PETER ALEXANDER, SHOULD BE QUITE AN EVENTFUL FEW HOURS DOWN THERE
IN THE AMWAY CENTER, I BELIEVE
THEY CALL IT.
AS I MENTIONED, PRESIDENT TRUMP
HAS BLOWN UP OUR PRESIDENTIAL
POLITICS.
POLITICS. AND THERE’S ARGUABLY NO BETTER
EXAMPLE OF THE NEW REALITY WE’RE
ALL GRAPPLING WITH THAN MY NEXT
GUEST.
GUEST. IN MANY WAYS, ANDREW YANG’S
CANDIDACY IS PROOF OF HOW
VULNERABLE SOME SEE THIS
PRESIDENT’S RE-ELECTION CHANCES
BUT ALSO HOW UNPREDICTABLE OUR
POLITICS HAVE BECOME.
HERE WE HAVE A BUSINESSMAN OUT
OF NOWHERE, NO PRIOR POLITICAL
OR MILITARY EXPERIENCE, NOT ONLY
VYING TO DEFEAT THE PRESIDENT,
BUT ALSO GETTING ENOUGH VOTERS
TO TAKE HIM SERIOUSLY THAT HE’S
MADE THE DEMOCRATIC DEBATE
STAGE.
STAGE. MR. YANG JOINS ME NOW.
ANDREW YANG, WELCOME TO "MEET
THE PRESS DAILY," SIR.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME, SIR.
IT’S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE.
>> LET ME GO WITH THIS IMMEDIATE
PREMISE HERE.
PREMISE HERE. WOULD YOU BE HERE IF DONALD
TRUMP HADN’T WON THE PRESIDENCY?
>> CATEGORICALLY NOT.
I’M RUNNING TO SOLVE THE
PROBLEMS THAT GOT DONALD TRUMP
ELECTED IN THE FIRST PLACE.
PRIMARILY, THE FACT THAT WE
AUTOMATED AWAY 4 MILLION
MANUFACTURING JOBS IN MICHIGAN,
OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, WISCONSIN,
MISSOURI, AND IOWA.
BUT I WOULD NOT BE RUNNING IF
DONALD TRUMP WERE NOT OUR
PRESIDENT TODAY.
PRESIDENT TODAY. >> WHAT IS IT YOU THINK THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY MISUNDERSTOOD
ABOUT TRUMP’S APPEAL FOUR YEARS
AGO?
AGO? >> WELL, IF YOU REMEMBER, DONALD
TRUMP POINTED OUT THE
DEVASTATION AND SUFFERING IN
MANY AMERICAN COMMUNITIES.
>> HE WASN’T ALONE, THOUGH.
MANY DEMOCRATS POINTED THIS OUT.
BERNIE SANDERS POINTED THIS OUT.
BARACK OBAMA POINTED IT OUT FOUR
YEARS EARLIER.
YEARS EARLIER. THAT’S WHY I ONLY -- HE WASN’T
THE ONLY ONE.
HE’S JUST THE MOST RECENT ONE.
>> WELL, BERNIE SANDERS
DEFINITELY POINTED OUT THE SAME
THING, BUT IF YOU REMEMBER THE
PREVAILING RESPONSE WAS
AMERICA’S ALREADY DOING GREAT.
AND YOU KNOW, LIKE, AMERICANS
HEARD THAT AND DID NOT THINK
THAT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY WAS
TRULY TRYING TO SOLVE THE
PROBLEMS ON THE GROUND THAT MANY
AMERICANS WERE EXPERIENCING.
AND WHAT HAPPENED TO THE
MANUFACTURING WORKERS WILL NOW
HAPPEN TO THE RETAIL WORKERS,
THE CALL CENTER WORKERS, THE
FAST FOOD WORKERS, THE TRUCK
DRIVERS.
DRIVERS. WE’RE IN THE MIDST OF THE
GREATEST ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION
IN THE HISTORY OF OUR UNCOUNTRY
AND DEMOCRATS SHOULD BE LASER
FOCUSED ON ADDRESSING THAT
REALITY THAN FOCUSING ON THE
SYMPTOM, WHICH IS DONALD TRUMP.
>> IN SOME WAYS, YOUR SIGNATURE
PROPOSAL DOESN’T NECESSARILY
SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
IT FEELS LIKE A BAND-AID.
AND I SAY, YOUR SIGNATURE
PROPOSAL, THIS UNIVERSAL INCOME,
BECAUSE YOU’RE TRYING TO FILL
THE GAP AS WE FIGURE OUT WHAT
THE JOBS OF THE 21st CENTURY
LOOK LIKE.
LOOK LIKE. AM I BEING TOO CYNICAL ABOUT IT?
