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ADAM: WELCOME BACK TO "CLOSE UP." SINCE WE LAST HAD ANDREW YANG ON THIS PROGRAM BACK IN JANUARY, HE’S GONE FROM A CANDIDATE ON THE MARGINS OF THE 2020 RACE TO ONE DRIVING THE CONVERSATION ON CERTAIN POLICY ISSUES AND GENERATING QUITE A BIT OF BUZZ ONLINE AND AMONG YOUNGER VOTERS. MR. YANG IS OUR GUEST THIS MORNING. THANKS FOR JOINING US. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. ADAM: WHAT YOU HAVE DONE HAS BEEN REMARKABLE. YOU’RE GONE FROM NOWHERE TO SOMEWHERE. HOW DO YOU GET TO THE FRONT OF THE PACK? >> MOST AMERICANS ARE JUST TUNING IN FOR 2020. THEY WILL GET TO MEET ME AND OTHER CANDIDATES AT THE DEBATE. WE ARE OUT POLLING MANY SITTING SENATORS AND GOVERNORS. YOU WILL SEE THAT RISE AS MORE AMERICANS GET A SENSE OF MY VISION FOR THE COUNTRY. ADAM: WHAT IS YOUR DEBATE STRATEGY? WILL YOU ENGAGE WITH YOUR FELLOW CANDIDATES OR TREATED AS AN INTRODUCTORY OPPORTUNITY? >> MUCH MORE THE LATTER. WE CAN ALL TELL WHEN SOMEONE HAS A MEMORIZED ZINGER. I WILL SPARE YOU THAT PAIN. MY GOAL IS TO INTRODUCE MYSELF TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. IF ANOTHER CANDIDATE COMES FORWARD WITH AN IDEA I THINK NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED, I AM HAPPY TO CONTRAST MYSELF WITH THEM. ADAM: LET’S TALK ABOUT POLICY. GO AHEAD AND GET SOME WATER. THE FREEDOM DIVIDEND. $1000 A MONTH. IT IS CENTRAL TO YOUR CAMPAIGN. HOW DO YOU ELIMINATE THE POTENTIAL FOR FRAUD? THIS IS BILLIONS OF DOLLARS POTENTIALLY GOING OUT IN THE MAIL EVERY MONTH. >> THAT IS THE GREAT THING. IF YOU ARE GETTING A DIVIDEND, YOU HAVE TO BE A CITIZEN. THERE IS NO FRAUD INVOLVED. THERE’S A LOT OF FRAUD IN EXISTING PROGRAMS. A LOT OF THE MONEY GOING OUT NOW IS SUBJECT TO VERY BAD INCENTIVES. YOU HAVE AN ENTIRE LEGAL INDUSTRY DESIGNED TO HELP PEOPLE ACCESS BENEFITS. IF THERE IS A UNIVERSAL DIVIDEND, IT REDUCES FRAUD. ADAM: HOW BIG OF A BUREAUCRACY DO YOU EXPECT TO ADMINISTER THIS PROGRAM? IT WILL BE HUGE COMPARED TO SOCIAL SECURITY. >> IT IS QUITE THE OPPOSITE. EVERYONE IN ALASKA RECEIVES A DIVIDEND OF BETWEEN $1000 AND $2000 A YEAR. ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS A FIRM YOU ARE AN ALASKAN CITIZEN AND YOU GET THE MONEY. IS MUCH LESS BUREAUCRACY. IT IS MUCH LESS THAN HAVING CASE MANAGERS. ALL OF THAT DISAPPEARS. ADAM: WHAT HAPPENS IF RANDY IN LACONIA DOES NOT GET HIS CHECK THIS MONTH? >> HE CALLS THE GOVERNMENT AND SAYS, WHERE IS MY CHECK? THE GREAT THING IS OUR GOVERNMENT IS GREAT AT SENDING CHECKS TO LARGE NUMBERS OF AMERICANS. IT IS ONE OF THE FEW COMPETENCIES OUR GOVERNMENT POSSESSES. WE NEED TO LEAN INTO THAT TO GET MONEY INTO THE HAS A PEOPLE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. ADAM: YOU HAVE BEEN CRITICAL OF IDENTITY POLITICS AND CANDIDACIES. WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM WITH IDENTITY POLITICS? >> I AM THE SON OF IMMIGRANTS. I UNDERSTAND THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND IDENTITY POLITICS. IT TENDS TO ACCENTUATE DIFFERENCES RATHER THAN WHAT WE HAVE IN COMMON. ONE OF THE THEMES OF OUR CAMPAIGN IS WE SHARE MUCH MORE IN COMMON WITH EACH OTHER THAN THE OPPOSITE. IDENTITY POLITICS, I UNDERSTAND IT, BUT TO ME IT IS A LOSING WAY FORWARD OR DEMOCRATS TO APPROACH NATIONAL ELECTIONS. ADAM: THE ASIAN-AMERICAN EXPERIENCE IN AMERICA IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST OVERLOOKED SUCCESS STORIES IN ETHNOGRAPHIC AMERICAN HISTORY. YOU LOOK AT WHAT THE CHINESE AMERICANS FACED BEING ENSLAVED TO THE RAILROADS IN THE WEST, THE JAPANESE INTERNMENT DURING WORLD WAR II, CASUAL RACISM. ALL OF THIS OVERCOME. WHILE YOU ARE NOT THE FIRST ASIAN-AMERICAN TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT, YOU’RE THE FIRST TO BREAK THROUGH. YOU ARE SAYING THAT IS NOT A BIG DEAL? >> I AM PROUD OF MY HERITAGE. BUT THAT IS SECONDARY TO THE PROBLEMS THAT GOT DONALD TRUMP ELECTED. WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THE FACT THAT WE ARE AUTOMATING AWAY JOBS THROUGHOUT OUR ECONOMY. THAT IS WHAT GOT DONALD TRUMP ELECTED. THAT IS WHAT I WILL SOLVE FOR AS PRESIDENT. MY IDENTITY IS SECONDARY. ADAM: SPEAKING OF THE PRESIDENT, HE RECENTLY TOLD GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS IF YOU WAS PRESENTED WITH FOREIGN DIRT THAT WOULD HELP HIM IN THE CAMPAIGN, HE WOULD LIKELY TAKE IT. THERE A BIT OF FOUR ABOUT THIS RIGHT NOW. -- THERE IS BIG UPROAR ABOUT THIS RIGHT NOW. YOU HAVE BEEN ON THE FENCE ABOUT IMPEACHMENT. DOES THIS CHANGE HER OPINION AT ALL --YOUR OPINION AT ALL? >> THE FACT HE IS NOT AGAINST WORKING WITH A FOREIGN GOVERNMENT FOR THE ELECTION IS PROBLEMATIC. I HAVE BEEN SAYING IMPEACHMENT WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY FAIL. IT WILL BE INCREDIBLY POLARIZING. THE FOCUS NEEDS TO BE ON BEATING DONALD TRUMP IN 2020. THAT IS WHAT I AM GOING TO DO. ADAM: WILL THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT UNDER PRESIDENT ANDREW YANG PROSECUTE DONALD TRUMP FOR OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE? >> IT WOULD NOT BE MY PREFERENCE. IF YOU LOOK AROUND THE WORLD, THROWING FORMER PRESIDENTS IN JAIL IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. WE DO NOT HAVE A HISTORY OF THAT IN THE UNITED STATES. IT IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD TRY TO PRESERVE TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE. ADAM: SOME DEMOCRATS SAY THERE IS CLEAR EVIDENCE OF CRIMES BEING COMMITTED IN THE MUELLER REPORT AND THOSE SHOULD BE TRIED IN COURT. >> YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE COST-BENEFIT. THERE ARE BENEFITS TO ENFORCING OUR LAWS ON THE BOOKS. BUT IN THIS CASE TO ME, THE