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[light-hearted music plays]
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[phone ringing]
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I'm gonna be honest,
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you know as a TV host,
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there's this expectation that
you're supposed to be authoritative.
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Ask a big weighty question
then beam into your living room
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or your bathroom
while you're on your phone
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and deliver a nice neat
answer in 27 to 34 minutes.
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Whatever the algorithm prefers.
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With this topic though,
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the more I learn about
the government the more questions I have.
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Like okay, the obvious
message to end on would be...
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"We're all a part of
the government. So, if it's not working,
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pitch in and raise
your voice and help make it better!"
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And I believe that.
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Most of the time.
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But there's also times
when I wonder if it's maybe
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kind of bullshit.
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Like, okay in our money episode,
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we talked about how the government
needs to help average Americans
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instead of just
bailing out big corporations.
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- But let's be real,
- [man 1 rejoicing]
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the public has been raising
our voices about that since at least 2008.
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And sure, in our weather episode,
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we tried to expose the deep structural
issues that have made FEMA so ineffective,
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but, is exposing them
really going to change anything?
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I mean hell, I've known FEMA was messed up
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ever since Hurricane Andrew
hit Florida in '92
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and my grandmother went
without clean water for a week.
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My grandma pooped in a bucket
because of FEMA! A lot of grandmas did!
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We were pissed about it then,
we're pissed about it now
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and yet FEMA is still out there FEMAing.
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[grunting]
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And what about the real
concrete harm our government does?
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[scoffs]
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You know what we haven't
even talked about on this show yet?
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The fact that every day, as we speak,
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Americans are being hurt or killed
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by the same Criminal Justice System
that's supposed to be protecting us
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and yet after literal decades of protests...
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[prostesters] No peace!
No justice! No peace!
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[prostesters] No justice! No peace!
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...little has changed.
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So yeah, I know it's
my government and I need to pitch in.
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That's why I voted, I've protested,
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I've tweeted and hashtagged
and written so many emails to my Senator
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that last week they
just replied unsubscribe.
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And it doesn't seem to be doing the trick.
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So what I want to know is this,
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how can we change
our government when it is so big,
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[voice echoing] and we're so small?
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How are we supposed to have
any hope that things can actually change?
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Wait a second. Hope, change,
wasn't there somebody who...
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Of course!
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How do I get in touch with Gerald Ford?
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Adam what are you doing here?
It's 1:00 a.m.
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Wow. Are you still working on your taxes?
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[Obama] Actually I'm almost done.
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I'm just missing uh... W-2's, some 10-99s.
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And I did this form
in green ink, so I have to start over.
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Hate to tell you this, but if you don't
earn money from paddle boarding,
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it's a hobby, not a small business.
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Secret Service! Intruder!
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Okay, get audited if you want.
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Hey, you know,
something's been weighing on me.
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Maybe we talk about it.
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Fine. But I have to get a snack.
Do you like peanut butter?
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Yeah.
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[Obama] I'm very particular
about how you make a PB&J.
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Oh yeah, do you still
make your own sandwiches a lot?
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No.
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[Adam] That's an extremely precise spread.
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You have to get every corner.
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When you do slice,
horizontal or diagonal, or...
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You gotta maximize
surface area, so diagonal is best.
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Okay. You don't cut
the crust away, do you?
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- No! God no! What are you talking about?
- I'm just saying.
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- Are you kidding?
- Look at that.
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I... I mean, that's a pretty...
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- well-constructed sandwich.
- [Adam] Okay, now why am I...
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[Adam laughs] Yeah,
I'm a mess, you're doing great.
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- [Obama] Yeah.
- Do you have a napkin? I'm sorry.
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Dude, look at you, man.
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That's cause you put too much jelly on it.
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- There you go.
- This is what... Thank you.
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- Grab a seat man. Hold on a second.
- Great.
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Michelle gets really mad when I leave the...
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You gotta put
the little twist tie back on.
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...little twist thing.
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Alright, so how did everything go?
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- [chuckles] With the show?
- With the show!
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I'll be honest with you,
we have found all of these ways
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in which the government
improves our lives, saves our lives.
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- Right.
- We've also seen a lot of ways in which
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it is working on behalf of other interests
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other than the American people,
or even that it's hurting people.
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Right.
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How are we supposed to feel like
the government represents us in that case?
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[Obama] Well look, first of all,
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we have to remind
ourselves that it's a human institution,
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like every other one, which
means there are going to be screw-ups,
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there are going to be people who
are doing things for the wrong reasons.
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The second thing about government is,
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it's an ocean liner and not a speedboat.
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So for you to change direction on anything
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means it's going to take some time.
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But there's also issues that you know,
we're talking about on the show that we...
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uh... people have been demanding
change on for a really long time.
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Criminal justice,
police violence. It's hard to take,
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"Hey change...
Hey change is sl... Long arc of history."
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- I've heard it, you know.
- I know.
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I have heard it and
I believe it. But then sometimes,
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- I'm still frustrated by it.
- Yeah. Well but...
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Are you... Do you ever feel that way?
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Of course you're
frustrated by it and you should be.
