Andrew Yang came from out of nowhere and surprised everyone as a Democratic presidential candidate. He ended up dropping out of the race, but not before he made an impression.
Here are 8 reasons why he is likely to be part of the political landscape for years to come:
1. He is a Young Man
At 45, he is a young man. Especially in political circles. He has time to play a long game.
2. He Brings More Diversity into Politics
He liked to joke that he was the opposite of Donald Trump – an Asian man who likes math. Nice. A sense of humor.
All kidding aside, he has also stated that he was proud to be the first Asian American to run for president as a Democrat.
3. He is Inclusive of Others
As society becomes more inclusive, those who can relate to diversity in others and include them will be recognized as an asset.
Yang has an autistic child, so he especially relates to those who have children with special needs. He has done events that were directed at parents of autistic children.
4. He Has a Fresh Take on the Meaning of Value
Yang feels that the current measure of the well-being of citizens doesn’t reflect reality.
With the current economic metrics, the gross domestic product is so important that it creates a standard where, unless you are directly contributing to the gross domestic product, you have no value.
5. He Believes in a Universal Basic Income
“Freedom Dividend” was Yang’s signature policy, a universal basic income (UBI) that would give $1,000 a month to every American adult, regardless of their working status, or any other status.
UBI is a response to job displacement by automation.
UBI would allow all Americans to contribute. They could pay their bills, get an education, or use it in any way that would contribute to their well-being.
6. He is Highly Motivated
Yang hadn’t thought of running for president until Donald Trump won in 2016. Trump’s victory left Yang upset.
Yang understood that manufacturing jobs were disappearing due to automation, and that people were angry. Trump tapped into that anger, but didn’t offer any solutions to it. Yang wants to offer solutions.
7. He Understands How Technology is Affecting America
He was the only one speaking about automation and technology, yet they affect every American.
He spoke about how automation was causing job displacement, and spoke about big tech companies being so large that they cause local retail stores to close, resulting in job losses in the retail sector.
He proposed that imposing more taxes on the big tech companies could help fund his Freedom Dividends.
8. He is Open to Being a Running Mate
What is important to Yang is solving problems and offering solutions, especially for the next generation. His current goal is to defeat Donald Trump by any means necessary, even being a running mate.
These reasons illustrate how Yang is sure to contribute to American political discourse in the future.
