1 00:00:31,657 --> 00:00:32,867 I'm gonna be honest, 2 00:00:33,367 --> 00:00:35,078 you know as a TV host, 3 00:00:35,161 --> 00:00:38,998 there's this expectation that you're supposed to be authoritative. 4 00:00:39,082 --> 00:00:42,376 Ask a big weighty question then beam into your living room 5 00:00:42,460 --> 00:00:44,837 or your bathroom while you're on your phone 6 00:00:44,921 --> 00:00:49,008 and deliver a nice neat answer in 27 to 34 minutes. 7 00:00:49,091 --> 00:00:50,968 Whatever the algorithm prefers. 8 00:00:51,552 --> 00:00:53,262 With this topic though, 9 00:00:53,346 --> 00:00:57,308 the more I learn about the government the more questions I have. 10 00:00:57,391 --> 00:01:00,561 Like okay, the obvious message to end on would be… 11 00:01:00,645 --> 00:01:03,439 "We're all a part of the government. So, if it's not working, 12 00:01:03,523 --> 00:01:06,609 pitch in and raise your voice and help make it better!" 13 00:01:06,692 --> 00:01:07,902 And I believe that. 14 00:01:08,778 --> 00:01:09,946 Most of the time. 15 00:01:10,530 --> 00:01:14,117 But there's also times when I wonder if it's maybe 16 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:15,868 kind of bullshit. 17 00:01:16,577 --> 00:01:19,288 Like, okay in our money episode, 18 00:01:19,372 --> 00:01:22,416 we talked about how the government needs to help average Americans 19 00:01:22,500 --> 00:01:25,294 instead of just bailing out big corporations. 20 00:01:25,378 --> 00:01:26,671 -But let's be real, 21 00:01:26,754 --> 00:01:32,009 the public has been raising our voices about that since at least 2008. 22 00:01:32,677 --> 00:01:34,303 And sure, in our weather episode, 23 00:01:34,387 --> 00:01:38,975 we tried to expose the deep structural issues that have made FEMA so ineffective, 24 00:01:39,058 --> 00:01:42,937 but, is exposing them really going to change anything? 25 00:01:43,020 --> 00:01:44,856 I mean hell, I've known FEMA was messed up 26 00:01:44,939 --> 00:01:47,650 ever since Hurricane Andrew hit Florida in '92 27 00:01:47,733 --> 00:01:49,944 and my grandmother went without clean water for a week. 28 00:01:50,027 --> 00:01:54,073 My grandma pooped in a bucket because of FEMA! A lot of grandmas did! 29 00:01:54,157 --> 00:01:56,909 We were pissed about it then, we're pissed about it now 30 00:01:56,993 --> 00:01:59,620 and yet FEMA is still out there FEMAing. 31 00:02:01,038 --> 00:02:05,877 And what about the real concrete harm our government does? 32 00:02:07,211 --> 00:02:10,464 You know what we haven't even talked about on this show yet? 33 00:02:10,548 --> 00:02:13,843 The fact that every day, as we speak, 34 00:02:13,926 --> 00:02:17,221 Americans are being hurt or killed 35 00:02:17,305 --> 00:02:21,017 by the same Criminal Justice System that's supposed to be protecting us 36 00:02:21,100 --> 00:02:24,187 and yet after literal decades of protests… 37 00:02:24,270 --> 00:02:27,398 No peace! No justice! No peace! 38 00:02:27,481 --> 00:02:32,069 No justice! No peace! 39 00:02:33,070 --> 00:02:34,322 …little has changed. 40 00:02:34,864 --> 00:02:38,701 So yeah, I know it's my government and I need to pitch in. 41 00:02:38,784 --> 00:02:40,995 That's why I voted, I've protested, 42 00:02:41,078 --> 00:02:44,832 I've tweeted and hashtagged and written so many emails to my Senator 43 00:02:44,916 --> 00:02:47,501 that last week they just replied unsubscribe. 44 00:02:48,794 --> 00:02:51,047 And it doesn't seem to be doing the trick. 45 00:02:51,130 --> 00:02:54,508 So what I want to know is this, 46 00:02:54,592 --> 00:02:59,221 how can we change our government when it is so big, 47 00:02:59,305 --> 00:03:02,099 and we're so small? 48 00:03:02,183 --> 00:03:08,230 How are we supposed to have any hope that things can actually change? 49 00:03:09,315 --> 00:03:13,611 Wait a second. Hope, change, wasn't there somebody who… 50 00:03:13,694 --> 00:03:14,612 Of course! 51 00:03:15,321 --> 00:03:17,323 How do I get in touch with Gerald Ford? 52 00:03:18,741 --> 00:03:20,743 Adam what are you doing here? It's 1:00 a.m. 53 00:03:21,369 --> 00:03:23,913 Wow. Are you still working on your taxes? 54 00:03:23,996 --> 00:03:24,914 Actually I'm almost done. 55 00:03:24,997 --> 00:03:29,168 I'm just missing uh… W-2's, some 10-99s. 56 00:03:29,251 --> 00:03:32,755 And I did this form in green ink, so I have to start over. 57 00:03:33,881 --> 00:03:37,385 Hate to tell you this, but if you don't earn money from paddle boarding, 58 00:03:37,468 --> 00:03:39,720 it's a hobby, not a small business. 59 00:03:41,097 --> 00:03:42,890 Secret Service! Intruder! 60 00:03:42,974 --> 00:03:44,850 Okay, get audited if you want. 61 00:03:45,434 --> 00:03:47,812 Hey, you know, something's been weighing on me. 62 00:03:47,895 --> 00:03:49,397 Maybe we talk about it. 63 00:03:50,231 --> 00:03:53,693 Fine. But I have to get a snack. Do you like peanut butter? 64 00:03:54,527 --> 00:03:55,653 Yeah. 65 00:03:56,737 --> 00:04:00,032 I'm very particular about how you make a PB&J. 66 00:04:00,116 --> 00:04:02,660 Oh yeah, do you still make your own sandwiches a lot? 67 00:04:02,743 --> 00:04:03,786 No. 68 00:04:03,869 --> 00:04:05,997 That's an extremely precise spread. 69 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:07,832 You have to get every corner. 