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And the reason it gets better
is because people are impatient.
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The only thing we
can't do is lapse into cynicism,
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and say, "Well, because this
hasn't changed at the pace that it should,
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there's nothing we can do about it."
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Because each time we vote
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and elect people who are more responsive,
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there's a window
of opportunity for us to make some changes
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and typically it's not
gonna be a 100% of what we want.
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But you know what?
If we make things 10% better...
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Yeah, but 10%
for climate change isn't enough.
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When you ran in '08,
you were the change guy.
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- I, you know I was...
- I'm the hopeful change guy.
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And you didn't run on,
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"Hey if we make things 10% better",
you know? You ran on and I'm not...
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- [Obama] No,
- I get it. Once you're there...
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that's completely fair.
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I picture you there
in the White House going,
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"Yeah, this is pretty fucked up, right?
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Like this is fucked up. It's fucked
up what that department is doing."
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And yet we didn't see change
despite that being in my lifetime,
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the biggest mass movement
for change that we've seen in the country.
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Except it turns out
Mitch McConnell was elected too.
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Right?
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Precisely because the country
is a big diverse complicated place.
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Look, here's the thing
that we have to remind ourselves.
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By design...
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- change is hard in this country.
- Yeah.
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[Obama] I guarantee you
that there's no president
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who was ever elected,
who doesn't at some point think,
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"Ah, you... make me,
you know, king for a day
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"and I can just...
you know, issue my edicts."
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We don't want a situation
where an all-powerful, all-knowing
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individual or small set of individuals
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are able to make decisions for everybody.
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- Yeah.
- So we're going to disperse power.
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Which means things happen slower,
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which means that
people have to compromise.
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The alternative is, we opt-out.
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That's when the selfish,
the greedy, the mean,
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that's when they fill the void.
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And I tell you,
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they thrive in that kind of environment.
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I read your book uh,
and non-fiction, right?
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You say, uh... You know, activists
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might have wanted me to
say push for a public option or
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- push for single-payer.
- [Obama] Right.
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But you know, when you're sitting
in the chair there are constraints.
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- Right.
- And I get that.
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But, then part of me always asks,
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"Well, why should we
accept those constraints?"
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Like you started
your career as an activist.
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Yes.
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Activists get to be uncompromising.
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Is there a part of you ever that regrets
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going into politics as opposed to activism
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because of that lack
of freedom that politicians have?
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Absolutely. Look there... there's...
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There's a prophetic voice in each of us
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that just wants to
speak the truth as we know it.
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And so every
movement involves at some point
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confronting the fact that
not everybody agrees with you,
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and it's navigating that
space between the world as it is
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and the world as it should be.
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That's the province of all of us
who want to get something done,
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whether we're activists or politicians.
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Now what is true
is you have different roles.
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And so I'm sitting here as a comic,
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- Alright. Right.
- I've identified a problem.
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I'm yelling about it on
national television for everybody to hear.
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How the hell do we start fixing?
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- When it's that big?
- [Obama] Well then, look I mean you...
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find the thing that you're
passionate about, that angers you, that...
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frustrates you and then
you try to get some like-minded citizens
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to start changing it.
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And you also have to remind yourself that
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government isn't just
the federal government.
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Government is State government,
government is City government,
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government is County government.
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So, a whole bunch
of decisions that are being made
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aren't being made by the president.
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They're being made by
somebody who's probably elected by...
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a thousand, ten thousand voters.
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This is a very obvious
thought now that you're saying it.
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Thank you very much.
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- Can we eat our sandwiches now?
- Come on.
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[pensive music plays]
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- That's delicious.
- Mine is terrible.
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- Thank you for the sandwich.
- What's wrong with the peanut butter?
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Have a great day.
Thank you so much for your time.
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Good luck with the taxes man.
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I'll see you later.
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[Adam] Hmm.
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Can peanut butter like spoil?
I don't get it.
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Look, I've spent this
entire series hammering home
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how important the federal government is.
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And it is, but it's also
so big and so resistant to change.
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But, there's another form of government
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that you and I
can have a much greater impact on.
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And that has immense
power over every waking moment
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of our daily lives.
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This meeting of the Ci... uh,
City Council will be called to order.
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[gavel thuds]
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I'd like to have the clerk note
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that we have broken
our attendance record of two.
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Okay, I know
it doesn't seem that impressive.
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But in reality, local politicians
wield some serious power.
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[Council President] Item one:
The water you drink.
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All in favor of switching from
city water to river water to save money.
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[comical music plays]
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What the...
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Item two: The roads you drive on.
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All in favor of lowering
the infrastructure budget.
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[woman 1 coughs]
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[car crashes]
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Come on, who's in charge of this?
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Item three: What buildings get built.
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All in favor of replacing
affordable housing with a strip mall.
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The yawns have it.
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Re-zoned.
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[comical music plays]
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Okay! I gotta start
going to these meetings!
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In a second, I am kinda hungry.
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[fanfare music plays]
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But it doesn't end there.
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Some local politicians wield
an enormous amount of power.
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Take the Clark County
Commission in Nevada.
