# 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:** 6
### Author:  [@DavidChou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidChou)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2019, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/101 "2019-02-22T20:49:49Z")
> [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](#):
>
> While I’m also a Bernie Sanders fan, he gets really vague about UBI, based on these interviews that someone compiled on [Medium.com](http://Medium.com). [[On the Record: Bernie Sanders on Basic Income]](https://medium.com/basic-income/on-the-record-bernie-sanders-on-basic-income-de9162fb3b5c) I’d be interested to see the pros and cons of UBI vs $15/hr minimum wage and how realistic each would be and how it’s predicted to help.
Yeah, so I found this very interesting, too – and did some research and it would seem that Bernie’s against U.B.I. the same way Marx himself was against it: U.B.I. doesn’t address the underlying problem of capitalism but mere extends the expiration date of capitalism by proffering scraps to the exploited.
It seems to make sense theoretically but in practice I gotta say that a thousand a month for life would be infinitely much more useful to me than a guarantee that any job I get I’ll make at least fifteen an hour.
---
### Author:  [@DavidChou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidChou)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2019, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/102 "2019-02-22T20:51:06Z")
> [@Bone](#):
>
> Welcome to the Straight Dope! Please familiarize yourself with the [rules of the board and the registration agreement](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=864546). Soliciting donations is not allowed without prior approval from the moderation team. As a result, I’ve edited your post and removed your signature.
>
> [/moderating]
Um, you’ve deleted my whole message!! I had much more than just a donation link.
---
### Author:  [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2019, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/103 "2019-02-22T20:55:16Z")
> [@DavidChou](#):
>
> Um, you’ve deleted my whole message!! I had much more than just a donation link.
Yes. I could not find a way to extract the rest of your message in a way that made sense. Feel free to repost the content sans seeking donations.
---
### Author:  [@DavidChou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidChou)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2019, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/104 "2019-02-22T21:01:39Z")
> [@asahi](#):
>
> I think what you’ve written above is why I am interested in seeing Yang go far, even knowing his chances are slim to none. I want someone in the democratic party who has some business ‘street cred’ so to speak, and who has a good sense for what will and will not work. What I see in the Democratic party now is hard liberalism on one side and status quo, paternalistic Republican Lite on the other.
Hear, hear!! I’m also tired of being caught between the BLM drama queens and the Wall Street fellaters.
> [@asahi](#):
>
> I think Yang makes a strong case against free college. Like him, I’ve seen no evidence that it would lead to better employment outcomes, and higher education itself is bloated with administration. It would take care of the problem of student debt, but that debt would be simply paid for by the taxpaying public. It seems like free college is a rather poor investment. On the other hand, perhaps partially subsidizing trade school programs or certain kinds of college programs might be a better way to go.
Indeed – I’ve only been converted on this myself this very afternoon!!
I’m still against legalization of marijuana and statehood for Puerto Rico – but whatever. I can live with those, however fitfully.
> [@asahi](#):
>
> I also agree with Yang on the minimum wage. I’d rather simply pay people a dividend or whatever you want to call it instead of forcing businesses to pay a cost for the sake of human welfare.
I agree that that’s the more practical and realistic way of doing things – at least for the foreseeable future when we still seem to need capitalism but clearly it’s got its defects.
> [@asahi](#):
>
> Businesses probably should pay corporate taxes that go to a national welfare scheme, which would include healthcare costs and a pension program.
Well, there’s no need for a pension with U.B.I., is there?? Though Yang’s definitely for a government-backed single-payer healthcare system.
> [@asahi](#):
>
> I’m for a basic wage floor so that workers aren’t outright exploited, but using that wage floor to make the market pay a livable wage is probably just going to make it harder for small businesses to compete and it could even raise inflation in the longer term.
So this is a very interesting – if basically “academic” – point because the Marxists say, IIRC, that a wage floor is exactly what will keep the exploitative system going, rather like making sure slaves are properly fed and given Sundays off.
I suspect this is why Bernie himself has shied from U.B.I. on several occasions throughout the years.
---
### Author:  [@DavidChou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidChou)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2019, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/105 "2019-02-22T21:04:07Z")
> [@Bone](#):
>
> Yes. I could not find a way to extract the rest of your message in a way that made sense. Feel free to repost the content sans seeking donations.
Um, seems weird you couldn’t just delete that one line.
[deleted by Bone]
---
### Author:  [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2019, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/106 "2019-02-22T21:08:29Z")
> [@DavidChou](#):
>
> Um, seems weird you couldn’t just delete that one line.