DOWNSIDE WOULD ALSO BE SIGNIFICANT SO YOU HAVE TO TRY TO BALANCE THOSE TWO. ADAM: THERE HAS BEEN OTHER REPORTING THAT ANDREW YANG IS TOO NICE. WHAT YOU SAY TO DEMOCRATS WHO SAY YOU ARE NOT TOUGH ENOUGH ON DONALD TRUMP? >> AFTER I BEAT THEM, WE WILL SEE HOW TOUGH THEY THINK I AM. ADAM: DO YOU THINK YOU COULD BE MORE AGGRESSIVE IN YOUR STANCE TOWARDS THE PRESIDENT? >> I THINK AMERICANS ARE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO IMPROVE THEIR LIVES. I WILL FIGHT FOR THAT EVERY SINGLE DAY. I DO NOT THINK AMERICANS WANT A CONTINUATION OF THE CURRENT CONFLICTS THAT DO NOT IMPROVE THEIR LIFE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. ADAM: ONE OF THOSE CONFLICTS IS THE ABORTION ISSUE. WHERE DO YOU STAND ON THESE LAWS GOING IN AROUND THE COUNTRY RESTRICTING ACCESS TO ABORTION? >> I THINK IT IS UNFORTUNATE WE SEEM TO BE MOVING BACKWARDS IN THAT DIRECTION IN 2019. TO ME, THIS WAS SETTLED IN ROE V. WADE DECADES AGO. I UNDERSTAND THE OTHER POINT OF VIEW BUT I BELIEVE THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT BE RESTRICTING WOMEN’S REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS. ADAM: IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD DO AS PRESIDENT TO TRY TO CHANGE THE LEGAL LANDSCAPE? >> I WOULD PROTECT WOMEN’S REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS. IF THAT INVOLVES WHO IS ON THE SUPREME COURT, THAT IS WHAT I WOULD BE LOOKING AT. ADAM: HOW WOULD YOU APPROACH THAT SITTING DOWN WITH A SUPREME COURT NOMINEE IN THE OVAL OFFICE? WOULD YOU ASK THEM HOW THEY WOULD VOTE ON ABORTION? >> IT WOULD BE CLEAR ANY JUSTICE I APPOINT WOULD BE FOR PROTECTING WOMEN’S REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS. ADAM: SOME CANDIDATES ARE SAYING THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE JUSTICES ON THE SUPREME COURT. >> THERE IS NOTHING IN THE CONSTITUTION ABOUT THE NUMBER OF JUSTICES. IT HAS BEEN FIVE, IT HAS BEEN 13. ONE OF THE WAYS WE CAN REDUCE POLARIZATION IS BY INCREASING THE NUMBER OF JUSTICES ON THE SUPREME COURT. WE SHOULD ALSO MOVE FROM LIFETIME APPOINTMENTS TO 18-YEAR TERMS. LIFETIME APPOINTMENTS MIGHT HAVE MADE SENSE WHEN THEY DRAFTED THE CONSTITUTION, BUT PEOPLE DID NOT LIVE AS LONG THEN. I THINK WE SHOULD MODIFY IT FOR MODERN REALITIES AND MAKE SURE WE DO NOT HAVE 85-YEAR-OLD JUDGES HANGING ON BECAUSE THEY DO NOT WANT THE LOSS TO CHANGE. ADAM: ANTITRUST IS A BIG DISCUSSION WHEN IT COMES TO BIG TECH. WHAT YOU THINK SHOULD HAPPEN TO LARGE COMPANIES THAT HAVE CRAZY ACCESS TO OUR PERSONAL INFORMATION? DO YOU SEE BREAKING THEM UP? WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE MORE REGULATION THAT EXTRACTS SOME PUBLIC PROFIT? >> OUR DATA SHOULD BE OURS. THERE ARE COMPANIES PROFITING TO THE TUNE OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON THE BACK OF OUR DATA. MY GOAL WOULD