Andrew Yang says a universal basic income payment is a necessary because automation is replacing American jobs. : Entrepreneur Andrew Yang has a big goal for a relatively unknown business person: to reach the White House. And he's aiming to get there by selling America on the idea that all citizens, ages 18-64, should get a check for $1,000 every month, no strings attached, from the U.S. government. Yang, 43, who was born in upstate New York in 1975, will be running as a Democrat, according to his campaign website.