In short · Summary by AI
This preview introduces Crash Course's new series on US Government, hosted by Kusha Navadar, a former political speechwriter and radio host. The series moves beyond the basics of the three branches to examine why today's politics feel so divided and unprecedented, and whether the 250-year-old system still works as it should. The main conclusion is that understanding how and why the system works can make current politics less overwhelming.
- Host Kusha Navadar, who was a political speechwriter after earning a master's in public policy, introduces the series.
- The video opens by listing common questions: why Supreme Court nominations are contentious, whether the president can do whatever they want, and whether we are more polarized than ever.
- The host notes that the last Crash Course US Government and Politics series was about a decade ago, and that the country has become more divided and harder to find trusted information in since then.
- The new series, spanning 15 episodes, will not cover the basics of the three branches or how a bill becomes a law, but will build on that foundation.
- Episodes will examine wider forces that influence politics, look inside the systems meant to serve citizens, and compare the present moment to history.
- The series will open next week with the question of why US politics are so divisive.
- The episode was produced in partnership with USAFacts, a nonpartisan civic tech project.
Unprecedented Times and Big Questions
0:00These are unprecedented times. >> We're in an unprecedented time. [music] >> unprecedented border crisis >> The unprecedented thing is the idea >> not normal >> is not normal. >> This unprec- >> an unprecedented >> unprecedented >> unprecedented >> you are making at the expense of the American people.
0:16>> truly without parallel in our history >> Why are Supreme Court nominations so contentious? Can the president do whatever they want? Are we more polarized now than ever? And how long are we going to keep saying we're living in unprecedented times before we admit it seems like the government isn't exactly working the way we were taught it was supposed to in social studies class.
Host Kusha Navadar's Background
0:39If you've ever found yourself asking these kinds of questions or fact-checking your uncle's opinions about them, you're not alone. Take it from me, a guy who's been inside the belly of the beast. Hi, I'm Kusha Navadar. After I got my master's in public policy, I was a political speechwriter. I wrote speeches for a lot of people, uh governor, a former senator, a member of President Obama's cabinet.
1:02Today, I host live radio shows where I talk to experts and the people about what's happening in our government. But before all that, I was a 16-year-old who got to take an oath and I became [music] a US citizen. They gave me a little flag. I think I still have it somewhere. The truth is, a lot has changed since I became a citizen all those years ago.
Why the Series Is Returning
1:23Even in the decade since the last Crash Course US Government and Politics [music] series, we've become more divided. It's harder to know what information we can trust. [music] And look, things might seem tough right now. But one thing I love about government is it's a reminder that you're not alone. And we can start by understanding it together.
1:43So, Crash Course is back to answer your big questions on US Government. We're not covering the basics of the three branches. We're not rehashing how a bill becomes a law. Instead, over 15 episodes, we're going to build on the foundation of the first series. We'll dig deep into stuff that's relevant right now and ask whether this system that was built 250 years ago is still serving us like it should.
What the 15-Episode Series Covers
2:15Together, we'll look at the wider forces that influence politics, peek inside the systems that are supposed to work for us, and hold our present moment up to history to help us understand what the heck is happening. By the end of the series, you'll go from feeling overwhelmed about our politics to actually understanding why it works the way it does, and what we might do about it going forward.
2:40So, let's you and I meet back here next week. And, you know what? We'll start with an easy one. Why are US politics so divisive? I'll see you then. This episode of Crash Course Big Questions on US Government [music] was produced in partnership with USAFacts, a nonpartisan civic tech project that [music] makes government data easier to understand.
Sponsor and Closing Credits
2:58For more resources that go along with these videos, [music] go to usafacts.org/crashcourse. Thanks for watching this episode of Crash Course [music] Big Questions on US Government, which was filmed in Indianapolis, Indiana, and was made with the help of all these nice people. If you want to help keep Crash Course [music] free for everyone forever, you can join our community on Patreon.
More Crash Course transcripts
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- Is the Electoral College Broken?: Crash Course US Government #5
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- Why Don’t More People Vote?: Crash Course US Government #4
- Where Does Campaign Money Really Come From?: Crash Course US Government #3
- How Often do Asteroids Hit the Earth?: Crash Course Geology #20
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