BE TO TRY TO HAVE OUR DATA BELONG TO US. IF THE COMPANIES BENEFITING FROM THAT, THAT WE GET SOME VALUE. OUR ANTITRUST REGIME IS COMPLETELY OUT OF DATE. IT IS BASED AROUND PRICE. THAT IS NOT THE WAY TECH COMPETES. WE SHOULD HAVE SOME OF THESE COMPANIES THAT INVEST PARTS OF THEIR BUSINESSES. I AM FOCUSED ON SOLVING THE PROBLEMS OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. THE BIGGEST PROBLEM OF SOCIAL MEDIA IS IT IS DEPRESSING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. IF YOU BREAK FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM INTO SEPARATE COMPANIES, THAT MIGHT NOT HELP. SO WE HAVE TO GET INTO THE GUTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND MAKE IT HEALTHIER FOR OUR KIDS. ADAM: HOW DO YOU DO THAT? IN SOME WAYS, IT IS AMPLIFYING CONNECTION AND SOME OF THE NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF INTERACTING ONLINE. ISN’T THIS SOMETHING HAPPENING WITH HUMAN NATURE BEING BROADCAST ON SOCIAL MEDIA? HOW DO YOU CHANGE THAT? >> THAT IS A LATE -- COMPLETE MISCONCEPTION. ONE OF MY FRIENDS WE HAVE THE SMARTEST ENGINEERS IN THE COUNTRY TURNING COMPUTERS INTO DOPAMINE DEVICES FOR OUR KIDS. WE ARE SAYING THIS IS JUST HUMAN NATURE. THEY ARE TURNING THESE INTO ADDICTION DEVICES FOR PROFIT. YOU CAN GET INTO THE DESIGN OF THE APPS AND DIALED DOWN THE ENGAGEMENT AND DIAL UP THE HEALTH OF OUR KIDS. ADAM: GAMES ARE ONE THING. FACEBOOK AND TWITTER ARE JUST PEOPLE CONNECTING. YOU SAY FACEBOOK AND TWITTER ARE DOING THESE THINGS TO MANIPULATE US? >> THE APPS ARE DESIGNED TO MAXIMIZE INTERACTIVITY AND ENGAGEMENT. THERE ARE WAYS YOU CAN MAKE THEM HEALTHIER. YOU’RE RIGHT. NEGATIVE SENTIMENT FLOURISHES ONLINE MORE THAN POSITIVE SENTIMENT. IT IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO GET OUR ARMS AROUND. IT IS AN ANSWER -- UNPRECEDENTED SET OF PROBLEMS. ADAM: WHAT IS FOREIGN POLICY PRIORITY NUMBER ONE? >> I HAVE SIGNED A PLEDGE TO END THE FOREVER WARS. WE HAVE BEEN AT WAR FOR 18 YEARS AND COUNTING. IT IS OUT OF THE HANDS OF CONGRESS. I WANT TO RETURN THE POWER TO INTERVENE MILITARILY BACK TO CONGRESS AS IT SAYS IN THE CONSTITUTION. WE WILL NOT JUST BE THROWING OUR WEIGHT AROUND. WE NEED TO REBUILD PARTNERSHIPS AND ALLIANCES. ADAM: ARE YOU SAYING YOU WOULD DEFER TO CONGRESS TO MAKE APPROPRIATION FIRST? >> THAT IS WHERE THE POWER BELONGS IN THE CONSTITUTION. WE HAVE TO MAKE IT SO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE INVESTED IN WHAT WE ARE DOING A BROAD. I THINK OUR STRENGTH ABROAD FLEX HOW WE ARE DOING AT HOME. AT HOME, WE ARE DOING TERRIBLY. WE HAVE MENTAL HEALTH CRISES. OUR KIDS ARE MORE DEPRESSED THAN EVER. OUR FOREIGN POLICY REFLECTS THE FACT WE ARE NOT STRONG HERE. MY PRIMARY TASK IS TO MAKE US STRONG AT HOME. THAT WILL MAKE US MORE RELIABLE AS A

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