70 00:04:07,915 --> 00:04:11,752 When you do slice, horizontal or diagonal, or-- 71 00:04:11,836 --> 00:04:15,214 You gotta maximize surface area, so diagonal is best. 72 00:04:15,298 --> 00:04:17,091 Okay. You don't cut the crust away, do you? 73 00:04:17,174 --> 00:04:19,719 -No! God no! What are you talking about? -I'm just saying. 74 00:04:19,802 --> 00:04:21,304 -Are you kidding? -Look at that. 75 00:04:21,387 --> 00:04:23,264 I-- I mean, that's a pretty… 76 00:04:23,347 --> 00:04:25,725 -well-constructed sandwich. -Okay, now why am I-- 77 00:04:25,808 --> 00:04:27,727 Yeah, I'm a mess, you're doing great. 78 00:04:27,810 --> 00:04:29,729 -Yeah. -Do you have a napkin? I'm sorry. 79 00:04:29,812 --> 00:04:30,813 Dude, look at you, man. 80 00:04:30,896 --> 00:04:33,065 That's cause you put too much jelly on it. 81 00:04:34,275 --> 00:04:35,735 -There you go. -This is what-- Thank you. 82 00:04:35,818 --> 00:04:37,820 -Grab a seat man. Hold on a second. -Great. 83 00:04:39,655 --> 00:04:42,074 Michelle gets really mad when I leave the… 84 00:04:42,158 --> 00:04:43,200 You gotta put the little twist tie back on. 85 00:04:43,284 --> 00:04:44,118 …little twist thing. 86 00:04:44,201 --> 00:04:47,079 Alright, so how did everything go? 87 00:04:47,163 --> 00:04:49,540 -With the show? -With the show! 88 00:04:49,623 --> 00:04:52,418 I'll be honest with you, we have found all of these ways 89 00:04:52,501 --> 00:04:56,756 in which the government improves our lives, saves our lives. 90 00:04:56,839 --> 00:04:59,175 -Right. -We've also seen a lot of ways in which 91 00:04:59,258 --> 00:05:01,344 it is working on behalf of other interests 92 00:05:01,427 --> 00:05:04,597 other than the American people, or even that it's hurting people. 93 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:05,514 Right. 94 00:05:05,598 --> 00:05:09,143 How are we supposed to feel like the government represents us in that case? 95 00:05:09,226 --> 00:05:10,644 Well look, first of all, 96 00:05:10,728 --> 00:05:14,815 we have to remind ourselves that it's a human institution, 97 00:05:14,899 --> 00:05:18,611 like every other one, which means there are going to be screw-ups, 98 00:05:18,694 --> 00:05:23,157 there are going to be people who are doing things for the wrong reasons. 99 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:25,618 The second thing about government is, 100 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:27,912 it's an ocean liner and not a speedboat. 101 00:05:28,662 --> 00:05:33,000 So for you to change direction on anything 102 00:05:33,626 --> 00:05:35,461 means it's going to take some time. 103 00:05:35,544 --> 00:05:39,465 But there's also issues that you know, we're talking about on the show that we-- 104 00:05:40,007 --> 00:05:42,927 uh… people have been demanding change on for a really long time. 105 00:05:43,010 --> 00:05:46,472 Criminal justice, police violence. It's hard to take, 106 00:05:46,555 --> 00:05:48,808 "Hey change-- Hey change is sl-- Long arc of history." 107 00:05:48,891 --> 00:05:49,850 -I've heard it, you know. -I know. 108 00:05:49,934 --> 00:05:52,895 I have heard it and I believe it. But then sometimes, 109 00:05:52,978 --> 00:05:54,480 -I'm still frustrated by it. -Yeah. Well but-- 110 00:05:54,563 --> 00:05:56,065 Are you-- Do you ever feel that way? 111 00:05:56,148 --> 00:05:58,109 Of course you're frustrated by it and you should be. 112 00:05:58,192 --> 00:06:02,363 And the reason it gets better is because people are impatient. 113 00:06:02,446 --> 00:06:05,991 The only thing we can't do is lapse into cynicism, 114 00:06:06,075 --> 00:06:11,497 and say, "Well, because this hasn't changed at the pace that it should, 115 00:06:11,580 --> 00:06:12,456 there's nothing we can do about it." 116 00:06:12,540 --> 00:06:16,043 Because each time we vote 117 00:06:16,127 --> 00:06:19,088 and elect people who are more responsive, 118 00:06:19,171 --> 00:06:22,174 there's a window of opportunity for us to make some changes 119 00:06:22,258 --> 00:06:26,637 and typically it's not gonna be a 100% of what we want. 120 00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:30,141 But you know what? If we make things 10% better… 121 00:06:30,224 --> 00:06:33,477 Yeah, but 10% for climate change isn't enough. 122 00:06:33,561 --> 00:06:36,313 When you ran in '08, you were the change guy. 123 00:06:36,397 --> 00:06:38,357 -I, you know I was-- -I'm the hopeful change guy. 124 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:39,942 And you didn't run on, 125 00:06:40,025 --> 00:06:43,571 "Hey if we make things 10% better", you know? You ran on and I'm not-- 126 00:06:43,654 --> 00:06:45,322 -No, -I get it. Once you're there-- 127 00:06:45,406 --> 00:06:46,657 that's completely fair. 128 00:06:46,740 --> 00:06:48,868 I picture you there in the White House going, 129 00:06:48,951 --> 00:06:50,077 "Yeah, this is pretty fucked up, right? 130 00:06:50,161 --> 00:06:52,830 Like this is fucked up. It's fucked up what that department is doing." 131 00:06:52,913 --> 00:06:56,792 And yet we didn't see change despite that being in my lifetime, 132 00:06:56,876 --> 00:06:59,879 the biggest mass movement for change that we've seen in the country. 