>> Chris: 'S SUPPORTERS CALL
THEMSELVES THE YANG GANG.
THE CHANT POWERPOINT AT HIS
RALLIES AND WERE BALL CAPS WITH
MAT H ON THE FRONT FOR MAKE
AMERICA THINK HARDER.
JOINING US NOW FOR AN EXCLUSIVE
"FOX NEWS SUNDAY" SIT DOWN,
DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENT OF
CANDIDATE AND ENTREPRENEUR
ANDREW YANG, WHO WILL BE ON THE
DEBATE STAGE THIS WEEK.
MR. YANG, WELCOME TO
"FOX NEWS SUNDAY."
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME COME
ACROSS.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE.
>> Chris: LET'S START WITH THE
LATEST FOX NEWS POLL THAT CAME
OUT THIS WEEK.
IT SHOWS YOU TIED FOR SIXTH
PLACE WITH AMY KLOBUCHAR AT 3%,
30 POINTS BEHIND JOE BIDEN, BUT
RUNNING AHEAD OF CORY BOOKER AND
BETO O'ROURKE AND JULIAN CASTRO.
I HAVE KIND OF A GOOD NEWS, BAD
NEWS QUESTION, WHY DO YOU THINK
YOU'RE DOING BETTER THAN A LOT
OF BETTER-KNOWN POLITICIANS AND
ON THE OTHER HAND, HOW DO YOU
EVER MAKE THE BIG JUMP THAT YOU
STILL HAVE TO MAKE TO GET INTO
THE TOP TIER OF CANDIDATES?
>> Mr. Yang: ON THE POSITIVE
SIDE, AMERICA, UNFORTUNATELY,
HAS LOST A LOT OF CONFIDENCE IN
ITS POLITICIANS.
IT'S ONE REASON WHY I'M DOING SO
WELL, AND BEATING MANY SITTING
SENATORS AND GOVERNORS.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE REALIZE THAT
OUR GOVERNMENT IS WAY BEHIND THE
CURVE IN SOLVING THE REAL
PROBLEMS.
WE NEED TO CATCH UP AND SPEED UP
AND THEY SEE SOMEONE LIKE ME AS
SOMEONE WHO CAN HELP MAKE THAT
POSSIBLE.
IN TERMS OF MAKING THE BIG JUMP
TO CATCH UP TO JOE BIDEN AND THE
OTHER LEADERS, MOST AMERICANS
ARE JUST TUNING IN TO WHO'S
RUNNING IN 2020.
I'M STILL INTRODUCING MYSELF TO
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY, VERY
FLUID RACE OVER THE WEEKS AND
MONTHS TO COME.
I'M VERY CONFIDENT I'M JUST
GOING TO KEEP ON CLIMBING THE
BOWLS AND START CATCHING UP TO
THE LEADERS VERY SOON.
>> Chris: YOU SAY PEOPLE ARE
JUST TUNING IN, BUT IF THEY
TUNED INTO THE FIRST DEMOCRATIC
DEBATE, THEY DIDN'T SEE MUCH OF
ANDREW YANG.
YOU ENDED UP GETTING -- I HAD TO
GET CHECK THIS OUT, 2 MINUTES
AND 50 SECONDS TOTAL IN A TWO
HOUR DEBATE, BY FAR THE LEAST
AMOUNT OF TIME OF ANY OF THE
DEMOCRATS IN THE TWO DEBATES.
WHAT'S YOUR PLAN TO GET MORE
AIRTIME THIS WEEK TO
>> Mr. Yang: I GOT TO ASK TWO
QUESTIONS IN TWO HOURS, WHICH
CERTAINLY WAS NOT ENOUGH BUT WE
ARE VERY CONFIDENT THAT THIS
WEDNESDAY I'M GOING TO HAVE
MUCH, MUCH MORE OF AN
OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE MY CASE TO
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THAT THE
REAL CENTRAL ISSUE IS WE ARE
AUTOMATING AWAY MILLIONS OF
MANUFACTURING JOBS AND NO RETAIL
JOBS, CALL-CENTER JOBS AND ON
AND ON THROUGH THE ECONOMY AND
BECAUSE OF THE POLLING SUPPORT
THAT WE HAVE, I'M NOT GOING TO
HAVE JUST NEXT WEEK IN DETROIT,
I'M GOING TO HAVE ALSO SEPTEMBER
AND HOUSTON AND ON AND ON.
MY CAMPAIGN IS GOING TO BE HERE
THE ENTIRE WAY.
