UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME OR
CONCEPT OF OR THEORY OF
SOCIALISM.
BRING IN CIVIC FORUM PAC CHAIR
FORD O'CONNELL, FORMER OBAMA
CAMPAIGN REGIONAL DIRECTOR ROBIN
BIRO.
FORD LOOKS ANGRY ALREADY.
I WAS GOING TO START WITH ROBIN.
NO.
HE IS SMILING.
YOU HEARD WHAT HE SAID.
CAPITALISM OR INCOME DOESN'T
START AT ZERO.
GO AHEAD.
>> THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF
ECONOMIES, MARKET DRIVEN, AKA,
CAPITALISM, AND GOVERNMENT
DIRECTED AKA, SOCIALISM.
WHAT HE IS PROPOSING A PRONG OF
SOCIALISM BECAUSE PROVIDING
DISINCENTIVE TO WORK.
THIS UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME
COMES FROM HIS BELIEF AUTOMATION
WILL DISPLACE AMERICAN WORKERS F
HE WAS TRULY WORRIED ABOUT THE
DISEMPLOYMENT OF AMERICAN
WORKERS WHAT HE WOULD BE TALKING
ABOUT PROVIDING CREDIT TO SEND
PEOPLE BACK TO SCHOOL TO RETRAIN
THEM.
FOR HIM TO SAY CAPITALISM IS NOT
WORKING THAT IS NONSENSE.
IN 191940% OF THE AMERICANS
WORKED IN AGRICULTURE.
TODAY 1 1/2%.
WE'RE AT FULL EMPLOYMENT.
JOBS ARE CHANGING, JOBS WILL BE
THERE, ONLY QUESTION WHERE THEY
ARE IN THE ECONOMY.
CONNELL: YOU BRING UP A GOOD
POINT, WHAT ARE THE SKILLS FOR
THE JOB, DEBATE AND DISCUSSION
WE SHOULD BE HAVING.
WHOLE IDEA AFTER PROGRAM THAT
GIVES PEOPLE MONEY.
GIVE THEM $1000, SAY IT IS NOT
SOCIALISM.
NOW I GUESS, WE DO HAVE PROGRAMS
LIKE THAT, THAT HELP PEOPLE HER,
THAT FOR FOR PEOPLE.
WE HAVE FOOD STAMPS.
IF YOU GET RID OF THE PROGRAMS,
REPLACE IT WITH THIS, IS IT MUCH
DIFFERENT THAN WE HAVE NOW?
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> YOU BRING UP A GREAT POINT,
CONNELL THIS, WORKED IN SOME
COUNTRIES, EUROPEAN COUNTRIES.
WE HAVE THIS RIGHT NOW IN
ALASKA, BUT THAT IS PAID FOR BY
THE OIL RESERVES ON FEDERAL
PROPERTIES.
IF YOU ASK THE QUESTION, IS IT
SOCIALISM, WHO IS PAYING FOR
THIS?
IF WE DIVIDE THIS UP AMONG
EVERYONE IN THE UNITED STATES WE
WOULD BE PAYING IT OUT OF OUR
TAXES.
CONNELL: WE COULD PROBABLY
DEBATE ALL THIS STUFF.
THERE IS WHAT THE WHOLE THING
WOULD COST BUT I WONDER IF YOUR
PARTY, THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
WANTS TO DO THAT?
IS THIS WHAT THEY WANT?
THEY WANT WHOLE DEBATE HOW MUCH
OF A SOCIALIST ARE YOU?
ARE YOU REALLY A SOCIALIST?
DO THEY REALLY WANT THAT?
>> ANDREW YANG, I NEVER HEARD
THAT NAME BEFORE HONESTY BUT
DOING HIMSELF A SERVICE HERE
SETTING APART FROM THE CROWD BY
TALKING ABOUT THIS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT NOW,
GETTING HIS MOTIVE ACROSS.
BUT NO, I DON'T THINK THAT
MAJORITY OF DEMOCRATS WANT THIS
RIGHT NOW.
IT IS SOMETHING WE'RE JUST NOW
DISCUSSING, BUT LOOK, THIS
DIDN'T PASS IN SWITZERLAND BY
ALMOST 77%.
DO YOU HONESTLY THINK IT STANDS
A FIGHTING CHANCE HERE IN THE
UNITED STATES?
CONNELL: PROBABLY NOT.
I BET THE PRESIDENT, FORD LOVES
THIS IDEA THIS KEEPS COMING UP.
THIS IDEA WE'RE FOR SOCIALISM,
ARE WE REALLY?
IS THIS SOCIALISM?
THAT IS PLAYING RIGHT INTO HIS
HANDS IN MANY WAYS, DON'T YOU
THINK?
>> THE PRESIDENT LOVES IDEA OF
CAPITALISM VERSUS SOCIALISM
DEBATE.
LET'S UNDERSTAND WHY.
THE REASON IS VERY SIMPLE.
THE BRAND OF SOCIALISM AS ROBIN
POINTS OUT IS EXTREMELY TOXIC.
IN LATEST FOX POLL, ONLY 25%
FIND IT FAVORABLE.
THAT SAID WHAT THE DEMOCRATS ARE
PUSHING INDIVIDUAL SOCIALIST
POLICIES, WHETHER FREE
GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTH CARE OR
FREE COLLEGES, REGULATING BANKS
BASICALLY INTO OBSECURITY.
THEY ARE TRYING TO DUCK, DODGE,
TACKLE THAT TERM OF SOCIALISM,
YET THAT IS EXACTLY THE POLICIES
THEY ARE PUSHING.
REPUBLICANS DOESN'T UNDERSTAND
THAT IF THEY DON'T FIND A BETTER
WAY TO MESSAGE THIS, THIS COULD
CREEP UP ON THEM REALLY QUICKLY.
CONNELL: SOME OF THE INDIVIDUAL
PROGRAMS ARE QUITE POPULAR.