political track record as the other senators yet his ideas are superior and his supporters are passionate and diverse. He’s the only candidate who can peel away the disaffected Trump supporters, independents and libertarians.
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@bdmike The majority of GOP primary voters did in 2016.
@bdmike You really over-estimate the experience. People in DC have made a career and fortune out of their political jobs but still we got in this mess. People who worried about re-election finance will not come up fresh ideas. They have no idea what normal people are struggling.
3
I've been impressed by Yang. His answers are short, factual, and insightful. He leads from a place of pragmatic truth mixed with kindness to all. Although expanded EITC is my preferred answer to automation, I could also support UBI as an approach, if it would help bring country together and reduce economic anxiety, provided it remains less than half of minimum wage (so that people still want to work). Yes to Yang.
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@Russ I like the EITC, but it does not make much sense as an answer to automation. The EITC is a tax credit on income that people have earned from working. If a robot takes my job, then I am no longer working, no longer earning an income, and therefore I am no longer eligible for the tax credit on my earned income because I have no earned income!
8
I am tired of keeping hearing people say Yang is an issue candidate. Take ten seconds to visit his campaign website, you would know he has the most comprehensive policies among all democratics. I am also tired of media coverage bias ( Yang ranked 11th in the media coverage despite polling 6th). It is a combination of low-information voters and media bias that delivered and would deliver another victory to Trump.
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It might help if he talked about something other than UBI then. I’d consider voting for him if I felt confident in his knowledge/attention to other major issues. How’s he do on foreign policy? I have no idea. How about healthcare reform? Couldn’t tell you. All I know is he wants to give people money.
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@Jeremy this is wild it’s almost like you didn’t read the comment you replied to. 160 policies on his website if you actually care about being objective maybe go read them.
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@Jeremy You could go read Jeremy instead of complaining......
2
Andrew Yang can be a great president. America as it is needs this vision, this fresh perspective, this next generation ready to leave the country. He is full of great ideas, and if you are reading this he absolutely deserves a second look, if you have not yet supported him.
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He lacks scope, but most importantly, a much more powerful and wider justice/fairness vision for our society. When I read the oxymoron “humane capitalism”, I see just another businessman trying to make a buck- automation is not the enemy. The real enemy is the creation of excess exchange value, and not enough use value. As my junior high school world history teacher said, “Production!” In many ways, Mr. Yang reminds me of Ross Perot- and should really run as an independent.
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@Robert M. Koretsky
I see your point. But the reality on the ground is so much of our social justice/fairness problem stem right for economic inequality. Just getting UBI off the ground would do so much for the homeless, for the inner city, and for the decaying cities and towns throughout middle America. We can come up with a whole suite of social justice reform (and he does have policies on them, especially regarding incarceration), but they all pale in comparison to restoration of economic justice.
15
@Robert M. Koretsky -- Yang isnt saying that automation is the enemy, but the reality. In the long run many of the jobs automation is replacing are better off being automated: they are dangerous, stressful jobs, like long-distance trucking. Yang is also a realist in that he knows retraining programs, the panacea put forth my most Democrats, do not work. He knows that most people in this country do not graduate from college. They don't want to nor should they have to. Yang advocates for greater access to vocational training for meaningful jobs that cant be taken over by automation. He is much more wholistic in his approach to economic fairness than he has been portrayed in the media, or by the ten seconds allotted to him by debate moderators.
1
For Yang to be of any interest to me, his argument for universal basic income needs to be better embedded into a larger agenda to reform our corporate-style capitalism and to reform our political system to make it less amenable to take over by the wealthy.
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@LE
I think one might equally make the case that ubi needs to be implemented first.
Receiving that kind of money will affect individuals in diverse ways.
But Social Security survives because of the number of stakeholders.
Expanding stake holders possibly will release energy needed to attend to necessary reforms.
48
Yang’s Democracy Dollars policy directly addresses the pervasive influence the wealthy and lobbyists have on our political system. $100 per year and per citizen to donate to politicians they support, use it or lose it. This would wash out the lobbyist cash and empower the people. Remember that the Freedom Dividend is only the foundation from which we create an economy for the 21st century. Read up on his policies listed on the campaigns website and/or listen to one of his long form interviews.
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Look into Yangs Democracy Dollars plan. This answers your question.
54
I’ve been an Andrew Yang supporter since reading his book The War on Normal People. He’s got a plan that would have an immediate positive impact for individuals- actual money in the bank - that is revolutionary, and quite fitting our the brave new world. UBI would free up so much bureaucratic time and attention from all our piecemeal programs to help the more and more people being left further and further behind.
I appreciate Mr. Yang’s sincerity and his keen intellect to put his policies on the table for us to examine. His ideas deserve a thorough look. I sure like what I’m seeing.
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@Lauren
He is the only one that has given the majority of Americans a solution to the income inequality. $1,000 cold cash!
25
@Lauren - I work for an economics company, and I'm sorry to say that Yang's ideas are utterly unworkable. He seems very sincere but he's not going to win, nor does he deserve to.
1
@LJ Evans
Which of the 100+ ideas do you believe are unworkable? Why do you believe so?
Why doesn't he deserve to win?
What determines who deserves to win?
29
Mr. Yang looks bored at debates when he’s not talking. To me that’s not a good look. I do think we need a department of the future that looks at how to give coal miners new jobs and other shifts in the economy and environment. He might be a good person for that but he’s not ready for president.