>> Chris: I WANT TO TALK ABOUT
YOUR
POLICY PROPOSAL AND AUTOMATION
BUT JUST TO GET BACK TO THE
DEBATE, ONE WAY THAT IS TRIED
AND TRUE TO GET MORE ATTENTION
AND AIRTIME IS TO GO AFTER THE
FRONT RUNNERS.
YOU'RE GOING TO BE ON THE STAGE
ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT WITH TWO OF
THE FRONT RUNNERS,
VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN AND
SENATOR HARRIS.
ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT GOING AFTER
THEM, ONE BECAUSE OF DIFFERENCES
ON ISSUES AND TWO BECAUSE IT
WILL GET YOU MORE ATTENTION?
>> Mr. Yang: MY FOCUS IS ON
SOLVING THE PROBLEMS OF THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE AND TO THE
EXTENT THAT I CAN DRIVE THE
CONVERSATION TOWARDS THOSE
ISSUES, I'M VERY, VERY EXCITED
ABOUT IT.
I DON'T THINK THAT WE BENEFIT IF
I'M THROWING ROCKS AT OTHER
CANDIDATES WHEN FRANKLY I AGREE
WITH THEM ON MANY, MANY ISSUES.
AND I THINK RIGHT NOW MY FOCUS
REALLY IS ON STILL INTRODUCING
MYSELF TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
>> Chris: ONE OF YOUR MAIN
MESSAGES, WHICH YOU REFERRED TO
A MOMENT AGO, IS TO SAY THIS
COUNTRY IS GOING THROUGH A
DRAMATIC ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION
IN LARGE PART BECAUSE OF
AUTOMATION AND YOU SAY THAT YOU
WILL KEEP THE PROMISES TO
WORKING-CLASS AMERICANS THAT
PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS FAILED TO
KEEP TO THEM.
HERE YOU ARE IN THE FIRST DEBAT
DEBATE.
>> I CAN BUILD A MUCH BROADER
COALITION TO BEAT DONALD TRUMP.
IT IS NOT LEFT, IT IS NOT RIGHT,
IT IS FORWARD, AND THAT IS WHERE
I WILL TAKE THE COUNTRY IN 2020.
>> Chris: YOU PROPOSE WHAT YOU
CALL THE AMERICAN MALL ACT, LIKE
SHOPPING MALL ACT WITH A
$6 BILLION FUND.
HOW WOULD THAT WORK?
>> Mr. Yang: WELL, WE ARE IN
THE PROCESS OF AUTOMATING AWAY
THE MOST COMMON JOBS IN THE U.S.
ECONOMY WHICH INCLUDES RETAIL
WORKER, CALL-CENTER WORKER,
TRUCK DRIVER, FOOD SERVICE.
THESE ARE THE JOBS THAT ARE
DISAPPEARING AROUND THE COUNTRY
AND UNFORTUNATELY THEY ARE ALSO
THE MOST COMMON JOBS.
THE AMAZON IS CLOSING 30% OF OUR
MALLS AND STORES AND PLAYING
ZERO IN TAXES WHILE DOING IT.
AND THESE MALLS BECOME
SINKHOLES.
THEY CAUSE BLIGHT, BECOME HAVENS
FOR CRIME AND BAD ACTION, SO WE
NEED TO HELP COMMUNITIES
TRANSITION THESE MALLS TO BECOME
COMMUNITY CENTERS OR SCHOOLS OR
EVEN RESIDENTIAL, BUT IN THE
ABSENCE OF THAT KIND OF MOVE,
THESE GHOST MALLS BECOME THE
LAST PLACE ANYONE WANTS TO BE
AND THEY DESTROY PROPERTY VALUE
FOR MILES AROUND.
>> Chris: BUT WHAT YOU DO IF
AUTOMATION IS THE PROBLEM, WHAT
YOU DO TO HELP THE WORKER WHO
HAS SKILLS FOR AN EARLIER ERA
TRANSITION AND GET A JOB IN
THESE TIMES?
>> Mr. Yang: THE FIRST BIG
STEP IS WE NEED TO HAVE EVERYONE
SHARE IN ALL OF THE GAINS FROM
THIS PROGRESS AND INNOVATION.
MY FLAGSHIP PROPOSAL OF FREEDOM
DIVIDEND WOULD PUT $1,000 A
MONTH INTO THE HANDS OF EVERY
AMERICAN SO THAT IF YOU ARE --
MALL CLOSES OR YOUR JOB GETS
BLASTED AWAY YOU AT LEAST HAVE
$12,000 A YEAR THAT HELPS TAKE
THE PRESSURE OFF AND HELP YOU
TRANSITION IN A BETTER
DIRECTION.