>
> [deleted by Bone]
Again, I’ve edited your post because it was a call to action seeking donations. From the rules here:
> [@Terms of Service and FAQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-of-service-and-faq/823562/2):
>
> **Calls to Action** - Do not instigate members to take action for or against any issue or entity. Do not post phone numbers, email addresses or any other personally identifiable information of any entity in this regard. Threads calling for folks to take actions (political, charitable, personal, etc.) are prohibited unless there is prior approval from a moderator or administrator.
These were my instructions (see bolded part):
> [@Bone](#):
>
> Yes. I could not find a way to extract the rest of your message in a way that made sense. Feel free to repost the content **sans seeking donations.**
Discussion about pros/cons of candidates, etc. are fine. Asking or directing people to donate is not fine. Don’t do this.
[/moderating]
---
### Author:  [@DavidChou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidChou)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2019, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/107 "2019-02-22T21:11:09Z")
> [@Ryan\_Liam](#):
>
> Kamala Harris is an establishment candidate. Same with Corey Booker. Yang is immediately shot down despite being well qualified and having actual policy proposals.
This is what I fear most, that we’ll get the corporate blackface (yes, corporations doing blackface) we had with Obama, thereby preventing any meaningful positive change.
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### Author:  [@DavidChou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidChou)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2019, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/108 "2019-02-22T21:12:17Z")
> [@Bone](#):
>
> Again, I’ve edited your post because it was a call to action seeking donations. From the rules here:
> These were my instructions (see bolded part):
>
> Discussion about pros/cons of candidates, etc. are fine. Asking or directing people to donate is not fine. Don’t do this.
>
> [/moderating]
Oh, okay, my apologies: for some reason I got it in my head that links were not allowed, not the message itself to donate (though yes you’d specified that).
Well, that solves the mystery of why my whole message was deleted!
---
### Author:  [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2019, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/109 "2019-02-22T21:19:19Z")
> [@](#):
>
> **DavidChou**
> This is what I fear most, that we’ll get the corporate blackface (yes, corporations doing blackface) we had with Obama, thereby preventing any meaningful positive change.
They help to hollowout their progressive policy positions and in turn pretend to be progressive.
Welcome to the YangGang my man.
---
### Author:  [@DavidChou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidChou)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2019, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/110 "2019-02-22T21:20:40Z")
> [@aesop](#):
>
> Nitpick, to qualify for the Democratic primary debates in June and July he needs to:
>
> Receive at least 1% in 3 polls either nationally or in early states (Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, South Carolina) between January 1 and mid-May;
>
> or
>
> Receive 65,000 individual donations, including at least 200 from 20 different states.
>
> He’s got 16,000 donations to date and 130,000 followers on social media.
>
> All the above is from an email sent to his donors, FYI.
Yeah so I’m unclear as to whether he’s already qualified…'cause in two videos, including the Georgetown U. I’d cited earlier today, he states that he’s already achieved the 1% name recognition – though it’s not certain whether he means that in the sense of qualifying due to, as you note, having achieved that on three separate polls or he’s only achieved that on one poll or two somewhere…
> [@aesop](#):
>
> If he can get to the debate stage, debating skills not withstanding, his ideas will quickly galvanize people either for or against. I sincerely hope he gets a shot to make his case.
He held his own quite well, to my relief, against that guy Varney on Fox Business…there’s a six-minute video on YouTube of put-down after put-down, but Andrew stayed focused and on-message – though Varney’s nowhere near as scathing as Trump so that’s still a concern.
---
### Author:  [@DavidChou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidChou)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2019, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/111 "2019-02-22T21:25:45Z")
> [@Ryan\_Liam](#):
>
> They help to hollowout their progressive policy positions and in turn pretend to be progressive.
Yeah, I know Obama tried but even way in the beginning when I was even less experienced politically than I am now I had a feeling that he was basically a corporate candidate. (Yes yes Republicans blocked him at every turn but I believe he could have mounted a Bernie-style “insurgency” due to his popularity and just didn’t 'cause being a good Clintonian corporate triangulator is just in his political DNA.)
> [@Ryan\_Liam](#):
>
> Welcome to the YangGang my man.
Hey, thanks! And thanks for starting this thread – I was doing research on Yang and that’s how I wound up here (though I’d heard of TSD before).
---
### Author:  [@DavidChou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidChou)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2019, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/112 "2019-02-22T21:32:57Z")
> [@Ryan\_Liam](#):
>
> [A Glance at US Politics from Asian American: Andrew Yang Presidential Candidate.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXiXhxPDnl8)
>
> This is pretty good.
