ANDREW YANG – Thursday Announcement – What will it be?

When Andrew suspended his campaign on February 11, 2020, when it became clear he did not have a clear path to the presidency, the question for many in the Yang Gang was: what comes next?

DECISIONS BASED ON THREE KEY FACTORS

The mission has not changed since suspending the campaign. They are:

• (1) How to best get Donald Trump out of the White House
• (2) How to get universal basic income (UBI) or the Freedom Dividend to be part of the American agenda
• (3) Move the country forward to prepare for the fourth industrial revolution.

THURSDAY ANNOUNCEMENT?

• The campaign was a success but short-lived. It has provided Andrew Yang a platform to continue to speak now as a CNN commentator and he will be in the public eye for years to come. Fortune – Andrew Yang is STILL the most visible Asian American in politics right now.
• However, discussion of UBI or Freedom Dividend and mobilizing the country for the fourth industrial revolution has been drowned out. It’s back to business and politics as usual. This is not something that will sit well for Andrew, Zach, or others like the Yang Gang.
• The GOOD NEWS is unlike when Andrew started to run in late 2017, he now has some very basic infrastructure, like mailing lists, contacts of talented people, so many amazing celebrity endorsements, and much more “brand” awareness. That being said, Andrew is still NOT a household name. There is a good foundation to build on and it’s just beginning.
• The GOOD NEWS is also Andrew is a changed man. If he was passionate running for POTUS before, he is even more invested emotionally two years later. How could he not be? Same with Zach. They are here for the long haul.

ANNOUNCEMENT? ADDRESS LIMITATIONS OF THE 2020 CAMPAIGN

The campaign had the right message. Ultimately it did not have enough of a robust political infrastructure and relationships (see Joe Biden’s surprising surge) or funding (see Bernie Sanders) to keep the movement going and awareness. The public is busy and distracted with a multitude of issues, diversions, and addressing basic necessities. To breakthrough the clutter and noise, any realistic future run must address these issues.

• Creation of a media network – podcast, documentary film, another book and much more. Andrew Yang and the Yang Gang are a cultural phenomenon. Like any startup that may get acquired or interest from larger companies, they see an untapped market that is hungry for more content and more Andrew Yang. He’ll use that to help further his goals. This will help him get his message out should the main stream media (MSM) continue not to devote time to him and his message.
• Join them. It’s hard to win as an outsider, though one can be an outsider with ideas and be the next flag bearer of the Democratic party. To win, Andrew needs to be part of the establishment and create change from the inside. He’s already now on CNN. This improves his visibility but also his legitimacy something the campaign tried so hard to get and expected MSM to pick up on as they got traction. To also get the Democratic nomination, one needs to work inside the system rather than outside (ask Bernie Sanders) and so expect Andrew to be more involved with the DNC in the future. It’s tough for a startup to break the status quo. A lot times, it’s the incumbents that make the change, perhaps not as dramatic but progress nonetheless. Politics and our governance is overdue for some fresh ideas. Unlikely Andrew would head a new third national political party.
• Political visibility – Run for NYC Mayor. Andrew’s an operator and not a legislator. If someone seriously ran for POTUS on UBI, he would not have ever run for President (he’s not insane). It allows him to build on his strengths and assets (has a compelling message, knows what’s its like to create a campaign and team, name recognition, likability) and addresses some of his current limitations (lack of government experience, a platform where media must cover him, building political infrastructure and relationships) that others may have seen as downsides to his presidential goal. Also, it would allow him to stay home in NYC. I rode the train with Andrew Yang on Super Tuesday and He Said He’s Considering a Run for Mayor of New York.
• A home for the Yang Gang and other like-minded people. Think like VENTURE FOR AMERICA. Andrew Yang captured the imagination of hundreds of thousands and perhaps millions of Americans at all walks of life. They need a place to connect and build from. Not just for his future presidential run, but to ensure people are empowered at the grassroots level to make change as the fourth industrial revolution marches onward relentlessly and humanity first may be an afterthought without intervention. So much more work to do!

WHAT DO YOU THINK?