Andrew Yang in Conversation in San Francisco with Michael Lai

Andrew Yang, presidential contender in the 2020 race, made an appearance Monday evening in San Francisco for a fireside chat with District 11 Board of Supervisors candidate Michael Lai.

The event, held at the Ingleside Community Center’s sanctuary, drew about 50 Yang fans and Lai supporters – who came to hear from both politicians in this heavily Chinese district.

Yang and Lai took turns asking each other questions relating to their aspirations, their concerns and experiences, often mutually eliciting audience applause and laughs. Yang reiterated his platform from his previous run for U.S. President as well as for New York City mayor. He founded the Forward Party in 2021 as an answer to an outdated, two-party system.

Yang described a new political world without the standard primaries we have come to know, instead to be replaced by an on-line voting system open to numerous candidates across a spectrum of political ideologies. He asserts he and other influential leaders urgently need to help escort Joe Biden out the door and be replaced by a viable candidate to take on Trump, predicting Trump has a 90% chance of winning the presidency this November. The good guys are not winning seats, he claims, and as such, Yang foresees dark, turbulent times ahead for America.

When asked for his view on AI (Artificial Intelligence), Yang felt the speed in which AI is advancing is moving faster than expected. He further wants to give a greater role to government to work on technology and regulation. Hallmark themes of his were reviewed, such as Universal Basic Income, good education and other antipoverty measures. Yang pitched implementing Ranked Choice Voting for the presidential race, eliciting gasps from the audience. He further believes local, small media companies are the key to American politics, saying “we can’t have local democracy without local journalism”- and big news reporting conglomerates are to blame for much of the political strife today, and pitched funding neighborhood newspapers via public/private partnerships.

Several attendees, donning Yang Gang hats and paraphernalia, posed for photos with Yang, much to his delight. Candidate Lai appreciated Yang’s push for campaign volunteers, donations and votes this November. Yang has endorsed Lai’s candidacy for supervisor.