My case for Andrew Yang
The 7th Democratic debate will take place tonight at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, missing the Asian man who likes M.A.T.H. (Beat Trump to punch on nicknames), due to his lack of polling support. Although, Yang, did hit 5% in the De Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom Iowa poll conducted Friday, it was not enough. But, lightening would strike in an Iowa snowstorm and send a message from the Black community in an electric massive celebrity endorsement, Dave Chappelle, who has been officially “Jumped in” to the Yang Gang, and will be performing shows in South Carolina at the end of month for, Humanity First, Yang’s campaign slogan. Andrew’s fundraising capped at 16.5 million for the 4th quarter, all from a grass roots campaign, (Yang Gang) 400,000 individuals, with an average donation of $30. This puts Yang on par with the other major candidates coming in just shy of Warren and Biden.
It’s a shame the Democratic National Committee Chairman, Tom Perez, has not budged on letting Yang compete tonight, saying, “I take a back seat to no one in my commitment to diversity and inclusion.” The lack of polling was addressed directly, “It has been 38 days since a qualifying poll in Iowa, New Hampshire, or Nevada was taken. As you know, big shifts can happen within short periods in this race, as we’ve already witnessed multiple times,” Yang wrote on December 21st in a letter to Perez. A shift was witnessed Monday at Drake, where he packed in 700 MATH wearing locals into the 2nd floor ballroom, chanting Power Point. Andrew believes firmly, “We’re going to make history on February Third, and they will never see us coming,” he said. Yang already has outlasted three senators and two governors, impressive, for virtual unknown with no political experience. Hopefully the other candidates continue to steal his tag lines from the last debate and give him more influence than a shout out. Why have Andrew’s platform and a campaign of ideas gained so much support?
As a Trump voter, and a supporter to a certain extent, Andrew Yang’s message, Humanity First, has really resonated with me. If the Democrats plan on defeating the President in November, its simple M.A.T.H. (Make America Think Harder) Andrew and Bernie are the only candidates that sway independent, libertarian, and green voters. Who some support Trump. As a registered independent/no party, with libertarian leaning views, I get what Yang is putting down. Let’s start with the most threatening idea to conservatives and liberals as well, the Freedom Dividend.
Andrew Yang’s platform is centered on UBI, (Universal Basic Income), or now rebranded as the Freedom Dividend, where every American over 18, who opts in, will receive $1,000 a month, no questions asked, but they would have to opt out of the welfare state. (I.e. no EBT) When these ideas are first presented, the trucker in Iowa said, “Heck No”, “But as he starts to talk, it makes sense.” So what makes sense about free cash?
I didn’t really understand it until I heard dividend over and over. Andrew states, “We are stakeholders in the most successful economy ever.” “When a company issues a dividend their stock holders aren’t upset.” I know you need more convincing. Well this idea is not new, Andrew champions MLK and Thomas Paine when asked about the Freedom Dividend origins. Richard Nixon was even in favor of a basic income bill that was scrapped at the last minute. It’s hard to justify so much foreign aid, military spending, bailouts, and tax cuts when poverty is real in the greatest country in the world. We should lead by example, but what good does giving a bunch of lazy people money, or rich people that don’t even need it?
Well, Yang sights his first example, the Alaskan Permanent Fund, established 1976 from the North Slope oil reserve to the Trans-Alaskan pipeline was put in operation, netting 25% to citizens of the state through oil and taxes. The fund started at 734k in 1976 to 53 billion in 2015. Dividends paid to Alaskans averaged $1,600 in 2019, per person, straight across the board, no hoops to jump through, a real dividend, not government welfare. A friend of Yang’s said, “The gov’t isn’t good at a lot of things, but they’re really good at sending large checks every month,” ha. Conservatives feel government gets in the way. This is a true business transaction that then pays in production, with an investment in Human Capital. Even Jay Hammond, a Republican, signed the bill. But, why do we need to do this in the first place, this is America, dreams are built here right?
