# The Andrew Yang Presidential Campaign thread
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555
**Category:** Politics & Elections
**Created:** [February 14, 2019, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555 "2019-02-14T21:16:10Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2019, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/1 "2019-02-14T21:16:10Z")
Andrew Yang was an advisor on entrepreneurship to the Obama administration, he announced his candidacy last summer, on a platform of universal basic income, rebranded the ‘Freedom Dividend’ along with free universal healthcare and free college tuition. He’s also put his money where his mouth is by providing a family $1000 a month out of his own pocket.
I invite all of you to check out his interview with Joe Rogan on youtube, it clocked up over a million views in 2 days, alot of the comments are along the lines of ‘was skeptical at first, but he has my vote’
[Donald Trump’s Election Was Really About Economics | Joe Rogan and Andrew Yang](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tv-_GrilTa8) 6 minutes long.
[Joe Rogan Experience #1245 - Andrew Yang](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTsEzmFamZ8) This is over an hour long (Has over 1 million views)
[His campaign website](https://www.yang2020.com/)
[His twitter page if you want to have a look](https://twitter.com/AndrewYangVFA)
I like his platform alot because he seems to have done proper research into the economic problems of the US, plus if he’s president, it’ll legitimize a different approach to tackling the economic malaise we’re in at the moment and that might influence my country to take the same approach, so this differentiates him from not just being an ‘Oppose Trump’ Candidate. Plus, first Asian-American as president, that’d be amazing.
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### Author:  [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2019, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/2 "2019-02-14T21:46:27Z")
Fascinating candidacy. Unfortunately, he’ll probably be the Martin O’Malley of 2020, someone who would be a good candidate in his own right but stands no chance against the Bidens, Warrens, Kamalas, Bernies and Betos.
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### Author:  [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2019, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/3 "2019-02-14T21:52:13Z")
His bio says he’s not a “career politician.”
When will people understand that the sole qualification for being President is _being_ a career politician?
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### Author:  [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2019, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/4 "2019-02-14T21:55:42Z")
> [@Velocity](#):
>
> Fascinating candidacy. Unfortunately, he’ll probably be the Martin O’Malley of 2020, someone who would be a good candidate in his own right but stands no chance against the Bidens, Warrens, Kamalas, Bernies and Betos.
I know, but I’m gonna try and do my part, sigh.
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### Author:  [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2019, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/5 "2019-02-14T22:05:49Z")
I had not heard of him at all until last weekend when the news was showing head-shots of all the field of Dem candidates that have thrown their hats into the ring, after the Warren and Klobuchar announcements. I am willing to look into him a little further to see what he is all about (as with any of the candidates). My prime criteria for who I will get behind, tho, is which one has the best chance of unseating Trump. Policy positions come a distant second.
> [@Ryan\_Liam](#):
>
> Plus, first Asian-American as president, that’d be amazing.
Why so?
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### Author:  [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2019, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/6 "2019-02-14T22:13:12Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Why so?
I just imagine the optics and commentary when he goes to meet the Chinese president, and lectures him.
> [@](#):
>
> I had not heard of him at all until last weekend when the news was showing head-shots of all the field of Dem candidates that have thrown their hats into the ring, after the Warren and Klobuchar announcements. I am willing to look into him a little further to see what he is all about (as with any of the candidates). My prime criteria for who I will get behind, tho, is which one has the best chance of unseating Trump. Policy positions come a distant second.
Yeah but a presidency with no policy is just going to churn out another Trump like character in the long run.
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### Author:  [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2019, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/7 "2019-02-15T01:25:32Z")
At OP’s request, I have changed the title to be more expressive.
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### Author:  [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2019, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/8 "2019-02-15T02:01:48Z")
> [@Velocity](#):
>
> Fascinating candidacy. Unfortunately, he’ll probably be the Martin O’Malley of 2020, someone who would be a good candidate in his own right […]
Uh, no. He’s a joke candidate. Zero useful experience and pushing an entirely untested overhaul of the benefits system.
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### Author:  [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2019, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/9 "2019-02-15T02:51:56Z")
Seems more someone to try and push the overton window to the left to me. When you can’t win, it makes sense to run on ideals.
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### Author:  [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2019, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/10 "2019-02-15T03:14:08Z")
We really have no idea how UBI will work in the real world. It’s a very interesting and perhaps useful idea but it’s mostly theoretical right now and I’m not super impressed with a guy pushing the Overton window to include that as a serious platform plank.