>> IF YOU THINK WHAT HAPPENED TO
COMMUNITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY
IF EVERY AMERICAN ADULT GOT
$1,000 A MONTH, IT WOULD CREATE
2 MILLION JOBS IN OUR
COMMUNITIES, HELP RECOGNIZE THE
KIND OF WORK THAT MY WIFE DOES
EVERY DAY AT HOME WITH OUR TWO
BOYS, ONE OF WHOM IS AUTISTIC.
IT’S NOT A BAND-AID.
IT SUPERCHARGES OUR ECONOMY AND
CREATES JOBS IN THE DIRECTION WE
NEED TO GO, WHICH INCLUDES THE
CARING COMMUNITY, ARTS, AND MAIN
STREET JOBS BECAUSE OF AN
INCREASE IN CONSUMER BUYING
POWER.
POWER. >> SO YOU THINK ONE OF THE
POSITIVE ASPECTS ABOUT YOUR PLAN
IS IF SOMEBODY WANTED TO PURSUE
AN ART AND REALLY COULDN’T
AFFORD TO MAKE A LIVING DOING
IT, YOU’RE GIVING THEM AN
OPPORTUNITY TO DO IT.
I GET THAT, BUT HOW DOES THAT
GROW OUR ECONOMY?
>> WELL, OUR ECONOMY RIGHT NOW
IS UP TO A RECORD $20 TRILLION,
UP $5 TRILLION IN THE LAST 12
YEARS ALONE.
YEARS ALONE. THE PROBLEM IS THAT WE HAVE
THESE WINNER TAKE ALL DYNAMICS
THAT THE GAINS ARE CONCENTRATED
IN JUST A HANDFUL OF INDUSTRIES
AND COMPANIES AND INDIVIDUALS.
AND SO IF YOU SPREAD THAT BOUNTY
MORE BROADLY THROUGHOUT THE
AMERICAN ECONOMY, IT DOES CREATE
OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDING IN THE
ARTS, BUT ALSO ENTREPRENEURSHIP.
AND I’M A SERIAL ENTREPRENEUR.
WE NEED TO HAVE MORE AMERICANS
BEING PUT INTO POSITION TO DO
THE KIND OF WORK THEY ACTUALLY
WANT TO DO.
>> LET’S TALK ABOUT THE BORDER.
THERE IS A LOT OF ANGST AND
ANXIETY OVER THE BORDER.
THE PRESIDENT BELIEVES THE ISSUE
IS OUR ASYLUM LAWS.
DEMOCRATS BELIEVE THAT SOME OF
THIS HAS TO DO WITH JUST, YOU
CAN’T PULL MONEY AWAY FROM
CENTRAL AMERICA.
CENTRAL AMERICA. WE’VE GOT TO HAVE A DIFFERENCE
TOLERANCE POLICY HERE.
WE HAVE AN INCREASE IN MIGRATION
OVER THE BORDER.
WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING ABOUT
IT?
IT? >> THE FIRST THING WE HAVE TO DO
IS PUT ADEQUATE RESOURCES TO
WORK AT THE BORDER.
WE HAVE A SHORTAGE OF NOT JUST
ASYLUM JUDGES AND FACILITIES,
BUT EVEN BORDER PATROL
PERSONNEL.
PERSONNEL. THERE ARE HUNDREDS, MAYBE
THOUSANDS OF UNFILLED POSITIONS,
BECAUSE THESE POSITIONS DON’T
PAY AS COMPETITIVELY AS OTHER
ROLES IN OUR GOVERNMENT.
AND ALSO, THESE ARE NOT
APPEALING PLACES TO LIVE.
SO WE HAVE TO DO THE WORK THAT
WE KNOW NEEDS TO BE DONE IN
ORDER TO HAVE OUR POLICIES
ACTUALLY BE EFFECTIVE ON THE
GROUND.
GROUND. IT SERVES NOBODY IF THERE’S A
MULTI-MONTH OR EVEN YEAR-LONG
WAITING PROCESS TO HAVE AN
ASYLUM HEARING.
ASYLUM HEARING. >> I WANT TO GO BACK TO YOUR
UNIVERSAL INCOME PROPOSAL,
BECAUSE OUR DEBT IS ALREADY UP
TO $20 TRILLION.
AND I KNOW IN SOME WAYS, IF YOU
ALREADY GET SOME GOVERNMENT
ASSISTANCE, YOU WOULDN’T GET
THIS MONEY.
THIS MONEY. BUT HOW DOES THIS NOT, EVEN IN
THE SHORT-TERM, INFLATE OUR DEBT
AND PUT US IN A BUDGETARY CRISIS
GOING FORWARD?
