Yang: Universal basic income will free up the resources for Americans to ‘work even harder’

Entrepreneur and Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang touted his proposal to provide a universal basic income (UBI) on CBS’ “Face the Nation” Sunday, saying it would result in economic stimulus.

Asked by host Margaret Brennan whether the proposal, which would provide a monthly $1,000 to every American, would disincentivize work, Yang responded that “Americans will work even harder when they get the resources in place to get ahead.”

.@AndrewYang tells @margbrennan about his plan for a universal basic income, giving everyone $1000 a month. “The money will go right into local main street businesses… It will help rejuvenate American main street businesses and give us all a path forward.” pic.twitter.com/GHs48VItR7

— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) August 18, 2019

“The money will go right into local main street businesses, to car repairs, daycare expenses, Little League signups and that’s where the economic value needs to go in order to create jobs where people live and work,” Yang added, dubbing it “the trickle-up economy.”

{mosads}Asked for an example of where his plan to pay for the proposal with a value-added tax had been successfully implemented, Yang responded, “every other developed economy already has a mechanism just like this – Europe, Canada, Asia … this has already been figured out by every other developed economy.”

As for a specific example of a UBI system, Yang said “you don’t even need to look abroad,” referencing the “oil dividend” paid to residents of Alaska, which he said served as a major stimulus for the state economy and job market. A similar system on a national scale, he added, “will help rejuvenate American main street businesses and give us all a path forward.”