While his 2020 competitors were busy trying to entice Democratic voters with their ideas of “free” government benefits, businessman Andrew yang cut right to the chase by offering to give out “free” money to everyone.
Friday’s NBC Nightly News seemed to be all for the idea during their admitted Democratic propaganda series “My Big Idea”:
HARRY SMITH: What's your big idea?
ANDREW YANG: My big idea is a freedom dividend of $1,000 a month for every American adult starting at age 18.
Unlike with President Trump’s business credentials, NBC correspondent Harry Smith touted Yang as “a business entrepreneur turned provocateur who embraces data driven-strategies.” Clearly, Smith was trying to portray Yang as an expert on the matter.
“Yang's program, a thousand dollars a month for every American ages 18 and older would be opt-in. People could choose to stick with other social programs. He plans to pay for the benefit with a 10 percent value-added tax on goods and services,” Smith said, making the appeal to voters for the candidate.
Of course, Smith failed to point out the obvious. The extra money people were having to pay because of the so-called “value-added tax” was just getting returned to them in the form of “free” money Yang would take credit for giving them. That’s not to mention the laughable “freedom dividend” title.
The most critical Smith got was when he asked how the plan would work and Yang's response was that he was going to be president:
SMITH: So, how would it work literally?
YANG: Well, so, the way it works is I become president in 2021. Everyone knows that my big idea was the freedom dividend, so everyone's excited. And I do not need 80 percent of Congress to pass this law. I just need 51 percent.
After hyping a crowd of reportedly 2,500 people clamoring for Yang and his “free” money, Smith parroted Yang’s ridiculous propaganda line. “Giving people money, a freedom dividend. That's Andrew Yang's big idea.”
With all of these candidates offering up “free” government benefits (like “free” healthcare and “free” college), it’s like the Democrats are running for class president of a middle school. So far no one has said they’re going to fill the drinking fountains with “free” soda.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
NBC Nightly News
June 21, 2019
7:15:03 p.m. EasternLESTER HOLT: Now to our series My Big Idea. With the Democratic candidates for president. Tonight, Harry Smith sits down with businessman Andrew Yang.
[Cuts to video]
HARRY SMITH: What's your big idea?
ANDREW YANG: My big idea is a freedom dividend of $1,000 a month for every American adult starting at age 18.
SMITH: Andrew Yang is a business entrepreneur turned provocateur who embraces data driven-strategies.
YANG: Hello New York City.
SMITH: Yang says his program is needed because one in three American jobs is at risk of being eliminated by new technology within the next 12 years.
YANG: GDP is going to go up and up with things like self-driving trucks. Even as more Americans get pushed aside. Stock market prices correspond to the fortunes of the top 20 percent of Americans. And headline unemployment does not include people who have left the workforce. And when you start digging into those numbers, you will see that we are falling apart.
SMITH: Yang's program, a thousand dollars a month for every American ages 18 and older would be opt-in. People could choose to stick with other social programs. He plans to pay for the benefit with a 10 percent value-added tax on goods and services.
So, how would it work literally?
YANG: Well, so, the way it works is I become president in 2021. Everyone knows that my big idea was the freedom dividend, so everyone's excited. And I do not need 80 percent of Congress to pass this law. I just need 51 percent.
SMITH: Haven't heard of Andrew Yang? Check this out, 2,500 people in New York City's Washington Square in the rain to hear him speak. Giving people money, a freedom dividend. That's Andrew Yang's big idea. Harry Smith, NBC News, New York.
