Forward - Notes on the future of our democracy by Andrew Yang

Updated 5th September 2023: Here is a great podcast with Andrew Yang that touches on most of the book:

I read and liked the War on Normal people by Andrew Lang which took a deep look at the state of work in the USA and proposed UBI as a needed next step to take to tackle the next big automation wave.

This book is partially auto biographical as it describes how Andrew decided to take this ideas and run for the presidency of the US. He describes what that process was like, what it takes to run for president in the US, and what he has learned along the way.

What he has learned to me was quite a depressing read. The Washington machine is not built to improve people's lives. It is built to sustain the status quo:

"those who believe that our politis are broken are wrong. Politics is functioning exactly as our structural incentives demand. The problem is that those demand s have nothing to do with improving our lives; more often than not, people get rewarded more for keeping a problem around than for solving it"

There is good insight into the triangle of politics, big corporations and the media. Each of them feed the other and they thrive on polarization.

One often wonders why elected officials do not follow through on their promises and end up falling in line with the establishment and the existing power structures:

"Putting people - however well-intentioned - into a corruptive system of personal and political incentives produces nothing but dysfunction and disillusionment."

And also:

"Toxic systems compromise good individuals with ease"

You just have to look at the re-election statistics of the members of congress to fully understand how much the system is built to sustain the status quo:

"Right now members of Congress have a re-election rate of about 90 percent, while Congress's approval rating hovers around 21 percent."

In the second part of the book, Andrew proposes solutions. They all make sense to me but they are so monumental that it is hard to understand how those are going to ever pushed through. I was interested in understanding the concept of Ranked Choice Voting and the approach to start this at the state level.

On the media: "Instead, many members of the national media feel they have a responsibility to reinforce particular candidates and their "narrative" and dismiss other. they don't report on the news; they form it."

"Bureaucratic failures will continue to recur because many of our governing institutions aren't built for efficiency, urgency, or accountability. They are built for continuity, stability, and the bureaucracy itself. They will fail us during the next crisis, and we will be left crying for answers time and again"

I really like this statement: "We don't exist to serve the economy. The economy exists to improve our way of life"

All in all, I liked this book. He tries to structure a solution and has a positive outlook. I am pessimistic about the vested interests allowing any of this to progress.

Chat GPT comments:

Your summary of Andrew Yang's "The War on Normal People" touches on some profound insights about the current state of American politics, the media, and the economy. Let's delve deeper into some of the points you raised:

1. The Washington Machine & Status Quo: Yang's observation that politics is functioning as per structural incentives but not necessarily for the betterment of people's lives is a sentiment shared by many. This is a reflection of the broader issue where systems, once established, tend to perpetuate themselves, often at the expense of innovation or change. The challenge is to find ways to realign these incentives with the public good.

2. Triangle of Politics, Corporations, and Media: This triad has been a topic of concern for many political analysts. The symbiotic relationship can lead to a feedback loop where each entity reinforces the other, often at the expense of the general public. Polarization, as you mentioned, is a byproduct of this, as it can drive ratings, campaign donations, and political engagement, even if it's detrimental to societal cohesion.

3. Re-election Statistics: The disparity between Congress's approval rating and its re-election rate is indeed startling. Gerrymandering, the power of incumbency, and the influence of money in politics can all contribute to this discrepancy. It's a clear sign that the electoral system might not be as responsive to public sentiment as it should be.

4. Ranked Choice Voting (RCV): RCV is an electoral system where voters rank candidates in order of preference. If no candidate gets a majority of the first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed based on the second choices. This process continues until a candidate achieves a majority. RCV can reduce the influence of extreme candidates, encourage more civil campaigns, and ensure that elected officials have broader support. Starting at the state level is a strategic move, as it can serve as a testing ground and potentially pave the way for broader adoption.

5. Media's Role: Yang's critique of the media is not unique, but it's essential. The media's role as the "fourth estate" is to inform the public and hold power accountable. However, when media becomes a player in shaping narratives rather than reporting them, it can distort public understanding and discourse.

6. Bureaucratic Failures: Bureaucracies, by their nature, prioritize stability and continuity. While this can be beneficial in ensuring consistent governance, it can also lead to inefficiencies and a lack of adaptability in the face of new challenges.

7. Economy & Way of Life: Yang's statement underscores a fundamental philosophical point about the purpose of economic systems. They should be tools to enhance human well-being, not ends in themselves. This perspective is crucial in an age of rapid technological advancement and economic upheaval.

Your pessimism about vested interests obstructing progress is understandable. However, history has shown that with enough public pressure and the right leadership, significant changes can occur. Yang's book, and his broader political movement, is an attempt to catalyze such change. Whether or not he succeeds, the ideas he's put forth have already influenced public discourse, which is a step in the right direction.