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00:12:23,284 --> 00:12:27,788
Myself and my six little-known associates
oversee the entire Las Vegas strip.
243
00:12:28,372 --> 00:12:33,419
In 2019, our County's casinos
generated 22 billion dollars in revenue.
244
00:12:33,502 --> 00:12:36,922
That makes us little nobodies
arguably the most powerful politicians
245
00:12:37,006 --> 00:12:38,006
in the state of Nevada.
246
00:12:38,048 --> 00:12:42,386
It's my pleasure to inform you
that your new casino permit is...
247
00:12:42,470 --> 00:12:43,846
approved!
248
00:12:43,929 --> 00:12:45,764
[cheering]
249
00:12:46,432 --> 00:12:49,643
That just happened.
The system works people.
250
00:12:51,103 --> 00:12:54,565
Some local officials have so much power,
251
00:12:54,648 --> 00:12:56,609
it affects the entire world.
252
00:12:57,109 --> 00:13:00,279
Like us, the Texas Railroad Commission.
253
00:13:00,362 --> 00:13:01,864
[suspenseful music plays]
254
00:13:01,947 --> 00:13:05,034
Except I'm not a railroad man,
I'm an oilman!
255
00:13:05,826 --> 00:13:06,906
That's why despite our name
256
00:13:06,952 --> 00:13:10,080
we three Commissioners
actually oversee Texas' enormous oil
257
00:13:10,164 --> 00:13:12,208
and natural gas industry.
258
00:13:12,291 --> 00:13:18,172
Which accounts for about 5% of
the entire world's crude oil production.
259
00:13:19,173 --> 00:13:20,299
Now let's see,
260
00:13:20,799 --> 00:13:25,221
should we cut back
on drilling, and fight climate change?
261
00:13:27,223 --> 00:13:28,474
Nay.
262
00:13:28,557 --> 00:13:31,143
[slurping]
263
00:13:32,228 --> 00:13:34,396
[tense music plays]
264
00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:36,148
How wild is that?
265
00:13:36,232 --> 00:13:40,569
I mean, these are elected
politicians who have massive power.
266
00:13:40,653 --> 00:13:43,489
Yet most of us
have no idea they even exist.
267
00:13:43,989 --> 00:13:47,785
I can literally name more
members of the 2004 Red Sox
268
00:13:47,868 --> 00:13:50,704
than I can
council members of the city I live in.
269
00:13:50,788 --> 00:13:54,625
I mean, Jason Varitek, great catcher
but the dude does not affect my life.
270
00:13:54,708 --> 00:13:56,460
These officials though, ugh,
271
00:13:56,961 --> 00:14:01,674
they're the cause of and possible
solution to some of our biggest problems.
272
00:14:01,757 --> 00:14:06,136
Especially our broken and
discriminatory Criminal Justice System.
273
00:14:06,220 --> 00:14:08,681
Hey. What do you got in the bag?
274
00:14:10,099 --> 00:14:12,268
- Wings.
- Did you say weapons?
275
00:14:12,351 --> 00:14:15,479
What, no. How did you
even get that from what I just said?
276
00:14:16,438 --> 00:14:21,026
America imprisons more
people than any other nation on Earth.
277
00:14:21,110 --> 00:14:23,904
We have just 4% of the world's population,
278
00:14:23,988 --> 00:14:27,533
but close to 20% of its prison population.
279
00:14:27,616 --> 00:14:32,204
Mass incarceration on
that scale just makes no sense.
280
00:14:32,288 --> 00:14:34,081
So who's responsible for it?
281
00:14:35,416 --> 00:14:39,295
Well, it turns out that
almost 90% of incarcerated people
282
00:14:39,378 --> 00:14:42,798
are held in state
and local jails and prisons.
283
00:14:42,882 --> 00:14:46,176
That means that the politician
most responsible for mass incarceration
284
00:14:46,260 --> 00:14:49,889
isn't the president,
or your Senator, or your congress person.
285
00:14:50,973 --> 00:14:54,101
It's me, your local district attorney.
286
00:14:54,602 --> 00:14:56,520
[male voice 1] In the criminal
justice system,
287
00:14:56,604 --> 00:15:00,524
District Attorneys have incredible
power to decide who gets charged
288
00:15:00,608 --> 00:15:02,484
and what they get charged with.
289
00:15:02,568 --> 00:15:04,153
This is their story.
290
00:15:04,236 --> 00:15:08,782
[gate locks]
291
00:15:09,950 --> 00:15:12,995
This kid is 18 years old,
first-time offender.
292
00:15:13,495 --> 00:15:15,372
We could send him to
counseling with a warning
293
00:15:15,456 --> 00:15:17,458
or charge him with a life-ruining felony.
294
00:15:18,125 --> 00:15:20,836
You're the DA, it's completely up to you.
295
00:15:22,338 --> 00:15:23,338
[sighs]
296
00:15:23,964 --> 00:15:25,549
Quite the moral quandary.
297
00:15:26,675 --> 00:15:28,886
- Just kidding. No it isn't.
- [lively music plays]
298
00:15:28,969 --> 00:15:30,930
I ran on being tough on crime.