133 00:06:59,962 --> 00:07:02,089 Except it turns out Mitch McConnell was elected too. 134 00:07:03,132 --> 00:07:04,133 Right? 135 00:07:04,216 --> 00:07:09,263 Precisely because the country is a big diverse complicated place. 136 00:07:09,346 --> 00:07:12,516 Look, here's the thing that we have to remind ourselves. 137 00:07:12,600 --> 00:07:14,185 By design… 138 00:07:15,769 --> 00:07:17,396 -change is hard in this country. -Yeah. 139 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:20,316 I guarantee you that there's no president 140 00:07:21,525 --> 00:07:24,653 who was ever elected, who doesn't at some point think, 141 00:07:24,737 --> 00:07:28,199 "Ah, you… make me, you know, king for a day 142 00:07:28,282 --> 00:07:32,411 "and I can just… you know, issue my edicts." 143 00:07:33,078 --> 00:07:38,167 We don't want a situation where an all-powerful, all-knowing 144 00:07:38,959 --> 00:07:41,795 individual or small set of individuals 145 00:07:41,879 --> 00:07:43,631 are able to make decisions for everybody. 146 00:07:43,714 --> 00:07:45,716 -Yeah. -So we're going to disperse power. 147 00:07:45,799 --> 00:07:47,593 Which means things happen slower, 148 00:07:47,676 --> 00:07:49,803 which means that people have to compromise. 149 00:07:49,887 --> 00:07:52,389 The alternative is, we opt-out. 150 00:07:52,973 --> 00:07:56,477 That's when the selfish, the greedy, the mean, 151 00:07:57,144 --> 00:07:58,521 that's when they fill the void. 152 00:07:58,604 --> 00:08:00,397 And I tell you, 153 00:08:01,106 --> 00:08:04,527 they thrive in that kind of environment. 154 00:08:04,610 --> 00:08:07,655 I read your book uh, and non-fiction, right? 155 00:08:08,948 --> 00:08:11,617 You say, uh… You know, activists 156 00:08:11,700 --> 00:08:14,620 might have wanted me to say push for a public option or 157 00:08:14,703 --> 00:08:16,288 -push for single-payer. -Right. 158 00:08:16,372 --> 00:08:18,791 But you know, when you're sitting in the chair there are constraints. 159 00:08:18,874 --> 00:08:20,376 -Right. -And I get that. 160 00:08:20,459 --> 00:08:22,920 But, then part of me always asks, 161 00:08:23,420 --> 00:08:25,589 "Well, why should we accept those constraints?" 162 00:08:25,673 --> 00:08:29,343 Like you started your career as an activist. 163 00:08:29,426 --> 00:08:30,427 Yes. 164 00:08:30,511 --> 00:08:32,972 Activists get to be uncompromising. 165 00:08:33,055 --> 00:08:35,641 Is there a part of you ever that regrets 166 00:08:35,724 --> 00:08:39,270 going into politics as opposed to activism 167 00:08:39,353 --> 00:08:42,064 because of that lack of freedom that politicians have? 168 00:08:42,147 --> 00:08:45,901 Absolutely. Look there… there's… 169 00:08:48,862 --> 00:08:52,658 There's a prophetic voice in each of us 170 00:08:53,158 --> 00:08:57,580 that just wants to speak the truth as we know it. 171 00:08:58,372 --> 00:09:03,502 And so every movement involves at some point 172 00:09:03,586 --> 00:09:06,797 confronting the fact that not everybody agrees with you, 173 00:09:06,880 --> 00:09:10,801 and it's navigating that space between the world as it is 174 00:09:10,884 --> 00:09:13,178 and the world as it should be. 175 00:09:13,679 --> 00:09:17,266 That's the province of all of us who want to get something done, 176 00:09:17,349 --> 00:09:19,226 whether we're activists or politicians. 177 00:09:19,310 --> 00:09:21,854 Now what is true is you have different roles. 178 00:09:21,937 --> 00:09:24,064 And so I'm sitting here as a comic, 179 00:09:24,148 --> 00:09:25,941 -Alright. Right. -I've identified a problem. 180 00:09:26,025 --> 00:09:29,778 I'm yelling about it on national television for everybody to hear. 181 00:09:29,862 --> 00:09:32,072 How the hell do we start fixing? 182 00:09:32,573 --> 00:09:34,491 -When it's that big? -Well then, look I mean you… 183 00:09:34,575 --> 00:09:38,120 find the thing that you're passionate about, that angers you, that… 184 00:09:39,204 --> 00:09:42,625 frustrates you and then you try to get some like-minded citizens 185 00:09:42,708 --> 00:09:43,834 to start changing it. 186 00:09:43,917 --> 00:09:47,129 And you also have to remind yourself that 187 00:09:47,796 --> 00:09:50,132 government isn't just the federal government. 188 00:09:50,215 --> 00:09:53,302 Government is State government, government is City government, 189 00:09:53,385 --> 00:09:54,553 government is County government. 190 00:09:54,637 --> 00:09:58,682 So, a whole bunch of decisions that are being made 191 00:09:59,183 --> 00:10:00,934 aren't being made by the president. 192 00:10:01,018 --> 00:10:06,190 They're being made by somebody who's probably elected by… 193 00:10:06,940 --> 00:10:08,817 a thousand, ten thousand voters. 194 00:10:08,901 --> 00:10:11,904 This is a very obvious thought now that you're saying it. 195 00:10:11,987 --> 00:10:14,114 Thank you very much. 196 00:10:14,657 --> 00:10:16,450 -Can we eat our sandwiches now? -Come on. 197 00:10:20,829 --> 00:10:23,082 -That's delicious. -Mine is terrible. 198 00:10:23,165 --> 00:10:25,209 -Thank you for the sandwich. -What's wrong with the peanut butter? 199 00:10:25,292 --> 00:10:26,835 Have a great day. Thank you so much for your time. 200 00:10:26,919 --> 00:10:28,253 Good luck with the taxes man. 201 00:10:28,337 --> 00:10:29,546 I'll see you later. 