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### Author:  [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2019, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/11 "2019-02-15T04:53:32Z")
> [@CarnalK](#):
>
> We really have no idea how UBI will work in the real world. It’s a very interesting and perhaps useful idea but it’s mostly theoretical right now and I’m not super impressed with a guy pushing the Overton window to include that as a serious platform plank.
I don’t think it’s really an Overton window platform.
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### Author:  [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2019, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/12 "2019-02-15T05:55:17Z")
> [@CarnalK](#):
>
> Uh, no. He’s a joke candidate. Zero useful experience and pushing an entirely untested overhaul of the benefits system.
I guess we need some new gadflies to replace Lyndon LaRouche.
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### Author:  [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2019, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/13 "2019-02-15T10:11:55Z")
I was not taking him at all seriously, but I have listened to the nigh-two-hour conversation with Joe Rogan, and he’s an interesting guy with some pretty big ideas. He might be a good advisor or cabinet secretary, anyway.
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### Author:  [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2019, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/14 "2019-02-15T10:15:13Z")
> [@CarnalK](#):
>
> Uh, no. He’s a joke candidate. Zero useful experience and pushing an entirely untested overhaul of the benefits system.
Nonsense. Alaska’s experience is as solid a test as we need.
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### Author:  [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2019, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/15 "2019-02-15T13:47:23Z")
The clown car grows more crowded by the day. UBI? What is this a dorm-room smoke session? Ah Rogan is involved, ok.
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### Author:  [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2019, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/16 "2019-02-15T14:27:00Z")
> [@](#):
>
> **WillFarnaby**
> The clown car grows more crowded by the day. UBI? What is this a dorm-room smoke session? Ah Rogan is involved, ok.
Just give him a try, I’ll provide some clips so you don’t have to watch the entire interview if you don’t have time.
Here;
[Why Life Expectancy for Americans is Declining](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKpf3p1Dldg)
[The Problem with “Free” College](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DMCsXq_mYw)
[The Problem with “Free” College](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-vSB6gQszY)
[Bernie Sanders and the DNC | Joe Rogan & Andrew Yang](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDJV0emoz5k)
> [@](#):
>
> **foolsguinea**
> I was not taking him at all seriously, but I have listened to the nigh-two-hour conversation with Joe Rogan, and he’s an interesting guy with some pretty big ideas. He might be a good advisor or cabinet secretary, anyway.
Exactly, he’s also written a book, [The War on Normal People: The Truth About America’s Disappearing Jobs and Why Universal Basic Income Is Our Future](https://www.amazon.com/War-Normal-People-Disappearing-Universal/dp/0316414247)
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### Author:  [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2019, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/17 "2019-02-15T14:35:07Z")
[The Bleak Impact of Automation |](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-vSB6gQszY) Should be the second link which says ‘Problem with free college’
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2019, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/18 "2019-02-15T15:28:24Z")
There are always a bunch of crackpots with crazy ideas and no chance of winning in any party’s presidential primary. That’s nothing new. What made the Republican races “clown cars” for the past two cycles was that the clowns all actually led in the polls at one point or another, and in 2016, one of the clowns even managed to win.
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### Author:  [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2019, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/19 "2019-02-15T15:33:27Z")
> [@Chronos](#):
>
> There are always a bunch of crackpots with crazy ideas and no chance of winning in any party’s presidential primary. That’s nothing new. What made the Republican races “clown cars” for the past two cycles was that the clowns all actually led in the polls at one point or another, and in 2016, one of the clowns even managed to win.
But he’s not a crackpot
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### Author:  [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2019, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/20 "2019-02-15T16:24:49Z")
I see Andrew Yang is another Bernie Sanders or Ross Perot candidate. One would be foolish to lay down a bet on him, but he could turn out to be an issues-driven candidate that people talk about, and he might be able to surprise people.
Unfortunately, I don’t know if what he’s talking about really can capture anyone’s imagination at present. I push back a bit on CarnalK’s charge that he’s completely in Overton Window territory, because he’s talking about issues that are inevitably going to be confronting us in the not-too-distant future. However, I’d agree that its’ an easier pull to get people to talk about something like Medicare-for-All of $15 minimum wages because it’s closer to becoming a reality.
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