>> Chris: BUT ARE YOU
BASICALLY ON YOUR OWN?
IN OTHER WORDS, ARE YOU GOING TO
PROVIDE RETRAINING PROGRAMS?
ARE YOU BASICALLY SING HAS
$12,000, HELP YOURSELF?
>> Mr. Yang: WE CERTAINLY NEED
TO INVEST IN THE RETRAINING OF
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, BUT WE ALSO
HAVE TO BE HONEST THAT WE ARE
TERRIBLE AT RETRAINING.
THE SUCCESS RATES FOR FEDERALLY
FUNDED RETRAINING PROGRAMS FOR
THE DISPLACED MANUFACTURING
WORKERS IN THE MIDWEST WERE
BETWEEN ZERO AND 15%.
AND PRETENDING THAT WE'RE
SOMEHOW GOING TO BECOME
EXCELLENT AT RETRAINING
AMERICANS IS LYING TO THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE.
I WAS JUST AT A TRUCK STOP IN
IOWA.
IF YOU WENT TO THOSE TRUCKERS
AND SAID WE ARE GOING TO RETRAIN
YOU TO BE CODERS OR ENGINEERS
THEY WOULD BE MORE LIKELY TO
PUNCH YOU IN THE FACE THEN SIGN
UP, SO WE NEED TO PUT THE
RESOURCES DIRECTLY INTO OUR
HANDS, THE HANDS OF THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE.
CERTAINLY WE NEED TO INVEST IN
RETRAINING PROGRAMS BUT WE ALSO
HAVE TO BE REALISTIC ABOUT WHAT
WE CAN AND CAN'T ACCOMPLISH.
>> Chris: OKAY, LET'S TALK
ABOUT SOME OF THE CONCERNS ABOUT
YOUR BIG PROGRAM, THE FREEDOM
DIVIDEND, ALSO CALLED UNIVERSAL
BREAKS OF INCOME.
$1,000 A MONTH TO EVERY ADULT,
EVERYBODY OVER 18 REGARDLESS OF
WHETHER YOUR JEFF BEZOS OR THE
GUY ON THE STREET.
$12,000 A YEAR.
ESTIMATES ARE THAT YOUR PLAN
WOULD COST ABOUT $3 TRILLION A
YEAR.
AND THE MAIN WAY YOU WOULD DO
IT -- YOU HAVE SOME OTHER
METHODS, BUT YOUR MAIN WAY IS A
VALUE-ADDED TAX, THE KIND OF
SALES TAX THEY HAVE IN EUROPE,
WHICH IS WHAT YOU SAY WOULD PAY
FOR THIS.
FIRST OF ALL, IT'S BASICALLY A
SALES TAX, WHICH AS YOU KNOW IS
ONE OF THE MORE REGRESSIVE ONES,
AND SECONDLY, INDEPENDENT GROUPS
LIKE THE TAX FOUNDATION SAY --
THEY'VE LOOKED AT ALL OF YOUR
PLANS -- THEY SAY THAT YOUR
NUMBERS DON'T ADD UP.
THAT IN FACT WHAT YOU WOULD GET
FROM ALL OF THIS IS LESS THAN
$500 A MONTH PER PERSON, NOT A
THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH PER
PERSON.
>> Mr. Yang: FIRST, THE
HEADLINE COST IS MUCH LOWER THAN
$3 TRILLION BECAUSE WE ARE
ALREADY SPENDING OVER
1.5 TRILLION ON VARIOUS DIRECT
INCOME SUPPORT PROGRAMS.
BUT IF WE PUT A MECHANISM IN
PLACE FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE A
SLIVER OF EVERY AMAZON
TRANSACTION -- AND AGAIN, AMAZON
IS A TRILLION DOLLAR TECH
COMPANY THAT PAID ZERO IN TAXES
LAST YEAR.
IF WE GIVE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE A
SLIVER OF EVERY AMAZON
TRANSACTION, EVERY GOOGLE SEARCH
COME EVERY FACEBOOK AD, EVERY
ROBOT TRUCK MILE, WE CAN
GENERATE HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS IN
NEW REVENUE AND THE GREAT THING
IS WHEN WE PUT THIS DIVIDEND
INTO YOUR HANDS, THOUSAND
DOLLARS A MONTH, WHERE DOES THE
MONEY GO?
