Thread by @PugilistFanatic

Im on a mission now to convince Bernie supporters, like I was previously, about how much better an Andrew Yang presidency would be for them and their families wellbeing. Everyday, Im going to cover one policy/belief difference between the two. Today is financial security.[Thread]

So first, both patriots have a deep sense of duty to the average American family. They each want Americans to have more money in their pockets at the end of the day. Bernie wants to achieve this with a federal minimum wage increase of $15 an hour, combined w/Medicare4All

Andrew Yang also wants Medicare4All, but instead of doubling the current federal minimum wage, he wants a Universal Basic Income of $1000 per month, per individual over the age of 18, with no other conditions. You would not need to have an official job to get this money.

So a few things here that separate each proposals’ impacts to your families: How many people will benefit positively from each, and how much will each person benefit from it. So a federal minimum wage increase to $15/hour would give everyone who is working a per hour job making

Less than $15/hour a raise. If you are making $14 an hour, you only get a $1/hour raise, compared to the people making $10 an hour, who would see a $5 an hour raise. Currently, 42% of American workers make below $15/hour, with varying ranges. It would benefit tens of millions

However, a federal minimum wage increase would not increase the earnings of contractors, many gig workers, artists, musicians, unemployed people (specifically those who lost their jobs to automation/downsizing), the retired elderly, and many more who don’t earn hourly pay.

There are 3-4 million combined Uber/Lyft Drivers who wouldn’t get a single penny from a federal minimum wage increase. These people are making very little money and need the help. 75-80% of retirees today are not involved with the workforce in any way, so they wouldnt get a raise

There are more than 11 MILLION parents who are “stay-at-home” who’s job it is to take care of our children and raise wonderful tiny human beings. They wouldn’t get touched by a federal minimum wage, nor would their incredibly important contribution to society get recognized by it

There are 2.1 million artists who inspire our daily lives and contribute to culture at large and make our homes and families smarter and stronger. Very few of them would be affected by a federal minimum wage increase. These are people who are largely forgotten in American society

58% of the entire American workforce, tens of MILLIONS of people, already make more than $15/hour at their jobs. Most of them are still struggling too. A $15 minimum wage would probably not touch them at all.

There are 14 MILLION full-time students in the United States who would not be touched 1 inch by a federal minimum wage increase. 1/3 students admit to skipping meals to pay for classes/textbooks. These people all need help.

McKinsey and the Department of Labor under Obama, as well as a plethora of other reputable sources, say that by 2030, 25-33% of all American jobs will be subject to automation. Around 80% of the jobs that make less than $20/hour will be subject as well. Min wage doesn’t help them

If anything, a strict increase into the cost of labor through a doubling of the federal minimum wage will only INCREASE the rate of automation because companies would rather pay a large upfront cost for robots/AI and marginal upkeep cost than massive labor costs of $15/hour.

Lastly, there are 500,000 homeless, jobless individuals on the streets of the US. Many of them are veterans. A federal minimum wage would not help any of them in the slightest.

The MAIN difference I just wanted to point out between these two progressives beliefs and mindsets are that Bernie believes that “No one who works 40 hours a week (in a specific environment, in specified occupations) deserves to be poor.” Yang thinks “nobody should EVER be poor.”

With Yangs UBI, every single adult, no matter what, will be $1,000 a month richer, $12,000 a year more secure because its unconditional. Employment status has no bearing on whether you get it or not. It would go to HUNDREDS of MILLIONS of people in its entirety. Its vastly better

This is an open invitation to any and all current supporters of other candidates for an honest conversation. This historic campaign is trying to rid the US of hunger, which 2.5 million families struggle with at any moment, hopelessness, depression and anxiety. Were #HumanityFirst