202 00:10:32,966 --> 00:10:34,009 Hmm. 203 00:10:34,093 --> 00:10:37,429 Can peanut butter like spoil? I don't get it. 204 00:10:37,513 --> 00:10:41,016 Look, I've spent this entire series hammering home 205 00:10:41,100 --> 00:10:43,560 how important the federal government is. 206 00:10:43,644 --> 00:10:48,273 And it is, but it's also so big and so resistant to change. 207 00:10:48,774 --> 00:10:50,818 But, there's another form of government 208 00:10:50,901 --> 00:10:53,696 that you and I can have a much greater impact on. 209 00:10:53,779 --> 00:10:56,657 And that has immense power over every waking moment 210 00:10:56,740 --> 00:10:58,992 of our daily lives. 211 00:11:01,704 --> 00:11:04,748 This meeting of the Ci… uh, City Council will be called to order. 212 00:11:07,292 --> 00:11:08,627 I'd like to have the clerk note 213 00:11:08,711 --> 00:11:11,588 that we have broken our attendance record of two. 214 00:11:12,172 --> 00:11:15,050 Okay, I know it doesn't seem that impressive. 215 00:11:15,134 --> 00:11:19,346 But in reality, local politicians wield some serious power. 216 00:11:19,430 --> 00:11:21,390 Item one: The water you drink. 217 00:11:21,473 --> 00:11:24,893 All in favor of switching from city water to river water to save money. 218 00:11:31,275 --> 00:11:32,192 What the-- 219 00:11:33,902 --> 00:11:36,822 Item two: The roads you drive on. 220 00:11:36,905 --> 00:11:39,116 All in favor of lowering the infrastructure budget. 221 00:11:47,749 --> 00:11:50,711 Come on, who's in charge of this? 222 00:11:50,794 --> 00:11:52,921 Item three: What buildings get built. 223 00:11:53,672 --> 00:11:55,924 All in favor of replacing affordable housing with a strip mall. 224 00:12:00,387 --> 00:12:01,513 The yawns have it. 225 00:12:02,514 --> 00:12:03,348 Re-zoned. 226 00:12:06,518 --> 00:12:09,521 Okay! I gotta start going to these meetings! 227 00:12:10,105 --> 00:12:12,816 In a second, I am kinda hungry. 228 00:12:16,737 --> 00:12:17,863 But it doesn't end there. 229 00:12:17,946 --> 00:12:20,949 Some local politicians wield an enormous amount of power. 230 00:12:21,033 --> 00:12:23,243 Take the Clark County Commission in Nevada. 231 00:12:23,327 --> 00:12:27,831 Myself and my six little-known associates oversee the entire Las Vegas strip. 232 00:12:28,415 --> 00:12:33,462 In 2019, our County's casinos generated 22 billion dollars in revenue. 233 00:12:33,545 --> 00:12:36,965 That makes us little nobodies arguably the most powerful politicians 234 00:12:37,049 --> 00:12:38,008 in the state of Nevada. 235 00:12:38,091 --> 00:12:42,429 It's my pleasure to inform you that your new casino permit is… 236 00:12:42,513 --> 00:12:43,889 approved! 237 00:12:46,475 --> 00:12:49,686 That just happened. The system works people. 238 00:12:51,146 --> 00:12:54,608 Some local officials have so much power, 239 00:12:54,691 --> 00:12:56,652 it affects the entire world. 240 00:12:57,152 --> 00:13:00,322 Like us, the Texas Railroad Commission. 241 00:13:01,990 --> 00:13:05,077 Except I'm not a railroad man, I'm an oilman! 242 00:13:05,869 --> 00:13:06,912 That's why despite our name 243 00:13:06,995 --> 00:13:10,123 we three Commissioners actually oversee Texas' enormous oil 244 00:13:10,207 --> 00:13:12,251 and natural gas industry. 245 00:13:12,334 --> 00:13:18,215 Which accounts for about 5% of the entire world's crude oil production. 246 00:13:19,216 --> 00:13:20,342 Now let's see, 247 00:13:20,842 --> 00:13:25,264 should we cut back on drilling, and fight climate change? 248 00:13:27,266 --> 00:13:28,517 Nay. 249 00:13:34,523 --> 00:13:36,191 How wild is that? 250 00:13:36,275 --> 00:13:40,612 I mean, these are elected politicians who have massive power. 251 00:13:40,696 --> 00:13:43,532 Yet most of us have no idea they even exist. 252 00:13:44,032 --> 00:13:47,828 I can literally name more members of the 2004 Red Sox 253 00:13:47,911 --> 00:13:50,747 than I can council members of the city I live in. 254 00:13:50,831 --> 00:13:54,668 I mean, Jason Varitek, great catcher but the dude does not affect my life. 255 00:13:54,751 --> 00:13:56,503 These officials though, ugh, 256 00:13:57,004 --> 00:14:01,717 they're the cause of and possible solution to some of our biggest problems. 257 00:14:01,800 --> 00:14:06,179 Especially our broken and discriminatory Criminal Justice System. 258 00:14:06,263 --> 00:14:08,724 Hey. What do you got in the bag? 259 00:14:10,142 --> 00:14:12,311 -Wings. -Did you say weapons? 260 00:14:12,394 --> 00:14:15,522 What, no. How did you even get that from what I just said? 261 00:14:16,481 --> 00:14:21,069 America imprisons more people than any other nation on Earth. 262 00:14:21,153 --> 00:14:23,947 We have just 4% of the world's population, 263 00:14:24,031 --> 00:14:27,576 but close to 20% of its prison population. 264 00:14:27,659 --> 00:14:32,247 Mass incarceration on that scale just makes no sense. 265 00:14:32,331 --> 00:14:34,124 So who's responsible for it? 266 00:14:35,459 --> 00:14:39,338 Well, it turns out that almost 90% of incarcerated people 267 00:14:39,421 --> 00:14:42,841 are held in state and local jails and prisons. 268 00:14:42,925 --> 00:14:46,219 That means that the politician most responsible for mass incarceration 269 00:14:46,303 --> 00:14:49,932 isn't the president, or your Senator, or your congress person. 