299
00:15:32,681 --> 00:15:35,100
And that means that
the best way for me to get reelected
300
00:15:35,184 --> 00:15:37,811
or become governor as my Pappy wanted,
301
00:15:37,895 --> 00:15:39,813
is to throw the book at everyone I see.
302
00:15:39,897 --> 00:15:41,774
[book thuds]
303
00:15:41,857 --> 00:15:44,818
See? He's jumpy.
It's a clear sign of guilt.
304
00:15:47,446 --> 00:15:49,114
I'm gonna give it to you straight, kid.
305
00:15:50,074 --> 00:15:52,868
Around 95% of criminal cases
306
00:15:53,577 --> 00:15:55,287
don't even get to trial.
307
00:15:55,371 --> 00:15:57,831
They're determined through plea bargains.
308
00:15:58,666 --> 00:16:02,503
Effectively making
DAs like me judge and jury.
309
00:16:03,504 --> 00:16:05,506
Now, you were accused of
310
00:16:05,589 --> 00:16:08,467
robbing a liquor store
with a deadly weapon.
311
00:16:08,550 --> 00:16:11,512
But I wasn't even there!
I was buying wings!
312
00:16:11,595 --> 00:16:14,974
See? I got wing sauce
on my face and it is spicy.
313
00:16:15,057 --> 00:16:16,266
Can I get a napkin or...
314
00:16:16,350 --> 00:16:17,726
Yeah it looks like blood to me.
315
00:16:18,644 --> 00:16:21,438
You eat your victims.
316
00:16:21,522 --> 00:16:24,608
Oh my God, you're dumb.
317
00:16:24,692 --> 00:16:29,405
Well, the mandatory minimum is 20 years.
318
00:16:29,488 --> 00:16:32,616
So you could take a risk
at trial with your little alibi,
319
00:16:33,242 --> 00:16:35,661
or you can plead guilty
320
00:16:35,744 --> 00:16:38,205
[gleefully] and make a deal!
321
00:16:38,288 --> 00:16:41,458
- [crowd cheering]
- [lively music plays]
322
00:16:42,334 --> 00:16:43,544
Seven years.
323
00:16:51,969 --> 00:16:52,969
[scoffs]
324
00:16:53,554 --> 00:16:55,305
This blows my mind.
325
00:16:55,806 --> 00:16:58,308
You know, researchers
believe that since the 90s
326
00:16:58,392 --> 00:17:00,769
one of the biggest
drivers of mass incarceration
327
00:17:00,853 --> 00:17:04,440
has been the power District Attorneys
have to impose harsh sentences.
328
00:17:04,523 --> 00:17:07,776
And we the voters have been voting for it.
329
00:17:10,195 --> 00:17:14,366
But, that also means we
have the ability to change it
330
00:17:14,450 --> 00:17:17,703
just by voting
differently in local elections.
331
00:17:18,203 --> 00:17:22,332
There's just one problem though,
almost none of us actually vote in them.
332
00:17:22,416 --> 00:17:23,584
You know every four years
333
00:17:23,667 --> 00:17:26,587
the presidential election
gets massive media attention
334
00:17:26,670 --> 00:17:29,423
while local elections get almost none.
335
00:17:30,007 --> 00:17:32,247
[male voice 1] Live from
Rutherford B. Hayes High School,
336
00:17:32,301 --> 00:17:37,181
it's Public Access television
with this year's local election debate.
337
00:17:37,765 --> 00:17:41,018
Good evening. I'm Madison,
vice-chair of the journalism club,
338
00:17:41,101 --> 00:17:44,438
and the only reporter left in this town
since Facebook killed our local newspaper.
339
00:17:46,440 --> 00:17:48,567
First question, Council member Appleton,
340
00:17:48,650 --> 00:17:50,736
why should voters vote for you?
341
00:17:51,236 --> 00:17:53,405
Honestly, most of them don't.
342
00:17:53,489 --> 00:17:56,742
A recent study found
that only 15% of eligible voters
343
00:17:56,825 --> 00:18:00,996
cast a ballot in local elections
and cause media barely covers our races,
344
00:18:01,080 --> 00:18:02,831
most of them don't know anything about us.
345
00:18:03,707 --> 00:18:07,503
For instance, I'm openly having
an affair with my secretary's horse
346
00:18:07,586 --> 00:18:09,880
and no one's even
written a blog post about it, so.
347
00:18:10,839 --> 00:18:13,467
I don't know, vote for me
because my name comes first.
348
00:18:14,134 --> 00:18:15,886
- Ow.
- [male voice 1] Sorry.
349
00:18:15,969 --> 00:18:17,471
[DA] Uh...
350
00:18:17,554 --> 00:18:21,350
Why am I even here?
My election is just a formality.
351
00:18:21,934 --> 00:18:23,352
Interest in these races are so low
352
00:18:23,435 --> 00:18:25,115
that in cities fewer
than a million people,
353
00:18:25,145 --> 00:18:28,982
the majority of district attorney
races have a single unopposed candidate.
354
00:18:29,483 --> 00:18:32,736
So vote for me for DA, or don't.