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@Suzanne
I think he's just frustrated and disaffected by the scripted and theatrical nature of the current Democratic debate format.
Everyone's at each other's throats trying to air out their dirty laundry while also trying to shoehorn some practiced and focus group tested sound bite for maximum results.
I think he's dissapointed. It's basically reality TV. The networks want it that way and the other candidates just assume it's the way the game is played. Don't you think we could be doing better? Having more substance? Aren't you dissapointed?
Setting all that aside you'd be bored too if for three consecutive debates you've been getting the lowest total amount of speaking time (and yet in each debate they always manage to squeeze in a question about China for him) despite polling better than half your peers.
10
@Suzanne Except that he said "Yes! Preach, Beto!" when Beto was making a case for legalizing marijuana and using it for pain management instead of the more addictive drugs.
Andrew Yang cares deeply and is laser-focused on solving real problems rather than imagery, symbolism, and theatrics, which, unfortunately, filled most of the debate.
3
@Suzanne Are you seriously judging a candidate not on their policies but on how they "look"? And you are a woman??
3
I like his idea of UBI, but I don’t want a one issue, completely inexperienced candidate. Not after the chaos of Trump.
14
@Lee Try checking out his book The War on Normal People or Yang’s policy page. UBI is the foundation to the new human-centered economy. Yang also has more of an opportunity to explain the new form of capitalism in his many longform interviews. Like with Eric Weinstein or Sam Harris.
10
@Lee Please visit his website to see the hundreds of policy ideas. He is hardly one issue. He is one of the brightest minds and forward looking leaders of our time! He is a historian, an economist, entrepreneur and lawyer...a scholar and humanitarian. Hardly comparable to Trump.
8
@Lee Go to his website. He has MANY proposals for improving life for Americans. UBI is just one.
7
It is nice to see the success of a “from scratch” candidate. His success contrasts with the establishment newcomers who may still poll or fundraise ahead of him but don’t seem to have a winning formula.
24
Andrew Yang is on his way. To humanize capitalism and make an actual difference in the cultural and political "widening gyre". The freedom dividend is step one in reforming capitalism for the age of AI and automation.
34
I've been wonderfully surprised by this candidate.
Electable: polls very well against Trump (better than any but Biden), and in swing states.
Substantive: depth on his website to rival Warren. Problem solving with top-down, data-driven thinking.
Above all, inspiring: He seems to have organically tapped into hope and passion among a (still relatively small) core fanbase. Reminds me of what it felt like to talk to Obama 2008 supporters.
The missing piece? Scale. Is the upward trajectory fast enough? Is it too late?
154
Nice guy. Won't get anywhere near the nomination.
UBI would never get passed and I'd be very nervous having a neophyte (as we have now) around foreign policy and diplomacy.
Best of luck to him.
6
The way Andrew wins is convincing the media first, and he's finally getting the recognition he deserves.
40
I donated to Andrew Yang's campaign. He doesn't receive enough airtime in the ridiculous sporting events that some call debates, but he's excellent in one on one conversations. I think he has some very interesting ideas that make sense. Not many politicians exhibit good sense these days. He seems like a man with a big heart and a deep soul. Two more things that have been sorely lacking in our leaders.
185
Andrew Yang is also very smart, as with the other candidates. He is relatively unknown and has that to deal with. However, I like and admire a lot of what he says and I think he should also have a chance. However, also, I am really getting irritated at the negative innuendo with which almost all the candidates have to contend. Along with the prevarication of what the Republicans are doing, not to say Trump - the term "extortion" has only recently appeared in the description of the President's actions - I am beginning to prefer reading the British press on what's happening in the U.S.
7
Yang is one of the few candidates I have donated to multiple times. I think he has what it takes to get the kind of broad based political support needed to win an election. He supports health care for all without getting into the toxic social debates that keep tanking Dems among moderates. Also, it’s a relief that his campaign has so few experienced staffers on it. Didn’t we all just read the NYT piece the other week about how absolutely awful Dem campaigners are at new media? We clearly need new blood and new thinking to ever be able to compete in this race!
56
I’m excited to see what Andrew can do in the election and I’m so glad it’s being covered.
33
Tax Campaign Contributions.
Problem Solved.
1
The most pragmatic guy is not being taken seriously. Shocker
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Maybe Yang can take all of the money that is in his Campaign War Chest, and distribute it equally to every man woman and child in America.
4
I am full #YangGang. Full stop.
I believe in Andrew’s message of humanity first because I truly believe he cares about our country and world.
I think he needs to narrow the focus on his biggest agenda item, UBI.
Giving $1K to every American is the game changer. Giving $ to the poor, middle class, upper middle class and wealthy (if they choose to take it) will changes lives and get the economy humming. Most Americans are 1 paycheck away from disaster...
I’m ready for peace of mind and sleepFULL nights, aren’t you?
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@BK Christie -- Yang has been facing skepticism about his viability because people perceive him as a one-issue candidate. If anything, he needs to touch on his other issues during debates and interviews to reassure voters (and journalists) that he has a fully fleshed out platform. His ideas about campaign finance reform, health insurance (similar to Buttigieg's), the value of women's unpaid contribution to childcare, all should be discussed. Reminding folks that UBI would be paid for with a VAT instead of a wealth tax is all he needs to say on the issue.
5