270 00:14:51,016 --> 00:14:54,144 It's me, your local district attorney. 271 00:14:54,645 --> 00:14:56,563 In the criminal justice system, 272 00:14:56,647 --> 00:15:00,567 District Attorneys have incredible power to decide who gets charged 273 00:15:00,651 --> 00:15:02,527 and what they get charged with. 274 00:15:02,611 --> 00:15:04,196 This is their story. 275 00:15:09,993 --> 00:15:13,038 This kid is 18 years old, first-time offender. 276 00:15:13,538 --> 00:15:15,415 We could send him to counseling with a warning 277 00:15:15,499 --> 00:15:17,501 or charge him with a life-ruining felony. 278 00:15:18,168 --> 00:15:20,879 You're the DA, it's completely up to you. 279 00:15:24,007 --> 00:15:25,592 Quite the moral quandary. 280 00:15:26,718 --> 00:15:28,929 -Just kidding. No it isn't. 281 00:15:29,012 --> 00:15:30,973 I ran on being tough on crime. 282 00:15:32,724 --> 00:15:35,143 And that means that the best way for me to get reelected 283 00:15:35,227 --> 00:15:37,854 or become governor as my Pappy wanted, 284 00:15:37,938 --> 00:15:39,856 is to throw the book at everyone I see. 285 00:15:41,900 --> 00:15:44,861 See? He's jumpy. It's a clear sign of guilt. 286 00:15:47,489 --> 00:15:49,157 I'm gonna give it to you straight, kid. 287 00:15:50,117 --> 00:15:52,911 Around 95% of criminal cases 288 00:15:53,620 --> 00:15:55,330 don't even get to trial. 289 00:15:55,414 --> 00:15:57,874 They're determined through plea bargains. 290 00:15:58,709 --> 00:16:02,546 Effectively making DAs like me judge and jury. 291 00:16:03,547 --> 00:16:05,549 Now, you were accused of 292 00:16:05,632 --> 00:16:08,510 robbing a liquor store with a deadly weapon. 293 00:16:08,593 --> 00:16:11,555 But I wasn't even there! I was buying wings! 294 00:16:11,638 --> 00:16:15,017 See? I got wing sauce on my face and it is spicy. 295 00:16:15,100 --> 00:16:16,309 Can I get a napkin or-- 296 00:16:16,393 --> 00:16:17,769 Yeah it looks like blood to me. 297 00:16:18,687 --> 00:16:21,481 You eat your victims. 298 00:16:21,565 --> 00:16:24,651 Oh my God, you're dumb. 299 00:16:24,735 --> 00:16:29,448 Well, the mandatory minimum is 20 years. 300 00:16:29,531 --> 00:16:32,659 So you could take a risk at trial with your little alibi, 301 00:16:33,285 --> 00:16:35,704 or you can plead guilty 302 00:16:35,787 --> 00:16:38,248 and make a deal! 303 00:16:42,377 --> 00:16:43,587 Seven years. 304 00:16:53,597 --> 00:16:55,348 This blows my mind. 305 00:16:55,849 --> 00:16:58,351 You know, researchers believe that since the 90s 306 00:16:58,435 --> 00:17:00,812 one of the biggest drivers of mass incarceration 307 00:17:00,896 --> 00:17:04,483 has been the power District Attorneys have to impose harsh sentences. 308 00:17:04,566 --> 00:17:07,819 And we the voters have been voting for it. 309 00:17:10,238 --> 00:17:14,409 But, that also means we have the ability to change it 310 00:17:14,493 --> 00:17:17,746 just by voting differently in local elections. 311 00:17:18,246 --> 00:17:22,375 There's just one problem though, almost none of us actually vote in them. 312 00:17:22,459 --> 00:17:23,627 You know every four years 313 00:17:23,710 --> 00:17:26,630 the presidential election gets massive media attention 314 00:17:26,713 --> 00:17:29,466 while local elections get almost none. 315 00:17:30,050 --> 00:17:32,260 Live from Rutherford B. Hayes High School, 316 00:17:32,344 --> 00:17:37,224 it's Public Access television with this year's local election debate. 317 00:17:37,808 --> 00:17:41,061 Good evening. I'm Madison, vice-chair of the journalism club, 318 00:17:41,144 --> 00:17:44,481 and the only reporter left in this town since Facebook killed our local newspaper. 319 00:17:46,483 --> 00:17:48,610 First question, Council member Appleton, 320 00:17:48,693 --> 00:17:50,779 why should voters vote for you? 321 00:17:51,279 --> 00:17:53,448 Honestly, most of them don't. 322 00:17:53,532 --> 00:17:56,785 A recent study found that only 15% of eligible voters 323 00:17:56,868 --> 00:18:01,039 cast a ballot in local elections and cause media barely covers our races, 324 00:18:01,123 --> 00:18:02,874 most of them don't know anything about us. 325 00:18:03,750 --> 00:18:07,546 For instance, I'm openly having an affair with my secretary's horse 326 00:18:07,629 --> 00:18:09,923 and no one's even written a blog post about it, so. 327 00:18:10,882 --> 00:18:13,510 I don't know, vote for me because my name comes first. 328 00:18:14,177 --> 00:18:15,929 -Ow. -Sorry. 329 00:18:16,012 --> 00:18:17,514 Uh… 330 00:18:17,597 --> 00:18:21,393 Why am I even here? My election is just a formality. 331 00:18:21,977 --> 00:18:23,395 Interest in these races are so low 332 00:18:23,478 --> 00:18:25,105 that in cities fewer than a million people, 333 00:18:25,188 --> 00:18:29,025 the majority of district attorney races have a single unopposed candidate. 334 00:18:29,526 --> 00:18:32,779 So vote for me for DA, or don't. 335 00:18:32,863 --> 00:18:36,616 It doesn't matter, I'm literally the only choice. 336 00:18:37,409 --> 00:18:40,620 We done here? Yeah? Okay. Alright. 337 00:18:41,621 --> 00:18:44,249 There you go. Peace. 338 00:18:47,085 --> 00:18:48,044 She's great. 339 00:18:48,128 --> 00:18:49,129 Uh… 340 00:18:49,212 --> 00:18:51,506 Turning now to the subject of young people. 