YangLinks.com Mirror

YangLinks.com is a website created and maintained by a supporter of presidential candidate Andrew Yang, which compiles the most common questions people ask about him and his policy proposals, and lists brief yet informative answers which can then serve as a springboard for further research.  This website has existed even past the suspension of his 2020 campaign, and this page here on alex98 serves as a backup of the content on YangLinks should it ever go offline.

Universal Basic Income

How does Yang plan to fund UBI?

Yang explains how he plans to fund UBI by implementing a 10% VAT and consolidating existing welfare programs here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/cTsEzmFamZ8?t=505

Won't UBI cause inflation?

Yang has a BA in Economics from Brown and inflation is one of the first things he's thought about. He does not believe inflation is a concern with UBI, and explains why here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/87M2HwkZZcw?t=637

Is UBI a socialist idea?

Yang's UBI is far from socialist and he explains his vision for what he calls Human Centered Capitalism here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/NHDIEPFNlLI?t=25m50s

Would UBI replace medicare or social security?

Yang states that UBI would not replace medicare or social security in this video (timestamped) https://youtu.be/qu88cKkVIQs?t=6058

Won't a VAT cancel out the Freedom Dividend (UBI)?

Yang covers how the effects of a VAT are more than offset when coupled with a UBI here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/nlGPtWXW230?t=43m42s

Is a VAT regressive?

Though regressive on it's own, Yang explains how a UBI+VAT policy is not regressive here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/_ONkNw1jbVg?t=788

Won't those on welfare who don't opt-in to UBI be worse off?

For those who don't opt-in to UBI, Yang would increase their benefits as to offset the VAT. (timestamped) https://youtu.be/_ONkNw1jbVg?t=858

Why $1,000?  Why not $2,000?

Yang goes into why $1,000/mo, which is just below the poverty line, is a great starting point for UBI here (timestamped) https://vimeo.com/368717449#t=40m69s

Won't rent increase because of UBI?

Yang has covered the issue of potential rent increases here (timestamped) https://vimeo.com/368717449#t=43m71s

Why should someone who is not working receive $1000/mo?

Contrary to popular belief, Yang explains how the Freedom Dividend would do more to encourage people to work, as well as create millions of new jobs in local economies (timestamped) https://youtu.be/rrsLVX8MHSo?t=1298

Won't people just squander their money on drugs and video games?

Yang covers the concern that some might squander UBI on drugs and video games here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/BmdX80OER4c?t=1367

Don't people need purpose?

UBI does not look to remove purpose, and Yang has talked to the question of purpose here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/-DHuRTvzMFw?t=2493

Why should the rich get $1,000/mo?

In this video Yang cites several reasons why everyone, even the rich, should get $1000/mo (timestamped) https://youtu.be/87M2HwkZZcw?t=1335

How will Yang pass a UBI and get Congress on board?

Yang details how bipartisan support for a UBI will make it favorable for both parties in Congress to support here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/cTsEzmFamZ8?t=5326

What's to stop a future administration from rescinding UBI?

Yang likens his UBI proposal to the Petroleum Fund in Alaska to explain how politically unpopular it is to reverse universal policies here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/NHDIEPFNlLI?t=1675

Won't tech CEOs vehemently oppose a VAT?

Yang explains how tech CEOs actually see the benefits of implementing a tax on consumption here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/NHDIEPFNlLI?t=1593

Would Americans pay income tax on the Freedom Dividend?

Yang plans to provide the Freedom Dividend free and clear, untaxed (timestamped) https://youtu.be/87M2HwkZZcw?t=17m08s

Would UBI subsidize companies to lower wages?

Yang explains that a UBI could actually drive higher wages because it gives workers the power to say no to exploitative job arrangements here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/alRgSjWT2RI?t=2486

Didn't UBI fail in Finland?

Finland's UBI trial was no failure. Yang talks about Finland's UBI trial here and how it showed positive outcomes in, among other things, health, mental health, and relationships. (timestamped) https://youtu.be/OS5ReGABTgM?t=156

Didn't the Tax Foundation say Yang's numbers don't add up?

Yang details how the the headline cost is much lower than people realize and goes on to explain how to fund UBI here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/MWXfj9xdEmE?t=419

How will homeless people collect the Freedom Dividend?

Yang outlines how cities and nonprofits would be incentivized to help homeless citizens collect their Freedom Dividend (timestamped) https://youtu.be/otEbT0l_Hbg?t=74m46s

Healthcare

What's Yang's stance on single-payer / M4A, and how would it be funded?

Yang details his stance on healthcare and Medicare for All here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/nlGPtWXW230?t=863

What will Yang do for those with disabilities?

UBI stacks with SSDI and VA disability, and Yang goes into how most people with disabilities would benefit with a UBI here (timestamped). https://youtu.be/9j3xkgZwip4?t=901

What will Yang Do about the rising cost of prescription meds?