Yeah, no, actually, I hope Yang stays away from the identity politics stuff…I mean it’s obvious he’s Asian but hopefully he develops some way of not getting bogged down in “p.c. culture” one way or the other…it’s gonna be hard 'cause he’s gotta seek the Dem nomination which has the big “traditional lefty” talking points that gotta be ritually acknowledged…
---
### Author:  [@DavidChou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidChou)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2019, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/113 "2019-02-22T21:35:04Z")
Not a biggie of course but I just gotta wonder – why’s his own campaign button worn on the lapel literally always lopsided??
I’ve seen over twenty Yang videos, from his own to Fox, Iowa TV, and New Hampshire TV and he’s always got that thing on its side, LOL!
---
### Author:  [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2019, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/114 "2019-02-22T21:37:49Z")
> [@DavidChou](#):
>
> Yeah, no, actually, I hope Yang stays away from the identity politics stuff…I mean it’s obvious he’s Asian but hopefully he develops some way of not getting bogged down in “p.c. culture” one way or the other…it’s gonna be hard 'cause he’s gotta seek the Dem nomination which has the big “traditional lefty” talking points that gotta be ritually acknowledged…
[radio host asks him about giving extra money to African Americans](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgLUOAEucKs&feature=youtu.be&t=2501)
---
### Author:  [@DavidChou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidChou)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2019, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/115 "2019-02-22T21:48:47Z")
> [@Ryan\_Liam](#):
>
> [radio host asks him about giving extra money to African Americans](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgLUOAEucKs&feature=youtu.be&t=2501)
Yeah, I saw that too!!
Andrew handled it okay, though the African-American host was being polite, too, in not pressing him on it…so again I’m just concerned ('cause hey a thousand bucks a month starting 2021 or so would help, yeah!) 'cause Warren, Booker, and Harris are already on record as being for ADOS Reparations and many blacks are gonna just want that, understandably enough, even though that’ll be the kiss of death in the general election.
---
### Author:  [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2019, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/116 "2019-02-22T21:52:26Z")
> [@DavidChou](#):
>
> But I became a true believer just five days ago (and have been researching this guy and U.B.I. since then [that’s how I found out about this forum and this thread]) when I noticed that in the YouTube comments even Trump supporters and, especially, white supremacists were saying they were supporting him for President – all because of U.B.I.!!.
> [@DavidChou](#):
>
> Hear, hear!! I’m also tired of being caught between the BLM drama queens and the Wall Street fellaters.
Might you be a Trump supporter?
---
### Author:  [@DavidChou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidChou)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2019, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/117 "2019-02-22T22:01:44Z")
> [@CarnalK](#):
>
> Might you be a Trump supporter?
Depends on what you mean by “supporter”…I do share the disdain for “p.c. culture” that many Trump people also express and I’m glad that his successful candidacy has forced establishment media to confront that.
I mean, BLM drama queens screaming at Bernie of all people??? Yeah, I’m glad Trump’s undercut that to some degree. Just look at that Covington Catholic High School mess, never mind the Smollet drama.
I really hope Andrew manages to avoid all this…because it seems like there will be folks who want to pin him down on these issues in the Dem primary – to the almost certainly fatal detriment of his general election performance.
---
### Author:  [@aesop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aesop)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2019, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/118 "2019-02-23T00:30:55Z")
I particularly like how Yang is framing the narrative outside the bounds of traditional Capitalism vs. Socialism. We need to take the best of both. It’s a nuanced argument, which may not play well in a national election driven by tweets and soundbites, but I’m guessing a lot of the electorate who reject Socialism outright will find a way to embrace a monthly $1,000 dividend.
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### Author:  [@DavidChou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidChou)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2019, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/119 "2019-02-23T02:12:50Z")
That’s my hope, too – let’s see if people really do vote against their own economic best interests!!!
The Yang candidacy will be a social science experiment for the ages…no clearer way to put it than, here, here’s a thousand bucks each month for life…
---
### Author:  [@aesop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aesop)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2019, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-andrew-yang-presidential-campaign-thread/829555/120 "2019-02-23T07:55:33Z")
> [@DavidChou](#):
>
> That’s my hope, too – let’s see if people really do vote against their own economic best interests!!!
>
> The Yang candidacy will be a social science experiment for the ages…no clearer way to put it than, here, here’s a thousand bucks each month for life…
Never underestimate the effectiveness of a straight cash bribe!
It is remarkable that somewhere in the last 150 years or so our species figured out ways to produce and distribute enough goods to provide every person on the planet with basic levels of food, water and shelter. We chose not to. We thought it more virtuous to have some people aggregate far more than they could ever consume while others literally starve. Future historians will expand what we condescendingly call the Dark Ages to include our own century.
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