341 00:18:52,048 --> 00:18:54,926 Young people are an essential part of the electorate, 342 00:18:55,010 --> 00:18:59,055 yet we are even less likely to show up for local elections than for National ones. 343 00:18:59,139 --> 00:19:01,558 Hello is it question time? 344 00:19:02,434 --> 00:19:04,352 Not-- Not yet ma'am. I'm-- It's… 345 00:19:04,436 --> 00:19:05,854 Stuff it, Zoomer! 346 00:19:05,937 --> 00:19:08,523 People over 65 are seven times 347 00:19:08,607 --> 00:19:11,776 more likely to vote in local elections than those under 35. 348 00:19:12,402 --> 00:19:15,947 So what we want matters more than what you want. 349 00:19:16,031 --> 00:19:19,868 And what we want is less rap music 350 00:19:19,951 --> 00:19:22,495 and more fudge. 351 00:19:25,957 --> 00:19:27,584 We'll get right on that ma'am. 352 00:19:27,667 --> 00:19:29,544 Well that's all the time we have. 353 00:19:29,628 --> 00:19:34,049 The polls are open. Go vote. And remember, E pluribus unum. 354 00:19:39,054 --> 00:19:40,805 How depressing is this? 355 00:19:40,889 --> 00:19:42,515 You know there is a bright side though. 356 00:19:42,599 --> 00:19:46,978 Turnout in these races is so low, that makes our votes incredibly powerful. 357 00:19:47,062 --> 00:19:51,066 Well, if no one else is going to, I guess I'm voting for myself. 358 00:19:53,276 --> 00:19:54,694 Hey I win! 359 00:19:55,487 --> 00:19:57,280 But look, I get it, 360 00:19:57,364 --> 00:19:59,991 local politics is confusing and boring 361 00:20:00,075 --> 00:20:02,744 and following it requires free time and resources 362 00:20:02,827 --> 00:20:04,955 that a lot of people just don't have. 363 00:20:05,038 --> 00:20:07,332 This stuff is hard to give a shit about. 364 00:20:08,250 --> 00:20:10,877 But what would happen if we did? 365 00:20:10,961 --> 00:20:14,256 How would our cities, towns, and country change 366 00:20:14,339 --> 00:20:17,050 if we all started participating in a system 367 00:20:17,133 --> 00:20:20,470 those in power are counting on us to ignore? 368 00:20:32,774 --> 00:20:37,862 I believe that we will win! 369 00:20:37,946 --> 00:20:42,867 -I believe that we will win! -I believe that we will win! 370 00:20:42,951 --> 00:20:45,078 -Hey how's it going? I'm Adam. -Hey Adam, how're you doing? 371 00:20:45,161 --> 00:20:49,332 Rick Krajewski, State Representative for 188th district in west, southwest Philly. 372 00:20:49,416 --> 00:20:52,585 Nikil Saval, I'm the State Senator for the first Senate district, 373 00:20:52,669 --> 00:20:54,379 which is Center City and South Philly. 374 00:20:54,462 --> 00:20:57,465 Nikil is a co-founder and I was actually an early member 375 00:20:57,549 --> 00:20:58,967 of Reclaim Philadelphia. 376 00:20:59,050 --> 00:21:03,346 Did Reclaim get founded to get a progressive DA elected? 377 00:21:03,430 --> 00:21:05,056 Was that the reason for it or… 378 00:21:05,140 --> 00:21:09,686 A lot of us came out of the Bernie Sanders campaign in Philadelphia in 2016, 379 00:21:09,769 --> 00:21:13,523 and we wanted to root ourselves in our neighborhoods. 380 00:21:13,606 --> 00:21:16,067 -Yeah. -Yeah. We did analysis to really be like 381 00:21:16,151 --> 00:21:20,238 okay like, what is an election that we can zero in on 382 00:21:20,322 --> 00:21:22,824 that will have a significant impact for Philadelphia? 383 00:21:23,408 --> 00:21:25,201 And we realized like, okay the District Attorney's race. 384 00:21:25,285 --> 00:21:27,078 You know like, this is the most impoverished 385 00:21:27,162 --> 00:21:29,164 and most incarcerated big city in the country. 386 00:21:29,247 --> 00:21:34,002 So if we wanna you know, really make a statement like this is our opportunity. 387 00:21:34,085 --> 00:21:35,253 Four years ago, 388 00:21:35,337 --> 00:21:38,965 I was proud to stand as a volunteer to knock hundreds of doors 389 00:21:39,049 --> 00:21:42,927 and recruit dozens of canvassers to knock thousands more 390 00:21:43,011 --> 00:21:45,221 for then Candidate Larry Krasner for District Attorney. 391 00:21:45,930 --> 00:21:46,973 Four years later, 392 00:21:47,057 --> 00:21:50,268 Krasner and we with him have moved mountains. 393 00:21:50,352 --> 00:21:52,645 We demanded limits to cash bail, 394 00:21:52,729 --> 00:21:57,317 an end to the war on drugs, an end to unaccountable policing. 395 00:21:57,400 --> 00:22:00,111 And Larry Krasner has delivered. 396 00:22:01,654 --> 00:22:05,200 You guys like… changed the city that you live in. 397 00:22:05,283 --> 00:22:09,079 But none of you guys are professional politician-like type people, right? 398 00:22:09,162 --> 00:22:10,205 -Now. -Until recently. 399 00:22:10,288 --> 00:22:13,124 Not until you became elected to office yourselves, 400 00:22:13,208 --> 00:22:16,419 but like, Ricky you told me before you were a software engineer, and… 401 00:22:16,503 --> 00:22:17,712 I was a journalist. 