355
00:18:32,820 --> 00:18:36,573
It doesn't matter,
I'm literally the only choice.
356
00:18:37,366 --> 00:18:40,577
We done here? Yeah? Okay. Alright.
357
00:18:41,578 --> 00:18:44,206
There you go. Peace.
358
00:18:47,042 --> 00:18:48,042
She's great.
359
00:18:48,085 --> 00:18:49,086
Uh...
360
00:18:49,169 --> 00:18:51,463
Turning now to the
subject of young people.
361
00:18:52,005 --> 00:18:54,883
Young people are
an essential part of the electorate,
362
00:18:54,967 --> 00:18:59,012
yet we are even less likely to show up for
local elections than for National ones.
363
00:18:59,096 --> 00:19:01,515
[woman 2 ] Hello is it question time?
364
00:19:02,391 --> 00:19:04,309
Not... Not yet ma'am. I'm... It's...
365
00:19:04,393 --> 00:19:05,811
Stuff it, Zoomer!
366
00:19:05,894 --> 00:19:08,480
People over 65 are seven times
367
00:19:08,564 --> 00:19:11,733
more likely to vote in local
elections than those under 35.
368
00:19:12,359 --> 00:19:15,904
So what we want
matters more than what you want.
369
00:19:15,988 --> 00:19:19,825
And what we want is less rap music
370
00:19:19,908 --> 00:19:22,452
and more fudge.
371
00:19:25,914 --> 00:19:27,541
We'll get right on that ma'am.
372
00:19:27,624 --> 00:19:29,501
Well that's all the time we have.
373
00:19:29,585 --> 00:19:34,006
The polls are open. Go vote.
And remember, E pluribus unum.
374
00:19:39,011 --> 00:19:40,762
How depressing is this?
375
00:19:40,846 --> 00:19:42,472
You know there is a bright side though.
376
00:19:42,556 --> 00:19:46,935
Turnout in these races is so low,
that makes our votes incredibly powerful.
377
00:19:47,019 --> 00:19:51,023
Well, if no one else is going to,
I guess I'm voting for myself.
378
00:19:52,274 --> 00:19:53,150
[twinkling sound plays]
379
00:19:53,233 --> 00:19:54,651
[Appleton] Hey I win!
380
00:19:55,444 --> 00:19:57,237
But look, I get it,
381
00:19:57,321 --> 00:19:59,948
local politics is confusing and boring
382
00:20:00,032 --> 00:20:02,701
and following it requires
free time and resources
383
00:20:02,784 --> 00:20:04,912
that a lot of people just don't have.
384
00:20:04,995 --> 00:20:07,289
This stuff is hard to give a shit about.
385
00:20:08,207 --> 00:20:10,834
But what would happen if we did?
386
00:20:10,918 --> 00:20:14,213
How would our cities,
towns, and country change
387
00:20:14,296 --> 00:20:17,007
if we all started
participating in a system
388
00:20:17,090 --> 00:20:20,427
those in power
are counting on us to ignore?
389
00:20:20,510 --> 00:20:24,348
[lively music plays]
390
00:20:32,731 --> 00:20:37,819
[man 2] I believe that we will win!
391
00:20:37,903 --> 00:20:42,824
- [crowd] I believe that we will win!
- I believe that we will win!
392
00:20:42,908 --> 00:20:45,094
- Hey how's it going? I'm Adam.
- Hey Adam, how're you doing?
393
00:20:45,118 --> 00:20:49,289
Rick Krajewski, State Representative for
188th district in west, southwest Philly.
394
00:20:49,373 --> 00:20:52,542
Nikil Saval, I'm the State Senator
for the first Senate district,
395
00:20:52,626 --> 00:20:54,336
which is Center City and South Philly.
396
00:20:54,419 --> 00:20:57,422
Nikil is a co-founder and
I was actually an early member
397
00:20:57,506 --> 00:20:58,924
of Reclaim Philadelphia.
398
00:20:59,007 --> 00:21:03,303
Did Reclaim get founded
to get a progressive DA elected?
399
00:21:03,387 --> 00:21:05,013
Was that the reason for it or...
400
00:21:05,097 --> 00:21:09,643
A lot of us came out of the Bernie Sanders
campaign in Philadelphia in 2016,
401
00:21:09,726 --> 00:21:13,480
and we wanted to root
ourselves in our neighborhoods.
402
00:21:13,563 --> 00:21:16,024
- Yeah.
- Yeah. We did analysis to really be like
403
00:21:16,108 --> 00:21:20,195
okay like, what is
an election that we can zero in on
404
00:21:20,279 --> 00:21:22,781
that will have
a significant impact for Philadelphia?
405
00:21:23,365 --> 00:21:25,218
And we realized like, okay
the District Attorney's race.
406
00:21:25,242 --> 00:21:27,035
You know like,
this is the most impoverished
407
00:21:27,119 --> 00:21:29,121
and most incarcerated
big city in the country.
408
00:21:29,204 --> 00:21:33,959
So if we wanna you know, really make
a statement like this is our opportunity.
