Andrew Yang, the 44-year-old tech entrepreneur from New York running for president, may have the most extensive and wildest platform in the Democratic field.
Yang, who is best known for his proposal to give every adult in America $1,000 a month, has also made a name for himself by proposing numerous unorthodox policy ideas, most recently declaring that as president he would push an initiative against circumcision. He has more than 75 policy proposals listed on his website.
His unusual and detailed platform planks have catalyzed a swell of support from meme creators and online supporters who call themselves the Yang Gang. Yang’s campaign has become more of a serious threat recently. He's made the debate stage, and both pundits and betting markets are considering Yang a major candidate for 2020.
As Yang goes from an unknown name to a mainstream candidate, here are his seven wildest policy proposals:
1. A domestic infrastructure force called the "Legion of Builders and Destroyers."
Under his proposal to modernize military spending, Yang has a scheme to divert 10 percent of military funding toward an infrastructure task force he calls “The Legion of Builders and Destroyers.” The head of this task force would be called “The Commander,” and he would be given the power to overrule local zoning laws and city regulations to make sure the building and destroying of infrastructure could be completed quickly and effectively.
2. Making taxes fun.
Yang said he wants to make taxes fun, starting with making Tax Day a national holiday called Revenue Day. He also said he wants to allow each citizen to direct 1 percent of their tax dollars to fund any government project they wish.
3. Requiring airlines to auction overbooked seats.
Yang wants the Federal Aviation Administration to change its policy so that airlines cannot forcibly remove customers from airplanes. Instead, airlines would be forced to hold live auctions on airplanes that are overbooked in which the airlines would offer more and more money until one of the passengers agreed to give up their seat.
4. Encouraging parents not to circumcise their kids.
Last week, in a tweet in response to one of his followers, Yang said he opposed the practice of circumcision. He later elaborated in the Daily Beast that he believed the practice was a “cultural onus” that is “pushed on parents” without any health benefits. Yang said he would push initiatives as president to inform parents about circumcision.
5. Paying people who move for work.
Yang’s platform revolves around the idea that robots will be displacing millions of jobs, requiring people to look elsewhere for work and potentially move. In response, Yang proposes that the Internal Revenue Service give each worker who has to move because of work $1,000 dollars for moving expenses.
6. Going after robocall companies.
Yang wants to initiate a national robocall hotline to which people could forward any unwanted robocall numbers. The Federal Communications Commission would be empowered to investigate and fine companies sending out robocalls.
7. Reinstating earmarks.
In 2011, Congress banned the use of earmarks after much scorn for projects like the Alaskan “Bridge to Nowhere.” Recently, there have been some renewed calls to bring back earmarks. Yang argues that bringing them back would make it easier for legislation to get passed, something that might be necessary for him if he were president to enact the massive amount of policies he's proposed.