Crash Course Government and Politics

News and Public Affairs Series / 1 Season

Welcome to school without the classroom! Host Craig Benzine takes you through a tour of US government and politics.

Watch Latest: S1 E50

9m 30s

Sex Discrimination: Crash Course Government #30

S1 E30 / 8m 5s

Discrimination against women tends to be handled somewhat differently in the courts as they are not a minority. Even so, the courts need a method for challenging issues to help further important government interests - this is called intermediate scrutiny.

Equal Protection: Crash Course Government #29

S1 E29 / 8m 14s

We've spent the last few episodes talking about civil liberties, or our protections from the government, but civil rights are different as they involve how some groups of citizens are able to treat other groups (usually minorities) under existing laws.

Due Process of Law: Crash Course Government #28

S1 E28 / 8m 28s

This week Craig is going to continue our discussion of due process. Technically, we started last week with the 4th amendment and search and seizure, but this week we’re going to look at the 5th and 6th amendments and how they ensure a fair trial.

Search and Seizure: Crash Course Government #27

S1 E27 / 7m 36s

This week Craig talks about police searches and seizures. Now, the fourth amendment says that you have the right to be protected against "unreasonable searches and seizures" but what exactly does this mean? Well, it's complicated.

Freedom of the Press: Crash Course Government #26

S1 E26 / 7m 16s

Today, Craig is going to finish up our discussion of the First Amendment with freedom of the press. Like an individual's right to free speech, the press has a right, and arguably responsibility, to tell the public what the government is doing.

Freedom of Speech: Crash Course Government #25

S1 E25 / 6m 48s

Today, FINALLY, Craig is going to talk about Free Speech! Now, free speech is so important because it not only allows you to critique the government, but it also protects you from the government. But it's essential to remember that not ALL speech is protected equally under the First Amendment.

Freedom of Religion: Crash Course Government #24

S1 E24 / 6m 33s

Today, Craig is going to take a look at the First Amendment and your right to freedom of religion. We’ll examine some significant Supreme Court decisions and talk about how they’ve affected our interpretations of the law with respect to stuff like animal sacrifice and prayer in schools.

Civil Rights & Liberties: Crash Course Government #23

S1 E23 / 7m 41s

Today, Craig is going to give you an overview of civil rights and civil liberties. Often these terms are used interchangeably, but they are actually very different. Our civil liberties, contained in the Bill of Rights, once only protected us from the federal government, but slowly these liberties have been incorporated to protect us from the states.

Judicial Decisions: Crash Course Government #22

S1 E22 / 6m 59s

As you may have noticed, the Supreme Court recently handed down some pretty big decisions on same-sex marriage (in Obergefell v Hodges) and the Affordable Care Act (in King v. Burwell). Now, it's important to remember that these decisions are not made in a vacuum, but influenced by the other branches of government, political affiliations, and past court decisions.

Judicial Review: Crash Course Government #21

S1 E21 / 7m 59s

Today, Craig Benzine is going to tell you about the Supreme Court's most important case, Marbury v. Madison, and how the court granted itself the power of judicial review. Judicial review is the power to examine and invalidate actions of the legislative and executive branches.

Supreme Court Procedures: Crash Course Government #20

S1 E20 / 6m 52s

This week Craig Benzine talks about what happens when a case makes it to the Supreme Court of the United States (or the SCOTUS). We talk about how to petition to get your case heard, how written arguments, or briefs, are made, what actually happens on the courtroom floor, and of course the variety of ways the SCOTUS issues opinions on cases.

Court System Structure: Crash Course Government #19

S1 E19 / 6m 45s

This week is all about the structure of the U.S. court system and how exactly it manages to keep things moving smoothly. We’’ll talk about trial courts, district courts, appeals courts, circuit courts, state supreme courts, and of course the one at the top - the U.S. Supreme Court.

Legal System Basics: Crash Course Government #18

S1 E18 / 8m 12s

It's pretty easy to forget that the courts, and the laws that come out of them, affect our lives on a daily basis. But how exactly these decisions are made and where each law's jurisdiction starts and ends can get pretty complicated.

Controlling Bureaucracies: Crash Course Government #17

S1 E17 / 7m 21s

We finish our discussion of bureaucracy by looking at methods the other branches of government use to manage this power. From watch-dog organizations to reporting requirements there has been quite a bit of legislation passed aimed at taming the bureaucracy.

Types of Bureaucracies: Crash Course Government #16

S1 E16 / 5m 56s

This week Craig Benzine breaks down the different types of bureaucracies. Some bureaucracies exist solely to independently regulate industry whereas others are expected to operate like corporations and make a profit. And on top of all that, some of these agencies have sub-agencies! It can all get pretty complicated.

Bureaucracy Basics: Crash Course Government #15

S1 E15 / 6m 57s

Bureaucracies tend to be associated with unintelligible rules and time-wasting procedures, but they play an important, though controversial, role in governing. From the FDA to the EPA, these agencies were established to help the government manage and carry out laws much more efficiently - to bring the rule making and enforcement closer to the experts.

How Presidents Govern: Crash Course Government #14

S1 E14 / 9m 22s

Filling the role of the executive branch is a pretty big job - much too big for just one person. It's so big that the president employs an entire federal bureaucracy! Today, we’re just going to focus on those closest to the president, like the vice president, the Cabinet, and the Executive Office of the President.

Congressional Delegation: Crash Course Government #13

S1 E13 / 6m 11s

What are all these federal agencies about? Well, the president has a lot of stuff to do as the chief executive, and as much as Americans like to talk about personal responsibility, the president can't really do all this stuff alone. Because it's a huge job! Same deal with Congress. So, they delegate authority. This is where all the government agencies and stuff come from.

Presidential Powers 2: Crash Course Government #12

S1 E12 / 7m 48s

This week Craig continues our conversation on presidential powers by looking at those NOT found in the Constitution - implied or inherent powers. We’ll talk about how the president uses his or her power to negotiate executive agreements, recommend legislative initiatives, instate executive orders, impound funds, and claim executive privilege in order to get things done.

Presidential Power: Crash Course Government #11

S1 E11 / 6m 26s

This week Craig looks at the expressed powers of the President of the United States - that is the ones you can find in the Constitution. From appointing judges and granting pardons, to vetoing laws and acting as the nation’s chief diplomat on foreign policy, the Commander in Chief is a pretty powerful person, but actually not as powerful as you might think.

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