409
00:21:34,042 --> 00:21:35,210
[Nikil] Four years ago,
410
00:21:35,294 --> 00:21:38,922
I was proud to stand as
a volunteer to knock hundreds of doors
411
00:21:39,006 --> 00:21:42,884
and recruit dozens of
canvassers to knock thousands more
412
00:21:42,968 --> 00:21:45,178
for then Candidate
Larry Krasner for District Attorney.
413
00:21:45,887 --> 00:21:46,930
Four years later,
414
00:21:47,014 --> 00:21:50,225
Krasner and we with
him have moved mountains.
415
00:21:50,309 --> 00:21:52,602
We demanded limits to cash bail,
416
00:21:52,686 --> 00:21:57,274
an end to the war on drugs,
an end to unaccountable policing.
417
00:21:57,357 --> 00:22:00,068
And Larry Krasner has delivered.
418
00:22:00,152 --> 00:22:01,528
[crowd cheering]
419
00:22:01,611 --> 00:22:05,157
[Adam] You guys like...
changed the city that you live in.
420
00:22:05,240 --> 00:22:09,036
But none of you guys are professional
politician-like type people, right?
421
00:22:09,119 --> 00:22:10,221
- Now.
- [Nikil] Until recently.
422
00:22:10,245 --> 00:22:13,081
Not until you became
elected to office yourselves,
423
00:22:13,165 --> 00:22:16,376
but like, Ricky you told me before
you were a software engineer, and...
424
00:22:16,460 --> 00:22:17,669
I was a journalist.
425
00:22:17,753 --> 00:22:18,837
What did that feel like?
426
00:22:18,920 --> 00:22:20,213
I may have leapt into your arms.
427
00:22:20,297 --> 00:22:21,983
- [Nikil] Yeah, really, yeah.
- Yeah I know, like I really...
428
00:22:22,007 --> 00:22:24,176
Cause it wasn't just that we won,
429
00:22:24,259 --> 00:22:27,304
we got twice as much
as the runner-ups. So like...
430
00:22:27,387 --> 00:22:29,014
we kicked their ass, like you know?
431
00:22:29,097 --> 00:22:29,931
- Yeah!
- [laughs]
432
00:22:30,015 --> 00:22:34,227
[Ricky] We beat them up and that was
so powerful for us because it meant like,
433
00:22:34,311 --> 00:22:36,313
oh, we're on to something. You know?
434
00:22:36,396 --> 00:22:38,273
- Yeah.
- Like it is mind-blowing,
435
00:22:38,356 --> 00:22:40,516
- cause it gives... it gives you hope.
- Yeah. Amazing.
436
00:22:40,567 --> 00:22:43,570
We are clear with the work that's required
437
00:22:43,653 --> 00:22:49,743
and the last five decades
worth of useless, fake-ass politicians.
438
00:22:50,744 --> 00:22:53,121
- [woman 3] Come on!
- [Tonya Bah] You are on notice!
439
00:22:53,205 --> 00:22:54,915
And we're coming for you.
440
00:22:55,540 --> 00:22:58,960
Half of this crowd is gonna
end up running for election someday.
441
00:23:00,087 --> 00:23:03,006
[Adam] This is so inspiring to watch,
to see people come out,
442
00:23:03,090 --> 00:23:06,176
and like really work to make this change.
443
00:23:06,259 --> 00:23:09,137
- Do you feel that way about it?
- [Lorraine] Oh, most definitely.
444
00:23:09,221 --> 00:23:12,682
This system, what people
keep calling a broken system,
445
00:23:12,766 --> 00:23:14,726
it's not a broken system.
446
00:23:14,810 --> 00:23:17,395
It's been built to do
what it's been doing all these years.
447
00:23:17,479 --> 00:23:19,397
- Yeah.
- All these decades.
448
00:23:19,481 --> 00:23:23,235
- Is to put our people behind cages.
- Yeah.
449
00:23:23,318 --> 00:23:26,863
So what we need to do
is start breaking the system down
450
00:23:26,947 --> 00:23:28,031
and by doing that,
451
00:23:28,115 --> 00:23:30,909
we have to start putting
the right people in the right places.
452
00:23:30,992 --> 00:23:33,328
- Yeah.
- People that's for us.
453
00:23:33,411 --> 00:23:35,122
People that's for the people
454
00:23:35,205 --> 00:23:39,417
and if God is willing,
I plan to run for... I'ma start low. Yeah.
455
00:23:39,501 --> 00:23:40,418
- You're gonna run?
- Yeah.
456
00:23:40,502 --> 00:23:43,380
I wanna run for some'n
because we need people like us.
457
00:23:43,463 --> 00:23:46,716
Somebody that's been through
what I've been through can talk to me.
458
00:23:47,300 --> 00:23:49,302
- [Lorraine] What do we want?
- [crowd] Justice!
459
00:23:49,386 --> 00:23:51,346
- When do we want it?
- [crowd] Now!
460
00:23:51,429 --> 00:23:53,223
- What do we need?
- [crowd] Justice!
461
00:23:53,306 --> 00:23:55,308
- [Lorraine] When do we need it? So
- [crowd] Now!
