In the 2016 election, Donald Trump was, by far, the most meme-worthy candidate. Trolls on sites such as 4Chan and Reddit’s r/The Donald championed Trump as an ironic savior while the alt-right churned out countless disgusting, racist memes using Trump’s image.
However, in 2020 it looks like the 'sh*t-posters' of the world are jumping off the Trump Train and getting on the Yang Yacht. The political outsider is also gaining legitimate support from Democrats for his forward-thinking policies.
#YangGang Goals: 1. Spread our message as far as it can possibly go. Reply to tweets, post on Facebook, tell your… https://t.co/pfBIVmkmoX— YANG 2020 💰 (@YANG 2020 💰) 1552935138.0
Yang gang drew 3000 people to a rally https://t.co/KiB8e4TtdH not bad for a man that is 1% in the polls.— Junson Chan 🇺🇸 (@Junson Chan 🇺🇸) 1553026544.0
Andrew Yang, 44, is a former corporate lawyer who switched to startups and later launched the nonprofit Venture for America, which seeks to “to revitalize American cities and communities through entrepreneurship.”
His presidential candidacy has been gaining legitimate traction in the crowded 2020 Democratic field by focusing on a future where automation and artificial intelligence may lead to mass unemployment. His supporters are known as the “Yang Gang.”
His signature proposal to help people through the impending economic catastrophe is a universal basic income (UBI) which he calls the Freedom Dividend.
WATCH: #Democratic presidential candidate .@AndrewYangVFA explains Universal Basic Income: https://t.co/CbQ4jLezgQ… https://t.co/8PKCXDA5lB— upolitics (@upolitics) 1548889153.0
Yang’s UBI policy would give every American adult $1,000 a month to do as they choose. The idea is gaining sincere support from some liberals, but it’s also made him the favored candidate by some on the far right.
“It’s uncomfortable,” Yang told The New York Times about his far-right supporters. “They’re antithetical to everything I stand for.”
The candidate’s forward-looking policies are also seen as a respite from decades-old debates on Baby Boomer topics such as abortion and guns.
Yang is even working on creating a lifelike 3-D hologram of himself that can be projected on the back of a flatbed truck. “It’s a way for me to be in two places at once,” he said.
The candidate has even acknowledged an unofficial Yang 2020 slogan that has cropped up online. “Secure the bag” is a term used by supporters to hold the course and get that sweet $1,000 a month check.
Traveling with my staff, I told someone to secure the bag.— Andrew Yang (@Andrew Yang) 1552613266.0
Here’s a small sampling of the countless Yang Gang memes popping up online.
Have you seen @AndrewYangVFA policy page? Next level. #YangGang https://t.co/QavhQL83Zm https://t.co/2TACG5HOGC— Ohio Yang Gang (@Ohio Yang Gang) 1553007834.0
This meme template has been one of my favorites since it was first created. A key point made here too about how co… https://t.co/WJO5fcSZVQ— Scott Santens (@Scott Santens) 1552874088.0
Keep pushing @AndrewYang and this idea that we all need will catch on! Keep retweeting and supporting to give our c… https://t.co/UPxs5WwzGK— Yang Gang (@Yang Gang) 1553183778.0
"There is nothing stopping us from declaring ourselves a dividend" #YangGang #YangGang2020 #Yang2020 #SecureTheBag https://t.co/507TJ8Dj6X— eru (@eru) 1552874957.0
$1000 a month from 18 to 65 is $564,000. I'm not sure I can ever give my children a better foundation of financial… https://t.co/OAHTzT3qJw— Hypothetically Uncensored (@Hypothetically Uncensored) 1552963407.0
I was going to see @captive_state this weekend but saw this instead. A blockbuster by #YangGang productions https://t.co/yXFgC3NAaD— michael leach (@michael leach) 1552944693.0
YangBucks being printed. (Colorized 2020) #YangGang #YANG2020 https://t.co/62VKHJlDqC— Anti Boomer Task Force (@Anti Boomer Task Force) 1552781162.0
@draagonslayer19 The Freedom Dividend should ultimately replace existing welfare systems, something akin to Milton… https://t.co/T96SG48OrT— YangGang2020 (@YangGang2020) 1553313431.0
@EdKrassen @yashar 1000 dollars #YangGang https://t.co/QR2qlZa05C— YangGang2020 (@YangGang2020) 1553308312.0
.@Wendys just endorsed #YangGang WOW!!! https://t.co/sRYhE2GBFo— Yang Gang 🇺🇸 (@Yang Gang 🇺🇸) 1553060756.0
@AndrewYang That's all the other candidates want to do unfortunately. We need transformative solutions to fix the p… https://t.co/wSkC5PtVBC— AmericanSaikyo (@AmericanSaikyo) 1553029338.0
Watching that first $1,000 hit my account like... #YangGang #Yang2020 https://t.co/sCpE8Xg7vc— Anti Boomer Task Force (@Anti Boomer Task Force) 1552919619.0
Grit has officially been pink pilled 💊 #CultGang X #YangGang #LetsGetThisBag 💰 https://t.co/exOjpHnKAB— çøįn åłçhęmįśt (@çøįn åłçhęmįśt) 1552748504.0
Some are switching to Yang after being disappointing by Trump.
the weak should fear the strong #yanggang https://t.co/zCKfsojK0X— Sir Elliot (@Sir Elliot) 1553058462.0
So true ☝️💰👀 #SecureTheBag #YangGang #Yang2020 https://t.co/ihx0jTAzKW— ☢ N u K 3 ☢ (@☢ N u K 3 ☢) 1553088696.0
@AndrewYangVFA The time for shallow right wing populism is over, the time for transhuman ascendancy has come.… https://t.co/Y5GtElgSSK— AmericanSaikyo (@AmericanSaikyo) 1552845474.0
Follow, like and retweet your fellow #YangGang members! @TheScoopSteeve @sevencarrots77 @yanggangpodcast… https://t.co/6laVYIifbU— ExtremeMAGA now YangGang🇺🇲✝🐸 (@ExtremeMAGA now YangGang🇺🇲✝🐸) 1552927214.0