Democratic Primaries
In reply to the discussion: Is Elizabeth Warren is our strongest and best candidate? [View all]Sherman A1
(38,958 posts)and my only choice. I will vote for the nominee, but Yang is the one I will do what I can to support. The rest not so much.
As you your question. Let me link to the campaign page, these are not in any particular order.
THE FREEDOM DIVIDEND
Andrew would implement the Freedom Dividend, a universal basic income of $1,000/month, $12,000 a year, for every American adult over the age of 18. This is independent of ones work status or any other factor. This would enable all Americans to pay their bills, educate themselves, start businesses, be more creative, stay healthy, relocate for work, spend time with their children, take care of loved ones, and have a real stake in the future.
Other than regular increases to keep up the cost of living, any change to the Freedom Dividend would require a constitutional amendment.
It will be illegal to lend or borrow against ones Dividend.
A Universal Basic Income at this level would permanently grow the economy by 12.56 to 13.10 percentor about $2.5 trillion by 2025and it would increase the labor force by 4.5 to 4.7 million people. Putting money into peoples hands and keeping it there would be a perpetual boost and support to job growth and the economy.
It would be easier than you might think. Andrew proposes funding the Freedom Dividend by consolidating some welfare programs and implementing a Value Added Tax of 10 percent. Current welfare and social program beneficiaries would be given a choice between their current benefits or $1,000 cash unconditionally most would prefer cash with no restriction.
A Value Added Tax (VAT) is a tax on the production of goods or services a business produces. It is a fair tax and it makes it much harder for large corporations, who are experts at hiding profits and income, to avoid paying their fair share. A VAT is nothing new. 160 out of 193 countries in the world already have a Value Added Tax or something similar, including all of Europe which has an average VAT of 20 percent.
The means to pay for the basic income will come from four sources:
1. Current spending: We currently spend between $500 and $600 billion a year on welfare programs, food stamps, disability and the like. This reduces the cost of the Freedom Dividend because people already receiving benefits would have a choice between keeping their current benefits and the $1,000, and would not receive both.
Additionally, we currently spend over 1 trillion dollars on health care, incarceration, homelessness services and the like. We would save $100 200+ billion as people would be able to take better care of themselves and avoid the emergency room, jail, and the street and would generally be more functional. The Freedom Dividend would pay for itself by helping people avoid our institutions, which is when our costs shoot up. Some studies have shown that $1 to a poor parent will result in as much as $7 in cost-savings and economic growth.
2. A VAT: Our economy is now incredibly vast at $19 trillion, up $4 trillion in the last 10 years alone. A VAT at half the European level would generate $800 billion in new revenue A VAT will become more and more important as technology improves because you cannot collect income tax from robots or software.
3. New revenue: Putting money into the hands of American consumers would grow the economy. The Roosevelt Institute projected that the economy will grow by approximately $2.5 trillion and create 4.6 million new jobs. This would generate approximately $800 900 billion in new revenue from economic growth.
4. Taxes on top earners and pollution: By removing the Social Security cap, implementing a financial transactions tax, and ending the favorable tax treatment for capital gains/carried interest, we can decrease financial speculation while also funding the Freedom Dividend. We can add to that a carbon fee that will be partially dedicated to funding the Freedom Dividend, making up the remaining balance required to cover the cost of this program.https://www.yang2020.com/policies/the-freedom-dividend/
INCREASE ASSISTANCE FOR SINGLE PARENTS
Being a parent is the toughest job on the planet, even with a partner and strong extended family to rely on. Its even tougher for the 13.6 million single parents out there, most of them mothers. The numbers are set to rise sharply today, 40% of the children born in the United States are born to unmarried mothers, up from 15% in 1980.
We should be doing more to help them and the approx. 21 million children being raised in single-parent households.
Outside of programs such as the Freedom Dividend to raise them out of poverty and support their ability to provide food and housing for their family, the best thing we can do for these parents is to help them find and build a support network.
https://www.yang2020.com/policies/single-parent-assistance/
FREE MARRIAGE COUNSELING FOR ALL
Children raised in two-parent households have better outcomes across almost every dimension. Studies also show that being in a happy marriage contributes to longevity and life satisfaction. However, there is currently very little support out there for people who are looking for assistance in managing their marital relationship.
Because of the huge societal good that comes from keeping married couples who want to stay together in their relationships, marriage counseling for interested couples should be free or heavily subsidized by the government. https://www.yang2020.com/policies/free-marriage-counseling/
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION FOR ALL
Education in America starts too late. It has been shown that there are massive benefits to offering pre-kindergarten options to children throughout their lives, especially for those from low-income families. It also increases sociability, and it relieves the financial burden of finding daycare for families who struggle to afford it. https://www.yang2020.com/policies/early-childhood-education/
MEDICARE FOR ALL
Access to quality healthcare is one of the most important factors in overall well being, and yet America is one of the few industrialized nations not to provide healthcare for all of its citizens. Instead, we have a private healthcare system that leaves millions uninsured and bankrupts even some of those who do have health insurance. At the same time, our cost of care is higher than in almost any other industrialized country while providing worse outcomes. The Affordable Care Act was a step in the right direction, providing funds to states to innovate while expanding Medicaid substantially. However, it didnt address the fundamental issues plaguing our healthcare system:
Access to medicine isnt guaranteed to all citizens
The incentives for healthcare providers dont align with providing quality, efficient care
This must change.
Through a Medicare for All system, we can ensure that all Americans receive the healthcare they deserve. Not only will this raise the quality of life for all Americans, but, by increasing access to preventive care, it will also bring overall healthcare costs down.
With a shift to a Medicare for All system, costs can also be controlled directly by setting prices provided for medical services. The best approach is highlighted by the top-ranked Cleveland Clinic. There, doctors are paid a flat salary instead of by a price-for-service model. This shift has led to a hospital where costs are visible and under control. Redundant tests are at a minimum, and physician turnover is much lower than at comparable hospitals.
Doctors also report being more involved with their patients. Since theyre salaried, theres no need to churn through patient after patient. Instead, they can spend the proper amount of time to ensure that each patient receives their undivided attention and empathy.
Outside of a shift to a Medicare for All system, we can look to the Southcentral Foundation for another important shift necessary in the way we treat patients: holistic approaches. At this treatment center for native Alaskans, mental and physical problems are both investigated, and, unsurprisingly, the two are often linked. By referring patients to psychologists during routine physicals, doctors are able to treat, for example, both the symptoms of obesity and the underlying mental health issue that often is related to the issue. The referral also leads people with issues they may otherwise try to bury sexual abuse, addictions, or domestic violence issues to bring them up with a doctor so that they can be addressed.
By providing holistic healthcare to all our citizens, well drastically increase the average quality of life, extend life expectancy, and treat issues that often go untreated. Well also be able to bring costs under control and outcomes up, as most other industrialized nations have.
Finally, being tied to an employer so that you dont lose your healthcare prevents economic mobility. Its important that people feel free to seek out new opportunities, and our current employer-provided healthcare system prevents that. https://www.yang2020.com/policies/medicare-for-all/
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided