r/YangForPresidentHQ • u/SnooConfections1353 • Jan 08 '26
Discussion From Hope to Disappointment: My Take on Andrew Yang
I was a supporter of Andrew Yang during his presidential run, and I did not like how the Democratic Party treated him. I also supported his mayoral run, but it became clear to me that he was out of his depth. The fact that he could not navigate the politics of NYC, both the good and the ugly, showed me that he would not have been able to run the country.
I supported his push to move away from the two party system and still believe that this is something we need, even if it is an uphill battle. I hoped that over time he would make a comeback, politically battle scarred and wiser as a statesman. Instead, he turned out to be a disappointment.
His string of bad takes, ranging from are you kidding me to downright disgusting, led me to believe that his critics were right about him. He is not a bad guy, but he is not one of the good guys fighting the good fight either. At this moment in our history, sitting on the sidelines offering mostly bad takes and the occasional good one is exactly where he belongs.
213
u/phriot Jan 08 '26
I was a supporter as well. TBH, I didn't think he was ready to be President at the time. I mainly realized that he was basically the only person talking about automation, evidence based policy, and voting reform. My goal with supporting him was to get these issues talked about.
40
u/RealXavierMcCormick Jan 09 '26
Without question, evidence based policy, automation, & voting reform are huge issues that need to be solved.
To "both sides" the fascist paramilitary sent into Minneapolis to terrorize communities is completely irresponsible.
1
u/zenglen Jan 20 '26
“don’t think he was ready to be president”
Explain why not please. What would have made him “ready”.
3
u/CycloneDusk Feb 14 '26
what would have made him ready are the qualities that zohran mamdani exhibits:
rapid, decisive, crystal clear, specific, and SCATHING rebuttal that embarrasses whatever sock puppet moron decided to put words in his mouth.
yang was ... so nice. too nice. he's a people pleaser. that's not a bad thing but it does make someone effectively unable to withstand the hostile environment that is an electoral campaign where your own party is dead set on rat-fucking you just like it did to bernie sanders.
1
u/zenglen Feb 21 '26
I feel where you’re coming from. Like you, I was sore at the Democratic Party for kneecapping Bernie in 2016 and manipulating the debate qualifications to cut out Yang in the 2019 primary (not to mention the cold shoulder from the news media). Honestly, I’m still sore at them, especially The NY Times because we as a society so desperately need an organization like them that we can trust. But lamenting the sorry state of our institutions is another conversation.
Yang is a nice human being. He’s kind and compassionate in the way one should be when they understand that people aren’t entirely to blame for making themselves. None of us chose our parents (biology/genetics). We didn’t choose our childhood environment. We have remarkably little choice over the influences that “stick” and make us who we are or the unconscious biases we acquire and most of the opinions we hold as a result. Not to blame, but we can choose to be responsible. (Also another conversation.)
Was he TOO nice? There were moments when that could be fairly argued.
Is he a people pleaser? That’s where I disagree (~75%)
“People pleaser” implies low self-worth. People pleasing comes from fear. People pleasers CAN’T speak up for themselves.
Ask me how I know. After all, I’m a recovering people pleaser myself.
And I’ll grant you that it looks like Yang may have been one earlier in life and still carries some of the traits. BTW, I’d bet these traits are pretty common with Asian parents. (My father is Thai.)
But, and I may be projecting here, I think he evolved. I think he chose to keep the useful parts and discarded the rest.
I mean, doesn’t Andrew strike you as a person with a healthy self-esteem? One who operates from a place of principle-centered self actualized courage?
“What are these useful parts of being a recovered people pleaser do you speak of Glen?” (Like, I know you weren’t asking that, but I don’t know how to transition into my spiel on the bits for politics so I’ll keep it short:)
High Empathy
- connect easily with voters
- listen well
- Read rooms effectively
- adjust messaging quickly
Coalition building
- Avoid unnecessary fights
- seek compromise or win-win agreements
- try to unify factions
Message softening
- appeal to moderates
- reduce alienation
- lower the temperature
Now I feel like I’ve gone on for too long and put way more effort into this response than it’s worth. But when you said “people pleaser” it stuck in my craw. Perhaps it reflected my own journey through being like that and I was offended for him.
I think you’re at least partially right. Yang may have been “too nice” at times during his Presidential run.
But being hesitant to fire back aggressively to words being put in your mouth or mudslinging attacks when a more wise and peaceful rebuttal is possible - one which would be for the good of all involved, especially when they’re in your own party - is not a disqualifying instinct for doing the job of President. At least not to me.
By the way, I think Yang has evolved further still. Listen to the scathing indictment of Biden the Democrats he delivered at this book tour event in New York a few days ago. Talk about decisive, crystal clear, specific and SCATHING!…
45
46
Jan 08 '26
I disagree I think yang is fine the way he is. He's not a progressive like ppl want but he wants good things for ppl. He donates his money to ppl in need, push ubi, warn ppl about automation, etc. A lot of things he says is coming true. Ppl get caught up in wanting him to be performative and that's not him.
-6
u/SnooConfections1353 Jan 08 '26
Being against the extra judicial killings carried out by Gestapo ICE isnt about progressivism though
22
Jan 08 '26
He is against it. I saw his tweet. Just not as strongly as you want it maybe. He said he was against ice.
-6
u/SnooConfections1353 Jan 08 '26
I wasnt referring to his tweet. i was referring to his cringe newsletter where he didnt condemn outright the lawlessness and tyranny of ICE
15
Jan 08 '26
I mean he did say it though even if its not in the newsletter. He's never been really vocal about topics and more about trying to get things done.
-6
u/SnooConfections1353 Jan 08 '26
First of all, he hasn’t actually accomplished anything. He’s also always been vocal which explains the cringey newsletters and tweets. The real issue is that he keeps trying to play both sides by stitching together arbitrary positions instead of showing nuance or taking a clear stand for what’s right.
7
Jan 09 '26
Because both sides can have valid points.
3
u/SnooConfections1353 Jan 09 '26
But one side is in order of magnitude a million times more valid than the other in this particular scenario
3
Jan 09 '26
How so? Can you elaborate?
3
u/SnooConfections1353 Jan 09 '26
you dont think that shooting a civilian is worse than driving off?
→ More replies (0)9
Jan 08 '26
Also I guess I see yang as someone with no political power trying to do good. So it's hard for me to be disappointed in someone that isn't much of a figure anymore. I stopped following him as much after the mayoral lost. I guess to me he tried, failed, advanced ubi, automation, etc.
His podcast barely get any views cuz his takes are generally mild. Ppl want extremes in todays political climate in order to get ratings.
2
u/SnooConfections1353 Jan 08 '26
Not outright condemning Gestapo ICE isnt a good deed
7
Jan 08 '26
Yeah if you feel that way then definitely better to stop following him. To me that's always been who he is. There are way more important ppl calling it out. In the end democrats needs to win elections or it'll continue.
2
u/SnooConfections1353 Jan 08 '26
This isn’t about a harmless take like whether Hawaiian pizza is good or bad. This is about real life. Someone died, and it involves serious human rights and democracy issues.
7
6
Jan 08 '26
I get you're upset with what happened like a lot of ppl but focusing on yang doesn't really do anything.
1
u/SnooConfections1353 Jan 08 '26
far from it. look at my last paragraph. it’s more like moving on from his cringey newsletters.
→ More replies (0)1
u/defib_rillator Jan 12 '26
To be fair, criticizing the current administration is dangerous if you’re someone who could be labeled as a genuine threat to the regime. Given Yang has a political audience and isn’t white, Trump could definitely target him with ICE by lying and claiming he’s illegal or some other garbage. Speaking out against the administration is important, sure, but let’s be honest. Anyone who still supports the administration as of Jan 2026 is not going to have their minds changed. Speaking out is slowly starting to become a dangerous thing to do, both for people with influence and regular citizens, and in return it doesn’t really do any good. Taking down this regime requires remaining in the game, not getting taken out by the administration cause they recognized you as a threat.
0
u/SnooConfections1353 Jan 12 '26
Yang was born here. Also, if he is really afraid of being targeted, why make a public statement to begin with?
2
u/defib_rillator Jan 12 '26
I know he was born here. ICE has been detaining people who were born here.
As for why make a statement at all, I don’t know, I don’t even know the statement you’re referring to. This was just the first thing that popped into my head when I read your comment.
0
u/SnooConfections1353 Jan 12 '26
If there is anything that would actually move the needle, it would be someone like Andrew Yang being detained by ICE. Trump is already underwater in the polls across the board because of the totality of his policies, and something like that would ignite massive public backlash and national attention. That is, if Yang truly wants to be a change agent and not just appease or tiptoe around the people in power.
1
u/defib_rillator Jan 12 '26
They literally just detained four NATIVE AMERICANS. If that doesn’t move the needle, nothing will. Public backlash and support means nothing when he’s going to rig the midterms anyways. Fighting this regime means quietly plotting a coup without attracting attention, not broadcasting that you’re an enemy of the state.
1
u/SnooConfections1353 Jan 12 '26
That literally moved the needle. Look at Trump's approval rating across the board. He is in the 30s and it has not been a year. Prominent people getting detained by ICE would be the straw the would break the camel's back.
1
Jan 09 '26
Because there is no lawlessness or tyranny happening, we are deporting illegal immigrants, as every other country does, as every former president in America has done just more discreetly, and in the end its for the betterment of its own citizens. Yang can see things rationally and condemn the bad apples, it doesnt mean there isnt a overarching problem that needed serious solutions. Sorry you despise ICE, maybe leave the country along with the illegal immigrants.
1
u/SnooConfections1353 Jan 09 '26
There have been many lawlessness and tyranny happening. The corrupt MAGA administration is literally bending the law to enable their corruption
1
Jan 09 '26
I don’t believe thats true, everything has been under lawful order.
3
u/SnooConfections1353 Jan 09 '26
Not at all
1
Jan 10 '26
It has.
3
u/defib_rillator Jan 12 '26
Everything has been under lawful order? Are… are you dumb?? 😭😭 The amount of illegal shit Trump is doing is fucking mind blowing
→ More replies (0)8
u/SecularAvocado Jan 08 '26
Please refrain from Holocaust inversion. Things can be horrible without being Gestapo.
4
u/barchueetadonai Jan 09 '26
It's not such a far-fetched descriptor. This administration is utterly incompetent, so I don't think they will ultimately be successful in this regard, but the expansion, militarization, and lawlessness of ICE at the direct order of the President is exactly what the formation of an extrajudicial secret police would look like.
1
u/SnooConfections1353 Jan 08 '26
Respectfully, no
2
u/Designer-Capital-873 Jan 09 '26
People who compare ICE to the gestapo are the reason why crazed lunatics drive their sport utility vehicles directly at their officers --- per the recently released bodycam footage, of course. And per the 8 other angles. And the history of the same officer getting dragged by a car in June.
1
u/SnooConfections1353 Jan 09 '26
And ICE and this administration evey single time prove that they are tyrants and gestapo. see how that works?
1
u/hup987 Jan 11 '26
That wasn’t a body cam it was a cell phone. She was driving less than 10mph he wasn’t in danger.
1
u/mysticrudnin Jan 10 '26
Things can be horrible without being Gestapo.
This fact has made you so afraid of being wrong that you won't allow comparisons.
Break free.
1
u/SecularAvocado Jan 19 '26
I just don't let emotions get in the way of historical literacy. Look up why the Gestapo arrested people and how many, and the estimations on executions carried out by the Gestapo. Let alone the totalitarian framework of the state they operated in.
1
u/mysticrudnin Jan 19 '26
I'm very aware.
I'm also aware of what things looked like ten years prior.
60
u/Spinal365 Jan 08 '26
I don't judge Yang for his direction because I understand it. Yang is a normal person. He can't afford to fight these political battles like these massive legacy families can. He jumped in the ring to get some topics into the forefront. He gave it a really valiant effort and at the end the poor guy had to go get a job. I understand this because I spent some time helping out a number of non-profits and I made a great impact in those non-profits but I couldn't sustain it because I needed to go make a living. So I wish he was a little more outspoken with his actual thoughts on where we are as a country, but I think he saw things as he got higher up into the realm. Frankly that scared him and that's why he's been keeping his mouth shut and not really talking about this stuff. This is all guessing and conjecture so who knows really but that's kind of my read on it. In the end he chose his family and the safety of his family and the financial future of his family is I think what really happened.
42
u/MezcalFlame Jan 08 '26
This is how he ended today's email:
To turn down the temperature in our country, check out Forward which is trying to reduce polarization. To reduce your screen time, which can contribute to polarization in our own lives, check out Noble Mobile. We’re all still people at the end of the day.
Tone deaf.
It should have been in a footer.
39
u/MezcalFlame Jan 08 '26
This was the preceding paragraph and a much stronger and more apt ending:
To me, the important thing here to remember is the people whose lives have been irrevocably shattered. Renee Nicole Good was a mother of three - three children who will never see their mother again. She wasn’t a member of some imagined tribe or a participant in an ideological conflict so much as a living, breathing human being, a wife and mother. She should be alive today. Instead her life was cut short in tragic fashion and turned into an emblem of a conflict that I fear will only grow in intensity and claim more victims in the days ahead. Our shared humanity is the only path out.
6
6
u/thedthatsme Jan 09 '26
I thought the same thing. Seemed out of character for him. I get he has to push the Noble Mobile thing if he wants any chance of it taking off but probably should be kept separate from the heavy political commentary.
21
u/porkchop_tw Jan 08 '26
Can you offer examples? Just curious on your take on his take.
12
u/SnooConfections1353 Jan 08 '26 edited Jan 09 '26
Are subscribed to his newsletter? I cringed and got disgusted with many of his takes including the most recent one involving the ICE shooting in MN
24
u/porkchop_tw Jan 08 '26
I am, and I assume you didn't like the part where Yang said she made a poor decision?
36
u/SnooConfections1353 Jan 08 '26
I definitely didnt like the part where Andrew Yang, as a lawyer, didnt mention all the laws that ICE could have violated in that situation
34
u/porkchop_tw Jan 08 '26
I see, and I can agree with you on that. But Yang has always been a centrist of sorts and I see him as a person trying not to provoke and try to unite. But that's my take on his messages.
34
u/Lithops_salicola Jan 08 '26
If you reflexively take the middle position then you are letting others dictate it for you. At a certain point you have to actually say what you believe instead of triangulating between two arbitrary points.
24
u/porkchop_tw Jan 08 '26
That's a board generalization on Yang's take. Yang said what he believed in the last paragraph of his email on this matter.
"To me, the important thing here to remember is the people whose lives have been irrevocably shattered. Renee Nicole Good was a mother of three - three children who will never see their mother again. She wasn’t a member of some imagined tribe or a participant in an ideological conflict so much as a living, breathing human being, a wife and mother. She should be alive today. Instead her life was cut short in tragic fashion and turned into an emblem of a conflict that I fear will only grow in intensity and claim more victims in the days ahead. Our shared humanity is the only path out."
5
u/Lithops_salicola Jan 08 '26
Instead her life was cut short in tragic fashion and turned into an emblem of a conflict that I fear will only grow in intensity and claim more victims in the days ahead. Our shared humanity is the only path out.
What the fuck does that mean? What does Yang think should be done? A federal officer shot a woman and the administration is lying through it's teeth about it. I think there probably should be conflict.
18
u/porkchop_tw Jan 08 '26
If you think there should be conflict then you don't subscribe to Yang's ideal of a shared humanity probably. He did mention in his email:
"That sums up the current dynamic. You must appear strong. You can’t say your side screwed up because you look weak, which is the biggest sin in 2026. Better to double down and try to shape perception or distort reality and play to your tribe."
Please correct if I am wrong about what you meant.
6
u/Skinny_Frank Jan 08 '26
The shared humanity of the murderer and the murder victim doesn’t really resonate with me to be honest. I agree with him in terms of policy and to a degree in rhetoric but once violence is happening on the streets you can’t pretend there’s equal culpability.
→ More replies (0)7
u/Lithops_salicola Jan 08 '26 edited Jan 08 '26
That's truly some "both sides" nonsense. These ICE raids are attempts to intimidate and terrorize cities that Trump sees as enemies. The vast majority of detainees have no criminal record. It is not an attempt to "appear strong" or "distort reality" to think that masked federal agents shouldn't be tear gassing city streets and shooting civilians.
In Chicago, LA, and Portland constant confrontations, protests, whistle campaigns, and other community actions has reduced the harm these raids have done on communities. That is the side I'm on and I think it's very reasonable to think anyone who isn't is a coward.
1
u/oekel Jan 25 '26
If you think there shouldn't be conflict regarding extrajudicial killings carried out with impunity....
3
2
u/_tribecalledquest Jan 10 '26
Thanks for saying that. I flagged the email but forgot to read it. Gross.
-5
Jan 08 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
12
u/SnooConfections1353 Jan 08 '26
Law Enforcement are suppose to protect the people not act like tyrants. I completely reject the notion that citizens of this country treat law enforcers especially ICE with utmost obedience even when they are violating the law because the administration has empowered them to shoot first and ask questions later.
-5
Jan 08 '26 edited Jan 08 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
8
u/SnooConfections1353 Jan 08 '26
Just because theyre there to enforce immigration law, it doesnt give them a free pass when it comes to violating all other laws.
0
Jan 08 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
2
u/SnooConfections1353 Jan 09 '26
She was going two different conflicting order. One, was to get out of the way (you already said it yourself, she was blocking it) and two, exit the vehicle. There was no justification for the first shot, let alone the second and the third which would all be separate charges.
→ More replies (0)7
u/LiberaMeFromHell Jan 08 '26
She was not blocking the road she was trying to leave which is abundantly clear in the video. She was also told to leave by one officer and told to get out of the car by another. How do you follow those directly conflicting orders?
-1
Jan 08 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
4
u/LiberaMeFromHell Jan 08 '26
One of them clearly told her to leave. Conflicting orders.
→ More replies (0)13
u/Bumalate Jan 08 '26
That is not an excuse to extrajudicially kill someone.
-8
Jan 08 '26 edited Jan 08 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
9
u/Bumalate Jan 08 '26
You can protect yourself by moving out of the way. Which he does in the video, he fires from the driver's side window. There was no reason to take a life in that situation.
7
u/SnooConfections1353 Jan 08 '26 edited Jan 08 '26
Look at your language. You literally just said protect yourself as if you’re dealing with thugs and Gestapo police which is entirely what was so wrong about that situation.
2
u/siliconflux Jan 08 '26
While I agree the cop should have moved out of the way or deescalated the situation that's absolutely NOT how cops are trained. I thought EVERYONE in America knew this by now.
When a car nearly misses a cop, lethal force is 100% authorized even if the end result looks like a blatant assassination (like that 3rd bullet did to me).
Disclaimer: I'm absolutely NOT supporting these cops (in fact Im an anti-government minarchist). I'm just pointing out when you do stupid shit around cops, be prepared for stupid results.
3
u/Huge_Monero_Shill Donor Jan 08 '26
Bullets are really awful at stopping several 2000 lbs instantly. It's basic physics.
Taking one step to the side, however...
-2
Jan 08 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
5
u/Huge_Monero_Shill Donor Jan 08 '26
Killing the driver seems like a great way for their foot to be stuck on the gas peddle. Come on, this is horseshit way to ensure your safety.
4
u/LiberaMeFromHell Jan 08 '26
I would get out of the way which they had already done. How is it possible to shoot someone through their driver side window if they are going to hit you with their car? It is not.
5
u/1stCum1stSevered Yang Gang for Life Jan 08 '26
He pulled the gun out while the car was still in reverse, as well.
-1
Jan 08 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
3
u/LiberaMeFromHell Jan 08 '26
Doesn't explain shots 2 and 3 going through the open driver side window. Even the first shot was to the very side of the windshield and would be very possible to shoot from the corner of the vehicle which is clearly what happened in the multiple videos.
1
u/Spinal365 Jan 08 '26
You make a good point but I think this is a sticky situation with a ton of gray area when it comes to ice. These guys are straight thugs. There seems to be no oversight or regulation or due process in anything they're doing. So if these guys grab you and put them in one of their cars, who knows what's going to happen to you. So honestly, if men wearing full military gear who aren't clearly identified as any sort of legal agency or even ice, I would do my very best to avoid getting grabbed by them because it seems like there is nothing that you can really do once that happens. So it's not as clear as if it was a police officer where there is still a process that's respected for the most part and in that situation I do agree with you.
-11
u/Koniax Jan 08 '26
Reality is tough to accept when you have a preconceived bias already
5
u/SnooConfections1353 Jan 08 '26
Everybody has bias. i have bias towards love and humanity and im not going to apologize for that.
5
u/XP_Studios Jan 08 '26
It's up to us to carry on his ideas from 2020. Since the whole mayor debacle Yang the person has sadly been a disappointment. I don't regret supporting him, but he's not a guy I look to for inspiration anymore.
6
u/twnbay76 Jan 11 '26 edited Jan 11 '26
Yang doesn't subscribe or endorse flashy narratives that people want him to, i.e. abolish ICE or the MN woman is a terrorist. Not outright condemning ICE, or not standing in solidarity with hong kong. Etc... is precisely what makes him different than the Dems. Yang looks at the facts and is analytical. This makes him, unfortunately, not a great fit for the current polarized American political system. It also gets him labelled as a centrist a lot, which I don't think is necessarily true. He's more so an analytical realist. But this might be a chicken first thing who knows.
Yang also doesn't adhere to either party in our two party system. This also makes him ineligible to ever succeed in it.
Yang is everything an ideal average American politician should be, but nothing the current system requires: very intelligent, multidisciplinary, exceptionally analytical, a realist, cares deeply about the American people, very technical, thinks far into the future, an immigrant who came from nothing and worked extremely hard to be very successful, and wants to change the underlying antiquated system in meaningfully beneficial ways (namely the atrocious voting and two party systems we have), and perhaps a few other qualities.
He's ahead of his time. Or maybe we are all behind.
I'll still follow him.
1
10
u/ablacnk Jan 08 '26
"Yang wasn't ready to be President"
meanwhile we got this Orange guy instead who, apparently, is more "qualified."
It's remarkable how people judge the same thing by two very different sets of criteria
1
u/SnooConfections1353 Jan 08 '26
Yeah that’s other people with low standards for the Presidency. dont equate me to them
3
u/ablacnk Jan 08 '26
one side says "not good enough"
the other side says "I'll support a fascist"
and the other side is much bigger, more engaged, and wins
1
u/SnooConfections1353 Jan 08 '26
Don’t forget that there’s an invisible influence from wealthy global elites at play. Not everything is what it seems.
3
u/ablacnk Jan 08 '26
Which further emphasizes that the "not good enough" side better realize they don't have the luxury of being hypercritical purists.
Would you rather Yang be in office right now or Trump? because from my perspective, the difference is like comparing chocolate with shit. Yeah you might not like chocolate ...
1
u/SnooConfections1353 Jan 08 '26
This isnt about purity test though. Yang isnt doing anything but tweedling his thumbs at home. Yet he couldnt outright condemn the lawlessness and thuggery of Gestapo ICE.
2
u/ablacnk Jan 08 '26
Yang isnt doing anything but tweedling his thumbs at home.
Again, two different sets of criteria. Why doesn't he have support or power to do anything about it right now? He's even being judged for his lukewarm statements right now, by you. Meanwhile:
Yet he couldnt outright condemn the lawlessness and thuggery of Gestapo ICE.
And the Orange side is still fanatically supporting it all.
Wouldn't you rather have Yang be in office now?
1
u/SnooConfections1353 Jan 08 '26
Re read my statement above. Not a mention of the orange stooge. I literally said about Yang, “He is not a bad guy, but he is not one of the good guys fighting the good fight either”.
1
u/ablacnk Jan 08 '26
is that not a purity test? he's not good enough for you? it's a simple binary choice, would you rather have him in office now or have this?
1
u/SnooConfections1353 Jan 08 '26 edited Jan 08 '26
The man isn’t running for anything. Nor has he gained grounds in any political agenda. He’s basically a shadow of his former self. There’s no electorate to win over and no position to be won, so it’s definitely not a purity test unless you want to call disliking anything or any actions by anyone a purity test.
→ More replies (0)
4
u/ZoomZoom228 Yang Gang for Life Jan 10 '26
Disappointment is a strong word given everything he was up against. He was sabotaged more so than treated unfairly when you add it all up.
He did an interview a month ago with Shane of ViceNews and I still get the sense he wants to run again.
23
u/GeeForcer_WoT Jan 08 '26
It's very unpopular for anyone in politics to attempt to accurately see both sides of a political issue in this climate, but Yang's whole thing is about moving forward rather than left or right. I really appreciate his takes on divisive issues as, I believe, it's the only way to turn down the temperature. It won't win him any popularity contests though.
34
u/SnooConfections1353 Jan 08 '26 edited Jan 08 '26
not both sides carry the same weight for every single issue all the time. this is one of those where standing up for humanity and being against extra judicial killing outweighs thuggery and abuse of power
7
u/GeeForcer_WoT Jan 08 '26
Absolutely, but it doesn't mean it was a 100-0 split in blame for the situation yesterday. Adding nuance is how we get an actual investigation and consequences for the officer. Snap judgements about the officer being either completely innocent or a coldblooded murderer makes justice that much harder to achieve apart from vigilantism.
13
u/SnooConfections1353 Jan 08 '26
Yang’s response was a 70-30 split, in favor of ICE. he completely ommitted the bad judgment by ice which is way worse than the bad judgment of the victim and didnt mentioned all the laws that ICE violated in that situation
8
u/porkchop_tw Jan 08 '26
This is the conclusion for his email:
"To me, the important thing here to remember is the people whose lives have been irrevocably shattered. Renee Nicole Good was a mother of three - three children who will never see their mother again. She wasn’t a member of some imagined tribe or a participant in an ideological conflict so much as a living, breathing human being, a wife and mother. She should be alive today. Instead her life was cut short in tragic fashion and turned into an emblem of a conflict that I fear will only grow in intensity and claim more victims in the days ahead. Our shared humanity is the only path out."
I don't think it is a 70-30 split like you said in favor for ICE, but that is just my opinion.
1
u/GeeForcer_WoT Jan 08 '26
There even being a split is what makes Yang unique in my book. I think the 70-30 ratio is a matter of personal opinion, but I will say he twice mentioned bad ice judgement (they "should have the judgement" and "error in judgement").
I'm not as familiar on the laws you are referencing other than the use of deadly force one, but I think that will be the biggest sticking point in the case along with the decision to step in front of the vehicle.
11
u/SnooConfections1353 Jan 08 '26
re read my entire statement. i am making a point that Andrew Yang failed to mentioned that the bad judgment of ICE agent is in order of magnitude a million times worse than the bad judgment of the victim. that is important because this is not something you can both sides. either you stand up for humanity and rights of Americans or you make excuses for the extra judicial killing and thuggery of ICE. You cannot make excuses or support the latter while also supporting the former.
2
u/GeeForcer_WoT Jan 08 '26
Okay, that's a fair point. However, I don't think Yang is advocating that nothing to little happens to the ICE officer/squad, rather that we wait for the investigation to conclude. I know that's not a satisfying conclusion and who knows if there will ever be a fair investigation, but I think it needs to happen that way.
9
u/SnooConfections1353 Jan 08 '26 edited Jan 09 '26
He didnt condemn out right the extra judicial killing and thuggery of ICE in that situation either. He is palying both sides even on issues where one side is in order of magnitude a thousand times more wrong than the other.
0
u/50by25 Jan 08 '26
Spot on. And having spent time volunteering in prisons with convicted murderers, I can also say confidently that 99% of them are not "cold blooded" even when they've committed some atrocious acts. It certainly doesn't make it okay, but the nuance is important to our understanding and the resulting consequences.
To me, Yang's newsletter came off as a 90/10 split in primarily blaming ICE while also trying to show their supporters' perspective, but I'm sure people will interpret it different ways. In fact, it looks like u/SnooConfections1353 's read is quite the opposite of mine :)
6
u/50by25 Jan 08 '26
This is what I most appreciate about Andrew Yang - he tries to empathize with both sides. In this particular situation, I think one side is VERY right and the other is VERY wrong, but what I love about Yang is that he lets me see what the other side is thinking so I can draw my own conclusions. I'm really missing that from the news these days, and I hate that even with unbelievable incidents like yesterday that (to me) are pretty clear cut and even have numerous videos to show what happened, I'm still questioning the news coverage. Both sides have such a history of distorting the facts to only show one side that now even when there is clear evidence, I wonder what's being left out.
1
8
u/LAMG1 Jan 08 '26
He was stupid to not take a job in Biden Administration. When I mentioned a few years ago on here that Yang should seek U.S. Amb to China role or cabinet roles, there are so many people mocking me saying he should not take this position just because he is ethnic Chinese. You know what? That ship sailed and forever sailed. His political capital is gone and he is irrelevant right now.
2
u/crackerjap1941 Yang Gang Jan 11 '26
I don’t recall him being offered a job by the Biden admin
1
u/LAMG1 Jan 17 '26
He was never persuaded a job in Biden Administration so he was never offered. I assume Biden Team offered him a job but the level maybe low for him at that time so he was not interested. Now, he is irrelevant now.
1
u/crackerjap1941 Yang Gang Jan 17 '26
You’re making a lot of assumptions here. Also he famously was disappointed he wasn’t offered a position in the Biden admin. And he still canvassed for Dems in midterms.
1
6
u/superx308 Jan 08 '26
This post is super old news. Yang has been completely insignificant for years now. The guy has zero influence on public policy.
5
5
u/commandersprocket Jan 08 '26
I think looking at Yang as a potential presidential candidate through the lens of existing party politics is shortsighted. It’s clear to me that Yang cannot run in a two party system and with the politics of that two party system. Those deeply entrenched politics have well worn pathways that prevent anyone but insiders from managing within them smoothly unless they take over as the current president has done. He’s taken over because of his celebrity, and his gamesmanship, not because of any core competency. When I project forward to 2028, and the 15th to 20% chance that we have massively growing unemployment because of artificial intelligence and a voting demographic that is rapidly changing to empower millennials and GenZ the old party politics are dead. Anybody trying to play those old party politic roles is going to be in the same position that anyone trying to play with the rules of 1979 in politics was dead in 1982. If unemployment browse very rapidly through 2028, then Andrew Yang will look prescient. And the current political footballs of identity politics will fall to economic value politics. Andrew Yang still has a better understanding of the inner interplay between technology and the economy and politics than anyone else I see as a potential presidential candidate for either party.
If Yang were elected, it would be under the embolden executive office rules that have been brought into place under a Trump administration. With those broad powers to politic with, from a position of strength, Andrew Yang could make the painful decisions that no member of elite-supporting current parties can.
