Long-shot Democrat presidential candidate Andrew Yang wants to give every American US$1,000 a month in cash
- A native of upstate New York and the son of Taiwanese immigrants, Yang would be the first Asian-American president
- His biggest proposal is what’s known as a universal basic income, a concept that in recent years has gained traction within certain academic circles
Andrew Yang is ready for his close-up next month at the first Democratic presidential debate, when he knows most Americans will have one question: “Who is the Asian man standing next to Joe Biden?”
The thousands of so-called “Yang Gang” members who braved cold and rain to attend the candidate’s rally in New York City on Tuesday evening shouted his name in reply, showing his eclectic campaign is catching on with some voters.
The 44-year-old entrepreneur, philanthropist and self-described nerd launched his long-shot bid more than a year ago, centred on a proposal to give every American $1,000 a month in cash.
Since then, he has rolled out more than 100 policy ideas, a technocratic approach rivalled in sheer wonkiness perhaps only by that of US Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts among the Democratic candidates seeking the 2020 nomination.
“I liked that he was a very policies-first kind of guy,” said Chris Nguyen, 28, who attended the rally and is considering backing Yang over US Senator Bernie Sanders, his choice in the 2016 presidential election.