Yang is all for lowering the cost of prescription meds and describes how he plans to do so with drug companies here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/qu88cKkVIQs?t=5617

Democracy

Does Yang have a plan for restoring voting rights?

Yang talks about how voters are being suppressed but that there are things that can be done at the federal level to address it here (timestamped) https://vimeo.com/368717449#t=13m42s

Is Yang for ranked choice voting?

Yang is a fan of ranked choice voting and explains why he believes in it as a way to encourage a diversity of perspectives here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/kjiHwx6bpkg?t=1195

What's Yang's stance on gerrymandering?

Yang acknowledges that gerrymandering ends up favoring incumbents and polarized policies, and believes that the US should address it (timestamped) https://youtu.be/kjiHwx6bpkg?t=1535

What's Yang's stance on earmarks?

Yang has described how reviving earmarks would allow Congress to have more negotiating power and get more things done here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/kjiHwx6bpkg?t=2128

How will Yang fix the problem of money in politics?

Yang explains his Democracy Dollars policy that would effectively flush out the effects of corporate money influence here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/IVs4CXDws2A?t=188

Campaign

What is Yang's motivation for running for president?

Yang decided to run for president because no politician in DC was doing anything to address the real root cause of lost jobs across America: rising automation. https://youtu.be/cTsEzmFamZ8?t=2854

Why doesn't Yang run for lower office first?

Yang talks about how that the economy is transforming so quickly that there simply isn't time to play political games here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/ka5D5j1jO3U?t=533

Can Yang even win?

Yang talks about his chances of winning here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/cTsEzmFamZ8?t=3317

Is Yang Chinese?

Yang is an American born to Taiwanese immigrants and he touches on it here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/PlwG-XVBQJ4?t=02m40s

What's Yang's connection to the alt-right?

Yang has disavowed any and all white nationalist support on several occasions. Here's one such instance (timestamped) https://vimeo.com/331494968#t=16m5s

What's Yang's deal with circumcision?

Though not part of Yang's platform, Yang explains how parents should be more informed when it comes to circumcision here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/BmdX80OER4c?t=1917

How does Yang plan to win over the older demographic?

Firstly, UBI stacks on top of Social Security, but moreover, Yang's policies attract people of all ages to his campaign and rallies (timestamped) https://vimeo.com/368717449#t=38m78s

Why should Americans be worried about automation/AI now?

Yang believes that mass displacement due to automation is far closer than most people realise and goes into detail about it here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/cTsEzmFamZ8?t=1012

Is Yang bribing voters with free money?

Yang explains how his proposal is far away from giving people free money here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/oEjiaW6hrE8?t=524

Why is this technological revolution different than before?

Yang covers how the fourth industrial revolution is projected to be 2-3x more vicious than those prior and remarks on how to respond given how the US has responded before here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/FPP8doiIRZA?t=1226

Does Yang have policies other than UBI?

Yang has over 100 policies on his website, and he goes into some of them here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/nhNpbPhFwRc?t=3257

Isn't Yang politically inexperienced?

Yang covers how his business background does the opposite of preclude him from having an understanding of how government works here  (timestamped) https://youtu.be/aZYX0lEwtSA?t=340

Civil Rights

What's Yang's stance on reparations?

Yang believes that a UBI is a great first step towards boosting all communities, and reparations should be considered separately on top of that. (timestamped) https://vimeo.com/368717449#t=60m34s

What's Yang's stance on guns?

Yang believes that gun ownership should be treated like vehicle ownership, and talks about his policy for gun licensing here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/87M2HwkZZcw?t=2259

Why does Yang want to lower the voting age to 16?

Yang gives several reasons why he believes lowering the voting age would create a more politically active population here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/BmdX80OER4c?t=655

What's Yang's stance on legalizing marijuana?

Yang is for the full legalization of marijuana and goes even further to say he would pardon all low-level non-violent drug offenders here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/cTsEzmFamZ8?t=4993

Why is Yang for decriminalizing drugs/opioids?

Yang believes that the US should do more to address addiction and goes into several reasons why he believes in decriminalizing opiates here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/cTsEzmFamZ8?t=5116

What's Yang's stance on abortion?

Yang believes that all women should have a right to choose and even suggests that women should be the ones to decide on this issue (timestamped) https://vimeo.com/368717449#t=58m77s

What's Yang's policy on police body cameras?

Yang explains how he'd make body cameras free and incentivize police departments across the country to adopt them here https://vimeo.com/368717449#t=18m53s

What's Yang's stance on data and privacy?

Yang has talked about how, if companies are making money off of Americans' data, Americans should get a slice of that value (timestamped) https://vimeo.com/368717449#t=16m72s

What would Yang do about the Flint water crisis?