402 00:22:17,796 --> 00:22:18,880 What did that feel like? 403 00:22:18,963 --> 00:22:20,256 I may have leapt into your arms. 404 00:22:20,340 --> 00:22:21,966 -Yeah, really, yeah. -Yeah I know, like I really… 405 00:22:22,050 --> 00:22:24,219 Cause it wasn't just that we won, 406 00:22:24,302 --> 00:22:27,347 we got twice as much as the runner-ups. So like… 407 00:22:27,430 --> 00:22:29,057 we kicked their ass, like you know? 408 00:22:29,140 --> 00:22:29,974 -Yeah! 409 00:22:30,058 --> 00:22:34,270 We beat them up and that was so powerful for us because it meant like, 410 00:22:34,354 --> 00:22:36,356 oh, we're on to something. You know? 411 00:22:36,439 --> 00:22:38,316 -Yeah. -Like it is mind-blowing, 412 00:22:38,399 --> 00:22:40,527 -cause it gives… it gives you hope. -Yeah. Amazing. 413 00:22:40,610 --> 00:22:43,613 We are clear with the work that's required 414 00:22:43,696 --> 00:22:49,786 and the last five decades worth of useless, fake-ass politicians. 415 00:22:50,787 --> 00:22:53,164 -Come on! -You are on notice! 416 00:22:53,248 --> 00:22:54,958 And we're coming for you. 417 00:22:55,583 --> 00:22:59,003 Half of this crowd is gonna end up running for election someday. 418 00:23:00,130 --> 00:23:03,049 This is so inspiring to watch, to see people come out, 419 00:23:03,133 --> 00:23:06,219 and like really work to make this change. 420 00:23:06,302 --> 00:23:09,180 -Do you feel that way about it? -Oh, most definitely. 421 00:23:09,264 --> 00:23:12,725 This system, what people keep calling a broken system, 422 00:23:12,809 --> 00:23:14,769 it's not a broken system. 423 00:23:14,853 --> 00:23:17,438 It's been built to do what it's been doing all these years. 424 00:23:17,522 --> 00:23:19,440 -Yeah. -All these decades. 425 00:23:19,524 --> 00:23:23,278 -Is to put our people behind cages. -Yeah. 426 00:23:23,361 --> 00:23:26,906 So what we need to do is start breaking the system down 427 00:23:26,990 --> 00:23:28,074 and by doing that, 428 00:23:28,158 --> 00:23:30,952 we have to start putting the right people in the right places. 429 00:23:31,035 --> 00:23:33,371 -Yeah. -People that's for us. 430 00:23:33,454 --> 00:23:35,165 People that's for the people 431 00:23:35,248 --> 00:23:39,460 and if God is willing, I plan to run for-- I'ma start low. Yeah. 432 00:23:39,544 --> 00:23:40,461 -You're gonna run? -Yeah. 433 00:23:40,545 --> 00:23:43,423 I wanna run for some'n because we need people like us. 434 00:23:43,506 --> 00:23:46,759 Somebody that's been through what I've been through can talk to me. 435 00:23:47,343 --> 00:23:49,345 -What do we want? -Justice! 436 00:23:49,429 --> 00:23:51,389 -When do we want it? -Now! 437 00:23:51,472 --> 00:23:53,266 -What do we need? -Justice! 438 00:23:53,349 --> 00:23:55,351 -When do we need it? So -Now! 439 00:23:55,435 --> 00:23:59,564 please, get everybody out and let's go bang on some doors. 440 00:24:00,273 --> 00:24:01,441 -Peace! 441 00:24:02,525 --> 00:24:05,028 So, tell me about canvassing, is this like… 442 00:24:05,111 --> 00:24:07,447 This is how you do your work. Like what's so important about it? 443 00:24:07,530 --> 00:24:11,159 You know, people get tons of political mail, they get TV, 444 00:24:11,242 --> 00:24:14,120 all of that stuff that really connecting-- You know, 445 00:24:14,204 --> 00:24:17,248 it's not just about ideology, not all of us share those ideologies, 446 00:24:17,332 --> 00:24:20,710 but a lot of us share interests, a lot of us share stories. 447 00:24:20,793 --> 00:24:23,379 We share that we have kids in the school district. 448 00:24:23,463 --> 00:24:25,298 All of that is where you connect with people. 449 00:24:25,381 --> 00:24:28,760 And then at that point, we move to the larger political picture. 450 00:24:28,843 --> 00:24:31,888 And this really works to like create change? Like 451 00:24:31,971 --> 00:24:33,806 all you're doing is like talking to your neighbors? 452 00:24:33,890 --> 00:24:37,393 Yeah. Dozens of people knocking hundreds to a thousand of doors 453 00:24:37,477 --> 00:24:39,270 over the course of months. 454 00:24:39,354 --> 00:24:41,439 It's a transformative thing in a big city. 455 00:24:44,067 --> 00:24:45,443 The Philly Parade is here. 456 00:24:45,526 --> 00:24:47,487 This I love about the city. 457 00:25:01,417 --> 00:25:02,543 Ah shit! 458 00:25:04,796 --> 00:25:06,214 -Ahh! -Woo! 459 00:25:07,090 --> 00:25:09,217 -What's going on? How is your cheesesteak? -That's a pretty good cheesesteak. 460 00:25:09,300 --> 00:25:10,134 -Yeah? -Yeah. 461 00:25:10,218 --> 00:25:12,053 -Do you wanna play some basketball? -No, okay. 462 00:25:12,136 --> 00:25:13,388 -You sure? -Yeah, I'm really bad, but-- 463 00:25:14,347 --> 00:25:15,181 Okay. 464 00:25:18,017 --> 00:25:18,893 Close enough for me. 465 00:25:18,977 --> 00:25:21,187 -So uh… Can I ask you guys a question? -Sure. 466 00:25:21,271 --> 00:25:24,023 So I open this episode by asking like, 467 00:25:24,107 --> 00:25:27,360 how do we make change in the government when the government is so big 468 00:25:27,443 --> 00:25:28,278 and we're so small? 469 00:25:28,361 --> 00:25:30,697 People get fixated on national politics. 470 00:25:30,780 --> 00:25:34,075 And of course, understandably, it's very consequential. 471 00:25:34,158 --> 00:25:35,576 But actually the things you can impact, 472 00:25:35,660 --> 00:25:39,205 and the things you're impacted by are often local. 473 00:25:39,289 --> 00:25:42,417 That government is smaller, it is us, it looks like this. 474 00:25:42,500 --> 00:25:46,045 And like all of these things ripple across the country, 475 00:25:46,129 --> 00:25:48,464 these local races, these local changes. 