Once a bright star in the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries, Andrew Yang seems to have slipped into the void, leaving even his most ardent supporters questioning whether he was a fever dream or a forgotten guest star in America’s political reality show. He’s now the founder of the “Forward” party (which, frankly, we might’ve thought was a cult if we didn’t Google it), and the entire political spectrum has apparently decided he’s no longer worth remembering. But how did this happen? Let’s count the reasons:
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The “Yang Gang” Wasn’t Strong Enough to Hold a Political Party Together
In 2020, Yang’s “Yang Gang” was all the rage. People were tweeting hashtags, showing up at rallies, and… buying UBI-themed merchandise? But just as quickly as the hype started, it fizzled. After all, once you start a party with the ambition to reform America’s entire economic system and give away free money, it turns out a lot of people don’t want to do that. Oh well, better luck next cycle! -
He Was Too Busy Explaining UBI to Actually Run for Office
For a while, it seemed like Andrew Yang was less about running for president and more about giving an endless TED Talk on Universal Basic Income. Sure, the policy sounded nice in theory, but when you’ve spent the last year of your campaign trying to convince voters they should get free money, it’s hard to rally them for your actual policies. Not to mention, most people were still more concerned about things like, you know, not dying in a pandemic. -
His “Human-Centered Capitalism” Was Too Futuristic for 2020
In a year dominated by the most divisive election in recent memory, Andrew Yang’s forward-thinking ideas about “human-centered capitalism” seemed, to many, like a product of a distant, utopian future. Too bad America in 2020 was busy trying to figure out how to wear a mask and if a $1,200 stimulus check was too much or too little. -
He Ran Against an Incumbent President and the Democratic Establishment
Yang was a refreshing outsider, no doubt. But when you’re up against a sitting president who refuses to leave the White House and a long list of very seasoned Democrats like Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, and Bernie Sanders, your chances of being remembered are about as slim as a diet cola at a Thanksgiving dinner. Also, have you seen Biden’s following? Yikes. -
He Created a Party, But… Who’s Going to Vote for “Forward”?
The 2021 launch of the “Forward” party might’ve sounded great in theory — a party for those tired of the binary choices between red and blue. But how do you sell that to an electorate whose greatest concern is whether it’s “their turn” to have a chance at a presidential candidate that isn’t too extreme on either side? “Forward” may be the way to go, but does it have a destination? Not so sure. -
He Doesn’t Have a Slogan You Can Yell at a Rally
Say what you will about Trump’s “Make America Great Again” or Bernie’s “Feel the Bern,” but those phrases roll off the tongue. What does Yang have? “Human-Centered Capitalism”? That’s like a weird business proposal, not a rallying cry. It’s hard to chant that without sounding like a policy intern reading from a corporate brochure. -
He Was the Wrong Kind of “Different”
Yang was fresh, different, and unique — which sounded great until voters realized that “different” meant introducing ideas they weren’t ready to wrap their heads around. Sure, UBI sounded like a nice idea, but who’s really ready to hand out cash to everyone when you can barely get people to agree on the shape of a stimulus check? -
He Became a Meme, Not a Movement
Andrew Yang’s rise coincided with the meme-heavy era of political discourse. “Yang Gang” became an internet sensation, but just like every viral meme, the enthusiasm quickly turned into ridicule. It was a perfect storm: A likable outsider, combined with clever social media campaigns, but ultimately forgotten when the next meme came along. Sorry, Andrew. -
People Are Still Trying to Figure Out What His “Forward” Party Is Actually About
In the years since he launched the “Forward” party, Andrew Yang has yet to clearly articulate what his new party stands for. It’s not Democrat, it’s not Republican, it’s… something that’s “forward.” But when you can’t tell people what they’re voting for, it’s hard to get them to care. And let’s face it, “Forward” sounds more like a vague brand of toothpaste than a legitimate political movement. -
He Never Became the Spicy Candidate We Wanted
Whether it’s the boldness of Trump’s rhetoric or Bernie’s fiery calls for revolution, Yang never quite found his political voice. His policy ideas were great, but his delivery was more “tech entrepreneur” than “rock star politician.” People want someone who can make waves, not just lay out a PowerPoint presentation. Yang didn’t exactly have the pizzazz to keep the spotlight.
In the end, Andrew Yang’s 2020 run and subsequent creation of the “Forward” party will likely be remembered as a brief but intense flash in the political pan. Maybe one day, his “visionary” policies will be appreciated by a more enlightened electorate — or maybe they’ll stay in the archives with other forgotten political movements, like the “Tea Party” or that brief moment when we all thought Kanye West would run for president.
As for Yang, well, he’s probably somewhere right now explaining UBI to an algorithm or developing a new app to run for “Leader of the Planets” in the great political future of the galaxy. Or maybe he is standing in front of Capital Hill handing out pamphlets that explain where he has been for the last four years. We don’t know and you don’t care.