Yang has a plan to make the drinking water in Flint crystal clear, no matter the cost (timestamped) https://vimeo.com/331494968#t=7m56s

Economy

What's Yang's stance on unions?

Yang is a fan of unions and cites Andy Stern, the former head of SEIU, when championing UBI here (timestamped) https://vimeo.com/331494968#t=7m56s

What's Yang's opinion on a federal job guarantee?

Yang supports the spirit of a jobs guarantee, but explains why he believes his Freedom Dividend (UBI) is a superior approach here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/8tuJ0phjFys?t=33m44s

What's Yang's position on $15 minimum wage?

Yang supports the spirit of a $15 min wage, but has concerns that enacting one does not do enough and may even hasten automation here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/PlwG-XVBQJ4?t=60m14s

Isn't the economy doing well and unemployment low?

Yang breaks down why unemployment numbers don't paint the whole picture and are poorly portraying how the economy is doing for Americans here. (timestamped) https://youtu.be/qeb4On8LvHE?t=441

Why does Yang believe that GDP is outdated?

Yang explains how GDP does not accurately reflect quality of life metrics and would be better replaced with an American Score Card here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/qu88cKkVIQs?t=6761

Does Yang believe in breaking up Big Tech?

Yang does not believe that breaking up Big Tech is a real solution and goes into what he calls 21st century solutions here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/nhNpbPhFwRc?t=1517

Education

Is Yang for free college?

Yang does not believe that free college is the answer to today's unemployment problems and goes into detail here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/cTsEzmFamZ8?t=4381

What's Yang's stance on student debts / loans?

To alleviate student loans, Yang has detailed a loan forgiveness program that would simultaneously act as an economic stimulus, here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/cTsEzmFamZ8?t=4187

Environment

What does Yang think about climate change?

Yang believes in tackling Climate Change and believes that a UBI would help more people prioritize it (timestamped) https://youtu.be/NHDIEPFNlLI?t=1801

Does Yang have a plan for rebuilding infrastructure?

Yang goes into the need for rebuilding infrastructure and believes it is a great investment here (timestamped) https://vimeo.com/368717449#t=33m72s

What's Yang's stance on nuclear power?

Yang details how nuclear power and thorium reactors are a big part of our renewable energy future here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/kjiHwx6bpkg?t=4442

Does Yang support the Green New Deal?

Yang supports much of the Green New Deal and he provides his take on the plan here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/-DHuRTvzMFw?t=3340

Foreign Policy

What's Yang's foreign policy?

Yang goes into his stances on foreign policy, particularly with Russia, here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/cTsEzmFamZ8?t=6406

Does Yang believe in foreign/military intervention?

Yang talks about how the US should push the ability to declare war back to congress, and how it should be judicious and restrained on intervention here (timestamped) https://vimeo.com/331494968#t=34m50s

What's Yang's stance on China trade war?

Yang talks about how a trade war with China is the wrong way to go about addressing the imbalances in trade here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/BmdX80OER4c?t=2144

What is Yang's stance on Puerto Rico?

Yang believes it's deeply immoral what the US has done for Puerto Rico and looks to fix the injustices (timestamped) https://youtu.be/8tuJ0phjFys?t=2788

Immigration

What's Yang's stance on immigration?

Yang explains his pro immigration stance here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/cTsEzmFamZ8?t=4722

What's Yang's stance on building a wall?

Yang talks about his belief in strong borders, but not necessarily a wall, here (timestamped) https://youtu.be/fzjDfXY1txY

What's Yang's stance on undocumented immigrants?

Yang believes in creating a long term pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and explains why that's beneficial here (timestamped) https://vimeo.com/331494968#t=12m42s

Policy

What are Yang's top 3 policies?

Yang's running on a platform of Universal Basic Income, Medicare for All, and Human-Centered Capitalism. https://www.yang2020.com/policies/

What will Yang do for veterans?

Yang wants to invest more money from our military to go towards treating our soldiers with the care that they deserve. https://www.yang2020.com/policies/rechannel-military-spending/

What will Yang do for LGBTQ individuals?

Yang believes that we should ensure full rights and protections for all LGBTQ individuals. https://www.yang2020.com/policies/lgbtq-rights/

What will Yang do for teachers?

Yang wants to increase teacher salaries and offer monetary incentives for teachers who look to continually improve. https://www.yang2020.com/policies/teacher-salaries/

What will Yang do for student athletes?

Yang believes that NCAA athletes should participate in the massive wealth creation they enable and as such be paid. https://www.yang2020.com/policies/ncaa-pay-athletes/

What are Yang's policies on gun safety?

Yang supports a licensing system for gun owners, a voluntary federal buyback program, and a ban on the manufacture and sale of assault weapons. https://www.yang2020.com/policies/gun-safety/