GOING FORWARD? >> WELL, IF YOU LOOK UP, CHUCK,
WHO ARE THE BIG WINNERS IN THIS
ECONOMY?
ECONOMY? IT’S AMAZON AND OTHER $1
TRILLION TECH COMPANIES.
AND IN AMAZON’S CASE, THEY’RE
LITERALLY PAYING ZERO IN FEDERAL
TAXES.
TAXES. YOU’RE 100% RIGHT THAT IF YOU
HAVE THAT SITUATION, IT’S GOING
TO BE VERY DIFFICULT ZPLP.
>> SO YOU’RE GOING TO CHANGE THE
TAX STRUCTURE FIRST BEFORE YOU
HAND OUT THESE CHECKS?
>> WE DO IT SIMULTANEOUSLY.
AND WE WOULD BE TAKING MONEY
FROM THE AMAZONS OF THE WORLD
AND PUT IT DIRECTLY INTO THE
HANDS OF AMERICAN CONSUMERS.
>> EXPLAIN HOW THAT WORKS?
JEFF BEZOS WILL WRITE YOU A
CHECK?
CHECK? >> WE’LL DO BETTER THAN THAT.
WE’LL JOIN ANY OTHER ADVANCED
ECONOMY IN THE WORLD AND HAVE A
VALUE-ADDED TAX WHICH WOULD GIVE
THE AMERICAN PUBLIC A TINY SLICE
OF EVERY AMAZON SALE, EVERY
GOOGLE SEARCH, EVERY FACEBOOK
ADD, EVERY ROBOT MILE.
>> AND IF YOU’RE THE NOMINEE, I
HAVE SEEN PEOPLE PUSH EITHER A
FAIR TAX OR A VAT TAX OR A
NATIONAL SALES TAX.
AND EVERY CANDIDATE THAT HAS
TRIED TO PUT IT OUT THERE, IF
THEY WIN A NOMINATION, THEY GET
EVISCERATED BECAUSE SOMEBODY
BASICALLY SHOWS, HEY, LOOK AT
HOW MUCH IT’S GOING TO COST TO
TAKE YOUR KIDS BACK TO SCHOOL
NOW.
NOW. LOOK AT HOW MUCH IT’S GOING TO
COST TO BUY EVERYDAY PRODUCTS.
HOW DO YOU BEAT BACK WHICH HAS
BEEN A TRIED AND TRUED METHOD
POLITICALLY TO DEFEAT NATIONAL
SALES TAXES, TO DEFEAT THE VAT,
THINGS LIKE THIS, WHERE PEOPLE
SEE THE INITIAL BILL AND I DON’T
CARE WHAT KIND OF REFUND
SITUATION YOU PUT IN THERE, THAT
DOES SCARE PEOPLE.
>> WELL, IT’S MORE THAN A
REFUND, CHUCK.
REFUND, CHUCK. IT’S ACTUALLY A DIVIDEND.
AND FOR EVERY DOLLAR FROM THE
VAT AMERICAN CONSUMERS WOULD BE
RECEIVING $3.
RECEIVING $3. IT WOULD INCREASE THE BUYING
POWER OF APPROXIMATELY THE 92%
OF AMERICANS.
OF AMERICANS. AND AMERICANS UNDERSTAND WHAT
$12,000 A YEAR WOULD MEAN FOR
THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES.
VERY, VERY FEW AMERICANS WOULD
CONSUME ENOUGH FOR A MILD VAT
COME ANYWHERE NEAR
COUNTERBALANCING A $1,000 VAT A
MONTH.
MONTH. >> SO LET’S MOVE ON TO THE
SITUATION IN IRAN.
HOW WOULD YOU TRY TO DEAL WITH
IRAN’S BELLIGERENT NATURE IN THE
MIDDLE EAST?
MIDDLE EAST? THE BIGGEST CRITICISM OF
PRESIDENT OBAMA AND THE IRAN
NUCLEAR DEAL WAS, OKAY, THE GOOD
NEWS IS, YOU GOT THEM TO AGREE
ON SOME LIMITS WHEN IT COMES TO
THE NUCLEAR ISSUE.
BUT IT DID NOTHING WHEN IT CAME
TO THEM FUNDING TERRORIST
ORGANIZATIONS AND THINGS LIKE
THAT
THAT THAT.
THAT. WHAT WOULD YOUR ADMINISTRATION
DO TO CURTAIL SOME OF THAT BAD
BEHAVIOR BY IRAN?
>> I WOULD LOOK TO VEREENTER THE
NUCLEAR DEAL.
NUCLEAR DEAL. EVEN AFTER THE U.S. PULLED OUT
UNDER THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION,
THERE ARE OTHER COUNTRIES THAT
SIGNED ON THAT ARE STILL THERE.