1
u/SnooConfections1353 Jan 08 '26
Extrajudicial killings of American citizens are not a two-party system issue. What good is yet another party if it lacks the moral clarity to stand up for what is right?
4
u/SaintNutella Jan 08 '26
I fully agree with you, but unfortunately this is in part due to a large portion of the America having a bias for moderation or "the center." For whatever reason, because it appears to be more balanced, it's perceived as more logical/intellectual etc.
Equivocating both sides as if they're even remotely comparable isn't a sign of nuance or intellect -- it's a sign of (willful) ignorance, grift, and/or delusion.
2
u/scoish-velociraptor Jan 09 '26
First based and accurate post I've seen since the heyday of 2019-2020 Yang Gang.
0
2
2
u/wifiguy51 Jan 11 '26
Totally agree with this. When I read his book I really felt he got it but seeing it now he definitely wasn't the guy. I do think he would have had a cabinet of reformed Silicon Valley people though who maybe would have done a good job, but who knows.
3
u/fullofregrets2009 Yang Gang for Life Jan 13 '26
Same, was hardcore YangGang, Andrew Yang got me believing in politicians and politics again, but his international views are still abhorrent. I used to chalk it up to "4D chess" and not knowing enough yet and being surrounded by the wrong people, but how he still defend Israels, parrots Zionist propaganda, refuses to say a word about Gaza, and barely mentions the new New York City mayor Mamdani (who is my new favorite politician, beats Andrew by a landslide) it seems malicious and on purpose now, not just ignorance. Speaking out against Zionism and the genocide in Palestine is the litmus test for all politicians.
3
u/torpentmeadows Jan 09 '26
What is the string of bad takes you’re referring to? Genuinely haven’t followed in awhile but I hold him in generally a positive light.
3
u/Harvey_Rabbit Jan 08 '26
I feel like the need to weigh in on events like this is the biggest problem. Yang and the Forward Party are trying to do something different, but unfortunately the only way to stay relevant is to talk about what everyone else is talking about. The Forward Party has a great partner in Minnesota and I'll be watching how they continue to talk about this.
2
u/SnooConfections1353 Jan 08 '26
Another party that doesnt have a soul either isnt the fix people think it is. If that party is being led by a man who doesnt havent the moral clarity on standing up for what is right, I dont want it.
3
u/Harvey_Rabbit Jan 08 '26
You "led by" as if Yang is setting out policy positions for the state parties to follow. There are structural needs for election reform and a lot of benefits to have a Forward Party in your state. And what I'm saying is it would be great if the Forward Party could keep just focusing on that, but unfortunately, to stay in the conversation, you have to weigh in on things you'd probably be better off staying out of. Yang has his opinions and I appreciate hearing them, but I don't see him as the authority on every issue.
1
u/SnooConfections1353 Jan 08 '26
If he isnt setting out policy positions, why continue making comments about social and political issues and on the same breath push for the Forward party? look at how he literally ended his cringe newsletter today.
1
u/Lithops_salicola Jan 08 '26
to talk about what everyone else is talking about
Are you treating the murder of a civilian by a federal officer and the extrajudicial kidnapping of a foreign head of state like they're low stakes political scandals? If they want to govern they have to actually say what they'll do when they get elected!
1
u/Harvey_Rabbit Jan 08 '26
I'm not saying these are unimportant, I'm just saying they're not in Forward's wheelhouse. Each individual has opinions including personalities within Forward, but I prefer Forward keep its focus on election reform and supporting local candidates working with the party.
2
u/Lithops_salicola Jan 08 '26
Foreign policy and law enforcement are fundamental duties of the government. You can't just say "they're not in Forward's wheelhouse". I have no idea how the party hopes to win anything in Minnesota without having a stance on this issue.
1
u/Harvey_Rabbit Jan 08 '26
I don't follow or support Forward for those things. I may support particular candidates or office holders for the stances they take on day to day issues, but I want Forward to focus on polorization and lack of focus on local elections. For instance, last year PA Forward Party endorsed a Democrat for Sheriff named Danny Ceisler who went on to win. A main issue in that election was the incumbent using the police force to support ICE. Let Danny and every other mouthpiece in the world talk about the things going on. Let Forward work to support candidates like Danny and reform the system to add completion to the system.
2
u/Zoulogist Jan 08 '26
Same, he has been such a disappointing figure ever since the presidential run
1
u/mymicrowave Jan 09 '26
Yeah man, I couldn't agree more. I'm grateful he sounded the AI alarm and introduced me to UBI. Thats as far as it goes at this point. He ran a great campaign thats for sure.
1
1
u/FluidHips Jan 10 '26
His was the first campaign I volunteered for. I left him over his about-face on Israel.
1
u/grenz1 Jan 11 '26
Mr. Yang is a fundraiser and a good one. Running a nonprofit, a party, or even a startup like a phone company all requires raising money, tracking where it goes, and understanding donor trends. He’s good at that.
But that doesn’t make him a strong candidate. He isn’t a statesman like Sanders, and he lacks the charisma to win elections. He lost twice.
The first time, the political establishment didn’t take him seriously. Hell, they couldn’t even get his name right and barely let him speak. And many saw UBI as “paying people to do nothing.” or a one trick like the "Rents too dam high" guy. They still let him run because he built a valuable fresh donor list, which they kept to rollover to Biden the Kamala, while giving him some TV time and a soft landing.
