As a former CEO of a start-up, Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang said big technology conglomerates like Facebook, Google and Amazon would be"well served" if broken up into smaller companies as some of his Democratic opponents have proposed.
Since then, Democratic candidates have been on both sides of the aisle when it comes to breaking up big tech. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., argued that stronger antitrust laws needed to be enforced rather than having the federal government deciding which companies to dismantle. Meanwhile, Sen. Kamala Harris, who represents California and -- more importantly Silicon Valley -- stopped short of calling for anti-monopoly action by the federal government.
However, Yang's comments on breaking up big tech could prove to be thorn in his signature campaign policy known as the"Freedom Dividend," or universal basic income. Yang's proposal would give every American 18 to 64 years old $1000 a month, or $12,000 over the course of a year, funded -- in part -- by implementing more taxes on big tech companies like Amazon, Google and Facebook.
"I told myself I'm a very pragmatic realist about what we're facing in 2019, 2020. We have to stop pretending that it's still the 1960s and 1970s," Yang said on"Powerhouse Politics." However, his campaign is receiving support from a problematic group: white supremacists. White nationalist Richard Spencer has tweeted in recent months his support of Yang's candidacy. Yang said he doesn't want his support.
"I think it's up to the American people who they want to support and certainly someone serving in the public sector for a number of years is very important to some people," Yang said."But I'd suggest for the other people, they're looking up and saying the government is a decade behind the curve when it comes to various challenges, technology in particular."
In depth long-form interviews with AndrewYang for the curious mind: Joe Rogan:… Freakonomics:… Breakfast club:… Ben Shapiro:… Lessig Town Hall:
Dumb idea! What does he know!
Gotta give it for Yang he is trying to be different than the other 19 democrats running for Presidency. Still wouldn't vote for the guy but it's different. It wouldn't work, we tried to break up AT&T into baby bells, AT&T came back. Microsoft was broken into four &came back.
He does not have the right to dictate how other people run their companies. He does not have the right to dictate how other people do anything.
Is it better that one large and corrupt team of software engineers can access our DMs and see our junk, or multiple smaller ones? Only time will tell.
Google IS the government