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> This came our of nowhere as social programs were not mentioned before this line. It's basically fearmongering at this point.

Perhaps he did not spell it out explicitly, but this is what Andrew Yang's policy proposal is. Since he is the leading candidate on UBI at this point, it makes sense to address how he plans on handling it.

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*was. He amended his proposal such that UBI is additive to current social programs.

What makes you say that? His website lists current social programs as the first source of money for this program. People either switch over and see a marginal benefit, or they do not switch and they get nothing from the Freedom Dividend:

> The means to pay for the Freedom Dividend will come from 4 sources:

> 1. Current spending. We currently spend between $500 and $600 billion a year on welfare programs, food stamps, disability and the like. This reduces the cost of the Freedom Dividend because people already receiving benefits would have a choice but would be ineligible to receive the full $1,000 in addition to current benefits.

https://www.yang2020.com/what-is-freedom-dividend-faq/

It gives the Freedom Dividend this weird behavior of providing the least help to people who need it most.

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