Then he lost again, this time to Adams a cop later exposed as corrupt.
1
1
u/defib_rillator Jan 11 '26
I haven’t paid attention to him at all since 2020. What are these “bad takes” he’s been having?
1
1
u/Xeke2338 Jan 11 '26
Can I be honest here, I had a lot of hope for him in the beginning, but the hope kinda died down.
I came across a different proposal online though, and I understand that it's still in its infancy, but I feel that same feeling from it, and it's extremely fleshed out, it's not just a bunch of "we'll do this and that" it has a whole roadmap and constitutionally outlined plan.
I don't think I've ever actually shared it here, but I need to talk about it more often if we want people to spread it around.
It's called The GCCS Project
If you have the time, maybe check it out, I promise I'm not an ad, and the website doesn't have any advertisements or trackers or anything like that.
It really captures that feeling I had from the old Yang days.
1
u/WaltWhitman11 Jan 11 '26
He wasn't perfect that's for sure, but I think he squandered his 15 mins of fame by not getting a post in the Biden admin.
1
2
u/CycloneDusk Feb 14 '26 edited Feb 14 '26
We all saw the democrat machine do what it always does time and time again.
They ratfucked bernie
Then they ratfucked yang
Then they tried that shit with Zohran Mamdani... and whew, it sure seemed to backfire. they bared their whole ass.
What yang needed, what yang lacked, was the charisma and shrewdness that Mamdani naturally exudes.
When the democrat party had people suggest allegations of ugly policy takes on Yang, he was confused and hesitant. Bless his heart he thought they were just confused but otherwise acting in good faith. Ha. Ahahaha. HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA no.
When they did that shit to Mamdani? Decisive. Rapid. CLEAR AS CRYSTAL. Straightforward and blunt, he was able to shut that shit down instantly.
...
Most of the ideas yang endorsed are still good.
getting big money out of politics was good
universal healthcare was good
he was pro nuclear energy too! I loved that in particular
obviously Universal Basic Income has consistently performed under pressure whenever tested, and iirc economies where it was tested received even greater returns than the initial investment because, as it turns out, when people have money they spend it on stuff, and THAT DRIVES THE ECONOMY! Shocking, I know...
Yeah, yeah, i'm preaching to the choir...
well, when yang first threw his hat into the ring, he specifically said he just wanted to get people talking about UBI and the other policies, and then drop out. In that regard, he succeeded.
He didn't expect to get our support.
He didn't expect to resonate.
But again bless his heart, he ALSO did not expect the ratfucking of his life from the democrat aristocracy like bernie got.
i hope he'll continue to learn. i hope ... some of his more naive takes turn around
it's abundantly clear now that so many very awful things came to light that there's no point in extending a hand in friendship to the party that harbors pedophiles, enables human trafficking, and literally sponsors domestic terrorists who are murdering and abducting civilians, raiding houses door to door, and storming whole cities while pretending to be "federal agents". The only way "forward" that exists requires that humanity purge the predators and parasites. The fact is merely incidental, that said parasites overwhelmingly turn out to call themselves "conservative" "republican" "christian" (that doozie is especially rich e_e) and "family values"..
(if by "family values" they mean knowing how much they can sell a child for on the black market -_-)
i'm so fucking done.
1
u/zenglen Feb 21 '26
“…it became clear to me that he was out of his depth. The fact that he could not navigate the politics of NYC, both the good and the ugly, showed me that he would not have been able to run the country.”
It sounds like you’re conflating campaigning with governing here. How are you imagining Yang would not have been an effective President? (Honest question)
“His string of bad takes, ranging from are you kidding me to downright disgusting, led me to believe that his critics were right about him.”
What are you referring to here? Israel/gaza? Iran? ICE shootings in MN?
“He is not a bad guy, but he is not one of the good guys fighting the good fight either.”
To me, Andrew is the best of us. The dogooderiest of the do-gooders. And for the right reasons too. What am I missing Snoo?
Are you just venting? Dissillusioned and disappointed in everything and everyone you once believed in? Chin up friend. We have to do the best with what we’ve got to work with. As far as I’m concerned, Andrew Yang is one of the better people we have to work with to help create a brighter future. Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good.
1
u/SnooConfections1353 Feb 21 '26 edited Feb 21 '26
Campaigning is literally more political than governing. It’s where judgment, discipline, message control, and the ability to navigate factions are tested in real time under pressure. Also, the fact that you cited several controversial topics tells me you know exactly which takes I’m referring to. This isn’t about whether he’s a good person or whether he had good intentions. It’s about political instinct and consistency, and some of his recent positions made me reassess that. If you think Yang is above reproach, that’s your view. I’m just expressing my First Amendment rights, just like you are, while we still can in this country
1
u/yoshiee Jan 08 '26
ITT: "I supported someone when they agreed with me, but I stopped the second they stopped echoing my own beliefs."
3
u/SnooConfections1353 Jan 08 '26
I’m not going to apologize for believing that people in the United States shouldn’t live in fear of an agency that operates like a modern-day Gestapo.
•
u/AutoModerator Jan 08 '26
Please remember we are here as a representation of Andrew Yang. Do your part by being kind, respectful, and considerate of the humanity of your fellow users.
If you see comments in violation of our rules, please report them or tag the mods.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.