Andrew Yang Q&A: Presidential Shakeup, The Case for a Third Party, and the Need for Better Elections

Andrew
Photo by Gage Skidmore / Flickr. Creative commons license.
Shawn GriffithsShawn Griffiths
Published: 05 Aug, 2024
2 min read

Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore / Flickr

In his latest podcast, Andrew Yang fielded questions from his audience, including his thoughts on the presidential election, making the case for a third party like the Forward Party, and the importance of systemic election reform.

Yang is now long removed from Democratic politics and is focused on the Forward Party and bolstering momentum for reforms like ranked choice voting and open primaries. On making the case for his party, he says:

"What I like to use in the shorthand is, 'Wouldn't you love to have a party that is pragmatic, that is not ideological, that is all about solutions and will listen to data?'"

He added that if this is "your jam" then people should get involved with the Forward Party.

The party is not tied to an ideology, but that doesn't mean members have to be free of ideology. Yang has his own views and political beliefs and someone with different ideas can also be a part of the Forward Party.

"Pragmatically, you would endorse the Democratic or Republican who happens to be for opening up the system, if it exists," Yang said.

Election reform is a priority issue for the Forward Party. Yang has been vocal for years about his support for opening up primaries to ensure all voters have an equal say as well has his support for ranked choice voting.

IVP Donate

Ranked choice voting, in particular, has substantial momentum behind it right now -- but it also faces some challenges as reformers push it to new municipalities and states.

"There is one big challenge and that is money," Yang remarked. He joked that if a billion dollars was dropped on him to make ranked choice voting happen, it would happen.

It speaks to the need for resources. If a reform initiative fails or struggles to get off the ground, it is because there isn't enough money and resources attached to the campaign.

An initiative can also fail because voter education on ranked choice voting is still not where it needs to be in many areas across the US -- which Yang notes "is tied to resources."

Those who benefit from the status quo will do all they can to skew the message away from change. This includes institutional behemoths with a lot of recourses at their disposal. 

Yang talks more about the need for reform, why Democrats get it wrong when they say Trump is a "threat to democracy," his ongoing push for universal basic income, and more. Check out the Q&A above.

You Might Also Like

soldiers boarding a plane.
Left Behind: How Runoff Elections Disenfranchise Military and Overseas Voters -- And How We Can Fix It
When Americans serve overseas, they should never have to wonder whether their vote will count. Yet for thousands of service members and U.S. citizens abroad, the very structure of our elections makes that impossible -- especially when it comes to runoff elections....
16 Sep, 2025
-
4 min read
How It Really Works Voter Rights
How It Really Works: Does Your Vote Even Matter?
Imagine showing up to vote in November, proud that you are doing your civic duty, only to learn that the real contest happened six months ago without you. The winner was decided in a low-turnout primary while you were busy living your life. This is not a conspiracy. It is how the system was built. ...
10 Sep, 2025
-
12 min read
Voters v. The Legislature: Who Will Decide the Fate of Ranked Choice Voting in Michigan?
Voters v. The Legislature: Who Will Decide the Fate of Ranked Choice Voting in Michigan?
Rank MI Vote is gathering petition signatures for an amendment to the Michigan constitution that – if approved by voters – will allow voters who cast a ballot for president, Congress, governor, and more to use ranked choice voting instead of marking just a single candidate....
08 Sep, 2025
-
4 min read
broken california map
EXCLUSIVE: California Commissioner Says Lawmakers Gutted Their Funding BEFORE Prop 50
The fate of California’s independently drawn congressional districts will be decided on November 4, when voters weigh in on a legislative gerrymander and the suspension of congressional maps from the state's independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (CRC) under Proposition 50....
08 Oct, 2025
-
8 min read
fl-let-us-vote
Poll Shows Overwhelming Support for Opening Florida’s Primaries to 3.4M Independent Voters
A new statewide poll finds near-unanimous agreement among both Democratic and independent voters that Florida’s primaries should be opened to the state’s 3.4 million “No Party Affiliation” (NPA) voters who are currently shut out of taxpayer-funded elections....
10 Oct, 2025
-
3 min read
Proposition 50 voter guide
California Prop 50: Partisan Power Play or Necessary Counterpunch?
November 4 marks a special election for what has become the most controversial ballot measure in California in recent memory: Proposition 50, which would circumvent congressional districts drawn by the state’s independent redistricting commission for a legislative-drawn map....
01 Oct, 2025
-
9 min read