WE NEED TO DE-ESCALATE TENSIONS
IN THE IRAN REGION AND MAKE IT
SO THAT THE IRAN GOVERNMENT’S
INCENTIVES ARE ACTUALLY ALIGNED
WITH OURS IN TERMS OF BOTH
DE-ESCALATING THE NUCLEAR
DEVELOPMENT AND HOPEFULLY
GETTING THEM TO REDUCE THEIR
FUNDING OF TERRORIST
ORGANIZATIONS IN OTHER PARTS OF
THE REGION.
THE REGION. >> DO YOU HAVE A THEORY OF THE
CASE ON HOW TO DEAL WITH THE
TRUMP MEAT GRINDER?
YOU KNOW, HE HAS A DIFFERENT WAY
OF TALKING TO THE PUBLIC, OF
TALKING TO CANDIDATES.
WHY WILL YOU BE DIFFERENT AT
HANDLING THE TRUMP-STYLE OF
POLITICAL CAMPAIGN DIFFERENTLY
THAN OTHERS HAVE TRIED AND
FAILED AT?
FAILED AT? >> WELL, THEY SAY, CHUCK, THAT
THE OPPOSITE OF DONALD TRUMP IS
AN ASIAN MAN WHO LIKES MATH.
AND I’M ALREADY PEELING OFF
THOUSANDS OF TRUMP SUPPORTERS,
INDEPENDENTS, LIBERTARIANS,
INDEPENDENTS, LIBERTARIANS, CONSERVATIVES, AS WELL AS
OBVIOUSLY DEMOCRATS AND
PROGRESSIVES.
PROGRESSIVES. BUT I AGREE WITH MANY OF YOUR
COLLEAGUES THAT WE NEED TO BE
FOCUSED ON BEATING DONALD TRUMP
AND I’M THE IDEAL CANDIDATE FOR
THAT.
THAT. >> BUT DOES THAT MEAN TAKING HIM
ON DIRECTLY?
ON DIRECTLY? LEAVING THESE THINGS, NOT
LETTING STUFF GO UNANSWERED?
OR IS IT IGNORING SOME OF THE
ANTICS?
ANTICS? >> IT’S ABOUT CUTTING TO THE
HEART OF THE MATTER AND THE
TRUTH.
TRUTH. AND I’VE TALKED TO MANY PEOPLE
WHO VOTED FOR DONALD TRUMP WHO
RECOGNIZE THAT HIS BLUSTER IS
NOT SERVING THEM WELL.
IT’S ONE REASON WHY MANY
AMERICANS WHO VOTED FOR DONALD
TRUMP ARE LOOKING FOR A
DIFFERENT SOLUTION.
DIFFERENT SOLUTION. AND I’M HAPPY TO SAY THAT MY
CAMPAIGN IS DRAWING MANY OF
THOSE VOTERS OVER TO OUR SIDE OF
THE AISLE.
THE AISLE. >> WHY AREN’T YOU RUNNING FOR A
LOWER OFFICE FIRST AND MAYBE SEE
IF YOU CAN WIN AND GET MORE
PEOPLE TO MAINSTREAM YOUR
PROPOSALS?
PROPOSALS? I JUST SAY THAT, YOU KNOW,
SHOOTING FOR THE PRESIDENCY, I
GET IT.
GET IT. IT IS ONE WAY, AND YOU’RE
CERTAINLY GETTING MORE ATTENTION
THAN YOU WOULD IF YOU WERE
RUNNING FOR THE U.S. SENATE
SOMEWHERE, BUT ISN’T IT MORE
PRACTICAL TO TRY TO BUILD THIS
GROUND UP?
GROUND UP? >> CHUCK, I DEARLY WISH THAT I
FELT LIKE WE HAD THE TIME.
BUT THE REALITY IS THAT ROBOT
TRUCKS ARE FIVE TO TEN YEARS
AWAY FROM HITTING OUR HIGHWAYS
AND DRIVING A TRUCK IS THE MOST
COMMON JOB.
COMMON JOB. 39% OF OUR MALLS ARE CLOSING IN
THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
SO IF I TOOK DECADES TO TRY TO
CLIMB THE POLITICAL LADDER,
UNFORTUNATELY, OUR ECONOMY WOULD
BE TRANSFORMING UNDERNEATH OUR
FEET.
FEET. WE JUST DON’T HAVE THE TIME FOR
SOMEONE TO PLAY POLITICAL
GAMESMANSHIP.
GAMESMANSHIP. >> ALL RIGHT.
ANDREW YANG, AS I SAID, ONE OF
THE MORE UNUSUAL CANDIDATES AND