476 00:25:48,548 --> 00:25:50,216 And all of that is grassroots. 477 00:25:50,300 --> 00:25:54,429 That's like, that is literally the definition of grassroots change. 478 00:25:54,512 --> 00:25:56,347 And so that allows us to think about 479 00:25:56,431 --> 00:25:59,183 okay, now what do we have to do on the congressional level, 480 00:25:59,267 --> 00:26:00,143 senatorial level. 481 00:26:00,226 --> 00:26:05,356 Those are necessary ingredients for thinking about the large-scale picture. 482 00:26:05,440 --> 00:26:07,191 -Incredible, amazing. -Yeah. 483 00:26:07,275 --> 00:26:08,484 Why don't you take one last shot? 484 00:26:08,568 --> 00:26:09,444 Okay. Okay. 485 00:26:10,570 --> 00:26:11,612 How's my form? 486 00:26:11,696 --> 00:26:13,406 You got it. Arc, remember the arc. 487 00:26:13,489 --> 00:26:15,116 Arc. Arc! 488 00:26:17,702 --> 00:26:21,539 Okay, obviously I didn't really hit that. It was an editing trick. 489 00:26:21,622 --> 00:26:24,542 But how incredible are those folks? 490 00:26:24,625 --> 00:26:28,046 I mean, not only did Reclaim help elect a new District Attorney 491 00:26:28,129 --> 00:26:31,049 who's fixing criminal justice in their city, 492 00:26:31,132 --> 00:26:34,844 they inspired a nationwide movement of people doing the same. 493 00:26:34,927 --> 00:26:37,096 Including where I live, in Los Angeles. 494 00:26:37,180 --> 00:26:39,891 Yeah no, it's not just a backdrop for reality shows. 495 00:26:39,974 --> 00:26:42,268 It's a real place with real problems. 496 00:26:42,352 --> 00:26:45,521 Now in 2020, I got so sick 497 00:26:45,605 --> 00:26:49,859 of obsessing over the national politics I saw in cable news, 498 00:26:49,942 --> 00:26:52,695 I decided to focus on my own community instead. 499 00:26:52,779 --> 00:26:55,740 I started calling into boring-ass City Council meetings 500 00:26:55,823 --> 00:26:57,158 to give public comment. 501 00:26:57,241 --> 00:26:59,202 I joined a neighborhood group on homelessness, 502 00:26:59,285 --> 00:27:01,746 an issue I really care about, 503 00:27:01,829 --> 00:27:04,540 and I volunteered for a city council candidate 504 00:27:04,624 --> 00:27:08,044 who pledged to fight police violence, the housing crisis, 505 00:27:08,127 --> 00:27:12,131 and climate change at home, in our city. 506 00:27:12,215 --> 00:27:17,053 Seeing that I could have a real impact on the government of my city 507 00:27:17,136 --> 00:27:20,306 made me realize we are not helpless. 508 00:27:20,390 --> 00:27:24,977 We actually can create big change if we start small. 509 00:27:26,145 --> 00:27:30,608 You know what the problem is with the G word: Government? 510 00:27:30,691 --> 00:27:36,072 It sounds so big. So monolithic, so far away. 511 00:27:36,155 --> 00:27:39,367 When in reality, it's right here at home. 512 00:27:53,464 --> 00:27:57,593 And, just like Soylent Green, it's made of people. 513 00:27:59,387 --> 00:28:02,432 People who wake up every day and go to work 514 00:28:02,515 --> 00:28:05,143 for no other reason than it's their job. 515 00:28:05,226 --> 00:28:06,686 And it's a job that needs doing. 516 00:28:08,020 --> 00:28:12,567 People who go to absolutely nauseating lengths to keep others safe. 517 00:28:13,067 --> 00:28:15,611 People who never stop trying to serve their community, 518 00:28:15,695 --> 00:28:18,281 no matter how badly the system is rigged against them. 519 00:28:18,865 --> 00:28:23,327 People who dive in and work to change that system for the better. 520 00:28:23,411 --> 00:28:24,537 People like us. 521 00:28:25,663 --> 00:28:27,248 People like you. 522 00:28:28,624 --> 00:28:31,461 And you know, people aren't perfect. 523 00:28:31,544 --> 00:28:34,005 I mean I for one am an idiot and I'm not the only one. 524 00:28:34,088 --> 00:28:38,134 So, our government is far from perfect too. 525 00:28:40,052 --> 00:28:41,429 You know I've really struggled 526 00:28:41,512 --> 00:28:45,308 with how to summarize everything I've learned making this show. 527 00:28:45,808 --> 00:28:51,939 Our government is powerful and democratic and caring and destructive 528 00:28:52,023 --> 00:28:55,067 and discriminatory and cruel. 529 00:28:55,151 --> 00:28:57,069 It's everything all at once. 530 00:28:57,153 --> 00:29:00,948 Because we the people are all those things too. 531 00:29:01,532 --> 00:29:06,829 But a better world is possible and on its best days 532 00:29:06,913 --> 00:29:10,333 our government is a tool that we can use together 533 00:29:10,416 --> 00:29:14,128 to build that better world for ourselves and each other. 534 00:29:14,629 --> 00:29:16,255 Should we choose to. 535 00:29:16,964 --> 00:29:20,468 And for that reason, it's worth fighting for. 536 00:29:31,604 --> 00:29:33,397 And, done. 537 00:29:36,484 --> 00:29:38,110 You know folks, on this show 538 00:29:38,194 --> 00:29:41,405 we've had a lot of fun with the idea that I struggle to do my taxes, 539 00:29:41,489 --> 00:29:43,866 but, that was just acting. 540 00:29:44,367 --> 00:29:47,995 In real life, I'm amazing at them. And you can be too. 541 00:29:48,079 --> 00:29:52,542 If you use the helpful tools found at IRS.gov 542 00:29:52,625 --> 00:29:54,752 They can even help you file for free. 543 00:29:54,836 --> 00:29:57,088 FOPOTUS out. 544 00:31:41,692 --> 00:31:44,278 Subtitle translation by: Anu Akiyode