462
00:23:55,392 --> 00:23:59,521
please, get everybody out
and let's go bang on some doors.
463
00:24:00,230 --> 00:24:01,398
- [crowd cheering]
- Peace!
464
00:24:02,482 --> 00:24:04,985
[Adam] So, tell me
about canvassing, is this like...
465
00:24:05,068 --> 00:24:07,463
This is how you do your work.
Like what's so important about it?
466
00:24:07,487 --> 00:24:11,116
You know, people
get tons of political mail, they get TV,
467
00:24:11,199 --> 00:24:14,077
all of that stuff that
really connecting... You know,
468
00:24:14,161 --> 00:24:17,205
it's not just about ideology,
not all of us share those ideologies,
469
00:24:17,289 --> 00:24:20,667
but a lot of us share interests,
a lot of us share stories.
470
00:24:20,750 --> 00:24:23,336
We share that we have
kids in the school district.
471
00:24:23,420 --> 00:24:25,314
[Nikil] All of that is
where you connect with people.
472
00:24:25,338 --> 00:24:28,717
And then at that point,
we move to the larger political picture.
473
00:24:28,800 --> 00:24:31,845
And this really works
to like create change? Like
474
00:24:31,928 --> 00:24:33,823
all you're doing
is like talking to your neighbors?
475
00:24:33,847 --> 00:24:37,350
Yeah. Dozens of people
knocking hundreds to a thousand of doors
476
00:24:37,434 --> 00:24:39,227
over the course of months.
477
00:24:39,311 --> 00:24:41,396
It's a transformative thing in a big city.
478
00:24:41,479 --> 00:24:43,940
[engine revving]
479
00:24:44,024 --> 00:24:45,400
[Adam] The Philly Parade is here.
480
00:24:45,483 --> 00:24:47,444
This I love about the city.
481
00:24:49,487 --> 00:24:53,033
[lively music plays]
482
00:25:01,374 --> 00:25:02,500
Ah shit!
483
00:25:04,753 --> 00:25:06,171
- Ahh!
- [Ricky] Woo!
484
00:25:07,047 --> 00:25:09,233
- What's going on? How is your cheesesteak?
- That's a pretty good cheesesteak.
485
00:25:09,257 --> 00:25:10,091
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
486
00:25:10,175 --> 00:25:12,055
- Do you wanna play some basketball?
- No, okay.
487
00:25:12,093 --> 00:25:14,053
- [Nikil] You sure?
- Yeah, I'm really bad, but...
488
00:25:14,304 --> 00:25:15,304
Okay.
489
00:25:17,974 --> 00:25:18,850
Close enough for me.
490
00:25:18,934 --> 00:25:21,144
- So uh... Can I ask you guys a question?
- Sure.
491
00:25:21,228 --> 00:25:23,980
So I open this episode by asking like,
492
00:25:24,064 --> 00:25:27,317
how do we make change in the
government when the government is so big
493
00:25:27,400 --> 00:25:28,235
and we're so small?
494
00:25:28,318 --> 00:25:30,654
People get fixated on national politics.
495
00:25:30,737 --> 00:25:34,032
And of course,
understandably, it's very consequential.
496
00:25:34,115 --> 00:25:35,593
But actually the things you can impact,
497
00:25:35,617 --> 00:25:39,162
and the things
you're impacted by are often local.
498
00:25:39,246 --> 00:25:42,374
That government is smaller,
it is us, it looks like this.
499
00:25:42,457 --> 00:25:46,002
[Adam] And like all of these
things ripple across the country,
500
00:25:46,086 --> 00:25:48,421
these local races, these local changes.
501
00:25:48,505 --> 00:25:50,173
[Ricky] And all of that is grassroots.
502
00:25:50,257 --> 00:25:54,386
That's like, that is literally
the definition of grassroots change.
503
00:25:54,469 --> 00:25:56,304
And so that allows us to think about
504
00:25:56,388 --> 00:25:59,140
okay, now what do we have
to do on the congressional level,
505
00:25:59,224 --> 00:26:00,100
senatorial level.
506
00:26:00,183 --> 00:26:05,313
Those are necessary ingredients for
thinking about the large-scale picture.
507
00:26:05,397 --> 00:26:07,148
- Incredible, amazing.
- Yeah.
508
00:26:07,232 --> 00:26:08,501
[Nikil] Why don't you take one last shot?
509
00:26:08,525 --> 00:26:09,525
Okay. Okay.
510
00:26:10,527 --> 00:26:11,569
How's my form?
511
00:26:11,653 --> 00:26:13,363
You got it. Arc, remember the arc.
512
00:26:13,446 --> 00:26:15,073
Arc. Arc!
513
00:26:15,156 --> 00:26:17,575
[Nikil and Ricky groan]
514
00:26:17,659 --> 00:26:21,496
Okay, obviously I didn't
really hit that. It was an editing trick.
515
00:26:21,579 --> 00:26:24,499
But how incredible are those folks?
516
00:26:24,582 --> 00:26:28,003
I mean, not only did Reclaim
help elect a new District Attorney
517
00:26:28,086 --> 00:26:31,006
who's fixing criminal
justice in their city,
518
00:26:31,089 --> 00:26:34,801
they inspired a nationwide
movement of people doing the same.
519
00:26:34,884 --> 00:26:37,053
Including where I live, in Los Angeles.
520
00:26:37,137 --> 00:26:39,848
Yeah no, it's not just
a backdrop for reality shows.
521
00:26:39,931 --> 00:26:42,225
It's a real place with real problems.
522
00:26:42,309 --> 00:26:45,478
Now in 2020, I got so sick
523
00:26:45,562 --> 00:26:49,816
of obsessing over
the national politics I saw in cable news,
524
00:26:49,899 --> 00:26:52,652
I decided to focus
on my own community instead.
525
00:26:52,736 --> 00:26:55,697
I started calling into
boring-ass City Council meetings
526
00:26:55,780 --> 00:26:57,115
to give public comment.
527
00:26:57,198 --> 00:26:59,159
I joined a neighborhood
group on homelessness,
528
00:26:59,242 --> 00:27:01,703
an issue I really care about,
529
00:27:01,786 --> 00:27:04,497
and I volunteered for
a city council candidate
530
00:27:04,581 --> 00:27:08,001
who pledged to fight
police violence, the housing crisis,
531
00:27:08,084 --> 00:27:12,088
and climate change at home, in our city.
532
00:27:12,172 --> 00:27:17,010
Seeing that I could have
a real impact on the government of my city
533
00:27:17,093 --> 00:27:20,263
made me realize we are not helpless.
534
00:27:20,347 --> 00:27:24,934
We actually can create
big change if we start small.
535
00:27:26,102 --> 00:27:30,565
You know what the problem is
with the G word: Government?
536
00:27:30,648 --> 00:27:36,029
It sounds so big.
So monolithic, so far away.
537
00:27:36,112 --> 00:27:39,324
When in reality, it's right here at home.
538
00:27:40,033 --> 00:27:42,202
[door opens]
539
00:27:48,375 --> 00:27:51,419
[uplifting music plays]
540
00:27:53,421 --> 00:27:57,550
And, just like
Soylent Green, it's made of people.
541
00:27:59,344 --> 00:28:02,389
[Adam] People who wake up
every day and go to work
542
00:28:02,472 --> 00:28:05,100
for no other reason than it's their job.
543
00:28:05,183 --> 00:28:06,643
And it's a job that needs doing.
544
00:28:07,977 --> 00:28:12,524
People who go to absolutely
nauseating lengths to keep others safe.
545
00:28:13,024 --> 00:28:15,568
People who never stop
trying to serve their community,
546
00:28:15,652 --> 00:28:18,238
no matter how badly
the system is rigged against them.
547
00:28:18,822 --> 00:28:23,284
People who dive in and work
to change that system for the better.
548
00:28:23,368 --> 00:28:24,494
People like us.
549
00:28:25,620 --> 00:28:27,205
People like you.
550
00:28:28,581 --> 00:28:31,418
And you know, people aren't perfect.
551
00:28:31,501 --> 00:28:33,962
I mean I for one
am an idiot and I'm not the only one.
552
00:28:34,045 --> 00:28:38,091
So, our government
is far from perfect too.
553
00:28:40,009 --> 00:28:41,386
You know I've really struggled
554
00:28:41,469 --> 00:28:45,265
with how to summarize
everything I've learned making this show.
555
00:28:45,765 --> 00:28:51,896
Our government is powerful
and democratic and caring and destructive
556
00:28:51,980 --> 00:28:55,024
and discriminatory and cruel.
557
00:28:55,108 --> 00:28:57,026
It's everything all at once.
558
00:28:57,110 --> 00:29:00,905
Because we the people
are all those things too.
559
00:29:01,489 --> 00:29:06,786
But a better world
is possible and on its best days
560
00:29:06,870 --> 00:29:10,290
our government is a tool
that we can use together
561
00:29:10,373 --> 00:29:14,085
to build that better world
for ourselves and each other.
562
00:29:14,586 --> 00:29:16,212
Should we choose to.
563
00:29:16,921 --> 00:29:20,425
And for that reason,
it's worth fighting for.
564
00:29:31,561 --> 00:29:33,354
And, done.
565
00:29:36,441 --> 00:29:38,067
You know folks, on this show
566
00:29:38,151 --> 00:29:41,362
we've had a lot of fun with
the idea that I struggle to do my taxes,
567
00:29:41,446 --> 00:29:43,823
but, that was just acting.
568
00:29:44,324 --> 00:29:47,952
In real life,
I'm amazing at them. And you can be too.
569
00:29:48,036 --> 00:29:52,499
If you use the
helpful tools found at IRS.gov
570
00:29:52,582 --> 00:29:54,709
They can even help you file for free.
571
00:29:54,793 --> 00:29:57,045
FOPOTUS out.
572
00:30:01,090 --> 00:30:05,178
[light-hearted music plays]
573
00:31:41,649 --> 00:31:44,235
Subtitle translation by: Anu Akiyode