Andrew says empathically, “We are not alright.” The life expectancy of Americans has declined over the last 3 years due to drug overdose and suicides. This hasn’t occurred since the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918. The water in Flint may kill you or at least diminish your mental capacity forever. 57% of Americans can’t afford a $500 unexpected payment. What if you get sick, your car breaks down, or your child needs more care? All you can do is rob Peter to pay Paul, disconnect between low unemployment and 3% GDP growth is common for the average American, this is unacceptable!
Yang talks about, “If we change the measurements, we change everything.” GDP is outdated and not counting our education rates, mental health, child care, elderly care, life expectancy, obesity, median income, home ownership, college graduated, and so on. The participation rate of the work force in the US is only at 63%, France is at 71%. “The government counts the work my wife does with our 2 children at 0,” says Yang. Even as Trump stated, “These numbers are not real.” The nation is divided by fly over country against coasts, the halves and halve nots. So why should free money solve the problem?
First off, Andrew makes the case for Automation taking over the economy we once knew, “We are in the 3rd or 4th inning of the 4th industrial revolution.” “Self-driving trucks will be a reality, the most common job in 29 states.” If your days are similar to mine you’ve had to adjust to AI, or automation, changing old ways of business, for me, I found no one at admissions in a major hospital, instead replaced by a screen and pager. At McDonalds, I went inside because the drive thru was long, only to find no one to take my order, kiosk, please. What happens when call center workers are replaced by AI, retail by a kiosk, truck drivers, which will affect diners, hotels, and gas station workers? These are the most common jobs in the nation. “Donald Trump was elected, because we automated 4 million jobs in Ohio, PA, Wis, Iowa, MI, and MO.” And so, it was branded, the Rust Belt. I know, you’re not sold yet but wait there’s more.
Let’s go back to the old standard, GDP (Gross Domestic Product). Two thirds of the GDP is consumer spending! I recall Bush telling me it was all good and to shop after 9/11. If everyone over 18 received the Freedom Dividend a majority of it would go into the local economy, “Creating 2 million jobs,” says Yang. It would spark tremendous small business growth, believe me, ha! American Entrepreneurs Have Been In Decline for 40 Years according to US census data. Just think you’re an entrepreneur, and are worried about sales in order to pay your rent, employees, advertising, taxes, and so on, but you have $1,000 coming on the first for security. I believe you would be better mentally, conquering the fear of failure since 2008, allowing an increased chance at success. Remember old Gill from the Simpsons, always desperate to make that sale, the dividend relieves this stress. In addition, consumers have more purchasing power to spur more business growth. I know you’re thinking inflation right.
During The Great Recession, the FED printed billions to bail out the banks, which would’ve accounted to every citizen receiving 33k. The stables of inflation have been healthcare, education, and housing. The FED printed money without a vote and everything was ok. Andrew is only talking about 12,000 per person per year. But how the hell do we pay for this?
Yang has stated, “Other industrialized countries have a value added tax.” This tax would give the US a slice of every Amazon transaction, Facebook Ad, Google search, and robot truck miles. “Amazon is a trillion dollar company that paid 0 in tax last year. “Data is the new oil,” Yang states. The amount of info on every citizen has been exploited and we deserve our share, just like the Alaskans. Funny, I watched Trump vs. Hilary 1, he was better than, and he talks of a value added tax Mexico does at 16%. Yang is only purposing 10% and with elimination of current welfare the cost becomes much more affordable. In addition to a growing economy the cost, he estimates is 1.7 trillion. The Freedom dividend money would go right in the economy through Amazon, Wal-Mart, and local business, plus rich people would invest it. That math works out to more growth on Wall St. and Main St. As they say in Real Estate, Win, Win.
My, mother, a Republican voter faithfully, mostly due to her values on abortion has had enough of the Donald, so how does Yang resonate with this demographic? I read a pro-lifer argue that the Freedom Dividend was the most pro-life proposal she had seen, by eliminating financial strain on young families, you reduce abortion. If Over 73% of abortions are motivated by financial constraints, (Guttmacher Institute) the MATH makes sense.
MLK said, “A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.”
We have the funds, not to invest in ourselves would be against the values of Lincoln.
Choose Humanity First, Choose Human Capital Investment, Choose another entrepreneur, not a politician, but a problem solver, the guy knows how to make payroll. See Venture for America.
Or Democrats can choose Biden or Warren with a loss.