THE MONEY GOES RIGHT BACK INTO
LOCAL COMMUNITIES IN THE
ECONOMY.
IT GOES TO CAR REPAIRS AND
DAY CARE IN LITTLE LEAGUE
SIGN-UPS.
ALL THE THINGS THAT MAKE US
HEALTHIER AND STRONGER AND WOULD
HELP CREATE MILLIONS OF JOBS
AROUND THE COUNTRY.
>> Chris: BUT I WANT TO PICK
UP ON SOMETHING YOU JUST SAID.
WHATEVER IT IS, WITH A TRILLION
AND A HALF DOLLARS A YEAR IN
MONEY TRANSFERS, THAT'S ONE OF
THE CONCERNS, BECAUSE SOME
CONSERVATIVES ARE SAYING WELL,
LOOK, IF WE WERE GIVING
EVERYBODY $12,000 A YEAR, WE
COULD REPLACE THE WELFARE STATE.
YEAH, EVERYBODY'S GOING TO GET
THE ANDREW YANG FREEDOM
DIVIDEND, BUT THEN THE
CONSERVATIVES CAN DO AWAY WITH
SOCIAL PROGRAMS THAT A LOT OF
PEOPLE AT THE LOWER END OF THE
INCOME SCALE DEPEND ON.
>> Mr. Yang: WELL, MY PROGRAM
IS UNIVERSAL, BUT IT'S OPT IN
AND IF YOU OPT IN THEN YOU'D BE
FORGOING BENEFITS FROM CERTAIN
EXISTING PROGRAMS.
SO THIS TO ME WOULD BE A
WIN-WIN-WIN WHERE YOU HAVE THESE
RESOURCES IN THE HANDS OF THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE.
YOU DON'T HAVE RESTRICTIONS ON
HOW PEOPLE SPEND IT AND YOU ALSO
GET RID OF A LOT OF THE NEGATIVE
INCENTIVES BECAUSE THE FACT IS A
LOT OF THESE PROGRAMS GIVE YOU
LESS IF YOU DO BETTER AND WOULD
HAVE TO MAKE IT SO IF YOU DO
BETTER YOU DO BETTER.
>> Chris: FINAL QUESTION, AND
THIS IS ANOTHER CONCERN PEOPLE
HAVE, LOOK, WHEN YOU WORK, YOU
GET MORE OUT OF IT THAN MONEY.
YOU GET SELF-ESTEEM.
YOU GET SOCIAL INTERACTION.
DOES A LOT OF THINGS, AND SOME
PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED THAT WITH
YOUR, IN EFFECT, 12,000 A YEAR
HANDOUT THAT YOUR DELINKING
INCOME FROM ACTUALLY EARNING A
LIVING.
>> Mr. Yang: I'M ASIAN, SO YOU
KNOW I LOVE TO WORK.
YOU HAVE TO BE A LITTLE BIT
BROADER ABOUT HOW YOU THINK
ABOUT WORK.
MY WIFE IS AT HOME WITH OUR TWO
YOUNG BOYS, ONE OF WHOM HAS
AUTISM.
WHAT IS THE MARKET VALUE OF HER
WORK AT RIGHT NOW?
AT ZERO, AND WE KNOW THAT'S THE
OPPOSITE THE TRUTH.
WE KNOW THE WORK SHE'S DOING IS
AMONG THE MOST CHALLENGING AND
VITAL WORK.
IN OUR SOCIETY.
SO WE NEED TO THINK BIGGER ABOUT
WHAT WE MEAN BY WORK.
BUT MOST AMERICANS KNOW THAT
PUTTING A BIT OF MONEY INTO YOUR
HANDS IS GOING TO MAKE YOU WORK
HARDER IN MANY CONTEXTS AND IT'S
CERTAINLY NOT GOING TO TAKE
SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO WORK AND
SAY I'M GOING TO KICK BACK AND,
BECAUSE A THOUSAND DOLLARS A
MONTH IS NOT ENOUGH TO THRIVE IN
ANY ENVIRONMENT.
>> Chris: MR. YANG, THANK YOU,
THANKS FOR SHARING YOUR WEEKEND
AND YOUR IDEAS WITH US AND WE
WILL BE TRACKING HOW MUCH TIME
YOU ACTUALLY GET TO SPEAK IN THE
DEBATE THIS WEEK.
>> Mr. Yang: THANK YOU, CHRIS,
HOPEFULLY I WILL SEE YOU IN
DETROIT.