Basic Income Advocate Andrew Yang is a Contender for the Democratic Presidential Nomination

Basic income advocate Andrew Yang is a serious contender for the Democratic Presidential nomination. In fact, FiveThirtyEight’s Nathaniel Rakich thinks Yang can win the Democratic presidential primary.

Impressively, Yang has qualified for the first round of Democratic debates by raising funds from 65,000 donors, Axios reports. Yang’s success is important because he bases his campaign on a $1,000 basic income for all Americans. However, Yang’s name does not appear on most rankings of major Democratic candidates.

In addition, Yang dares mention the words income inequality; and raises the specter of technological unemployment, on the campaign trail. Consequently, Americans under 40; who live with those realities, pay attention to Yang.

Young Voters like Andrew Yang and the Basic Income

Notably, Yang’s popularity exploded after an appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience. Yang’s agenda; which is a long list of mostly economic proposals led by basic income, appeals to Rogan’s young male fans.

Rogan has street cred with younger males because he announces UFC fights and treats the sport of ultimate fighting and its fans with respect. Importantly, an economic agenda based on the economic concerns of average Americans, fires up supposedly apolitical young men.

Importantly, the Rogan appearance put Yang before two million viewers, Rolling Stone claims.

Cultural Conservatives don’t get Andrew Yang’s appeal

Predictably, American Conservative writer Ben Sixsmith ignores Yang’s agenda. Instead, Sixsmith thinks young people like Yang’s popularity because of his concerns about falling white birthrates. Hence, once again a cultural conservative does not understand the power of economics.

My prediction is that it is economic issues that will take Yang; and his opponent US Senator Kamala Harris (D-California) who also proposes a basic income, to the top of the polls. Sixsmith’s reaction to the inauguration of President Harris or President Yang is going to amusing.

Interestingly, both Yang and Harris are of Asian decent. Yang is of Chinese descent while Harris is proud of her mother’s Kamal Heritage in India.

Why the Media will accuse Andrew Yang of Racism

Strangely, Sixsmith is giving us a preview of mainstream media attacks on Harris and Yang. If Yang and Harris keep doing well, the big media will call them racists and Nazis because they attract a lot of young white male supporters.

I have to wonder how the media elitists will react when Black Lives Matter endorses the candidate they are branding a racist. In fact, Yang’s agenda resembles the economic justice agenda at the Movement for Black Lives website. Obviously, Saturday Night Live’s staff writers and the late night comics will have a lot of fun with that nonsense.

The real motivation for the attacks on Yang or Harris; however, will be the fear that professional journalists’ taxes could increase. Thus, I it will not me if much of the mainstream media actively supports the Republican candidate in 2020 if Democrats nominate Yang or Harris.

In fact, many members of the “Resistance” will come out for Trump if they think the Democrat will sign tax increases. Hence, Yang could trigger an ugly progressive civil war with his proposals.

How Andrew Yang can Win the Democratic Presidential Nomination

Specifically, Rakich thinks Yang can win the Democratic Presidential nomination by attracting the support of four groups.

Those groups are the Left, Millennials; those under 35, Hispanics, Asians, and African Americans. Additionally, I add working-class whites and rural whites; two groups badly hurt by income inequality, job loss, and wage stagnation to Yang’s base. In fact, I think rural whites could be the group that puts Yang over the top.

The biggest obstacle to Yang; and Harris, will be the pro-corporate party establishment and its mouthpieces in the media. Yang’s criticism of technology and proposals for new taxes will not be popular on Wall Street, in Silicon Valley, or in the newsrooms.

Yes, the Corporate Media will brand Andrew Yang a Racist

Interestingly, Rakich believes Yang’s race could deflect establishment attacks on him. I disagree because this is the same establishment that brands Jewish civil rights marcher US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) a racist.

To explain, white pundits accuse Bernie of racism because most of the faces at his rallies are white. In reality, the pundits fear Bernie will raise their taxes. Sanders overcomes such nonsense by ignoring it. Yang could have a harder time because the corporate media will magnify the attacks on him.

Expect some ugly; and viciously racist, attacks on either Yang or Harris if they win big in the primaries. For instance, progressives will label Yang a Chinese agent and a Communist because of his race. Consequently, expect the 2020 Presidential race to be uglier, nastier, more fragmented, and more divisive if Andrew Yang does well.

Yang will shake up the race by challenging the economic status quo and threatening wealthy special interests’ ability to make money at others’ expense. Hence, the basic income could become the most important issue in the 2020 presidential race.