$2 Million Bathroom

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  • Опубліковано 3 сер 2017
  • John Stossel investigates a New York City park bathroom that cost $2 million to build.
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    For that price you might expect gold-plated fixtures-but it's just a tiny building with four toilets and two sinks.
    New York City Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver says $2 million was a good deal because "New York City is the most expensive place to build."
    He estimates that future bathrooms will cost more than $3 million.
    Commissioner Silver argues that this park, on the outskirts of Brooklyn, will get so much use that it must be built to last, and that can be expensive.
    Yet privately managed Bryant Park, in the middle of Manhattan, gets much more use and its recent bathroom renovation cost just $271,000.
    Since government spends other people's money, it doesn't need to worry about cost or speed. Every decision is bogged down by time-wasting "public engagement," inflated union wages, and productivity-killing work rules.
    Two million dollars for a bathroom. That's your government at work.

КОМЕНТАРІ • 3,6 тис.

  • @liadam2146
    @liadam2146 5 років тому +2859

    The biggest and the realist problem is that the dude doesn't think at all it's a problem to spend 2 million and 3.5 years to build a bathroom.

    • @faith_alone
      @faith_alone 5 років тому +155

      He knows deep down that it's ridiculous, he's just being evil

    • @asc4135
      @asc4135 5 років тому +17

      Just think how this video got so many dislikes.

    • @ristonalaimo5048
      @ristonalaimo5048 4 роки тому +45

      "Two things are infinite, the Universe and human stupidity, and I'm not so sure about the first" (Albert Einstein).

    • @VincentGonzalezVeg
      @VincentGonzalezVeg 4 роки тому +10

      now how much would competitive private contractors build it for if they bidded on it for the contract so they could rehab other bathrooms and make more low cost restrooms?

    • @xostler
      @xostler 4 роки тому +38

      When you’re spending someone else’s money, it’s probably a lot easoer

  • @-Galavanta-
    @-Galavanta- 6 років тому +3369

    And he's not even embarrassed about the cost, in fact he's proud... in the private sector this guy would be fired in a heartbeat.

    • @QoStoOds
      @QoStoOds 6 років тому +169

      Gilbert, I hope this is just bait and not your actual mindset ._.

    •  6 років тому +115

      Not cool Gilbert.

    • @Stormprobe
      @Stormprobe 5 років тому +61

      These people spend other people’s money like water. They don’t care, it’s not their money.

    • @davec.3198
      @davec.3198 5 років тому +57

      No accountability. If he doesn't spend all of his budget it gets cut for next year. No reward for cutting costs, means costs always go up.

    • @reinhardneumann2658
      @reinhardneumann2658 5 років тому +32

      And he says all this with a straight face? Is that guy high on something weird? Like you say, he seems quite pleased with himself in the face of overwhelming evidence that his insane public processes are incomprehensible to every passer-by. God help the poor old USA. And I'm a Canadian.

  • @haydenbrayton
    @haydenbrayton 3 роки тому +440

    “These are very durable materials”.... last time I checked brick wasn’t the price of gold. What a joke.

    • @-Me_
      @-Me_ 3 роки тому +18

      "Durable". If I can buy stainless steel, so can these scammers

    • @GunMeat
      @GunMeat 3 роки тому +5

      Maybe it is heavily armoured and stops missiles ?

    • @SSingh-nr8qz
      @SSingh-nr8qz 3 роки тому +9

      I have worked in construction for a long time. The costs are not materials or even labour. It's permits and consultants and approvals. You also have Unions that really create a bottleneck. A building like that should be around $300,000 to $400,000 (depending on materials and finishing). Go with full concrete poured building and it's much less. Not as attractive or comfortable in colder climates.

    • @Brandon_letsgo
      @Brandon_letsgo 2 роки тому

      @@SSingh-nr8qz Not labour? Union construction jobs pay a really good amount of money for little work.

    • @edwin2600
      @edwin2600 2 роки тому

      Try learning the grades of brick and their comparative prices. Then check what a skilled bricklayer costs. Construction isn't moving to prefabbed concrete slabs for no reason.

  • @837301
    @837301 4 роки тому +1089

    “Why does it cost 2 million to build a bathroom?”
    “Well it was going to cost 3 million, so we actually saved money. You’re welcome. Don’t forget to vote for my re-election. Oh wait, I’m not an elected official!”

    • @tombaur9208
      @tombaur9208 3 роки тому +19

      underrated fact

    • @theginger1187
      @theginger1187 3 роки тому

      So to fix this we would have to somehow reconfigure the system to let us vote for people in un-elected positions
      I kinda had the same idea with local police, idk how we would even make that possible though.

    • @benmoore3816
      @benmoore3816 3 роки тому +5

      @@theginger1187 County Sheriffs are elected officials. So it IS possible...

    • @theginger1187
      @theginger1187 3 роки тому

      @@benmoore3816 I really don't see any down side to it, I'm thinking for police departments. every couple years there's a vote for who gets to stay on the force and who gets dismissed. that could help the problem of some cops getting off easy to internal investigation.

    • @KWifler
      @KWifler 3 роки тому +5

      Who fires these people??

  • @Obamaistoast2012
    @Obamaistoast2012 5 років тому +1727

    Thank you Mr Stossel for exposing government waste.

    • @pantsthemancat6836
      @pantsthemancat6836 5 років тому +19

      He's a national treasure.

    • @ieatass4226
      @ieatass4226 4 роки тому +15

      Joseph Bernard people are surprised when I tell them Elizabeth warren’s net worth puts her in the one percent. They are so clueless

    • @morganhigginbotham5517
      @morganhigginbotham5517 4 роки тому

      literally

    • @genericfakename5724
      @genericfakename5724 3 роки тому +3

      The government is the waste

    • @david-yi6dm
      @david-yi6dm 3 роки тому +2

      it is not waste total value is 20000$...maybe and 1980000$ straight to their pocket.Better material lol what is it made of adamantium?

  • @MARedleg
    @MARedleg 6 років тому +4548

    And this folks is why we are 20 trillion dollars in the hole

    • @afaceinside1210
      @afaceinside1210 6 років тому +156

      Yup! Maybe we should create a new oversight department to look into why everything costs so much! JK LOL

    • @AtlasReburdened
      @AtlasReburdened 6 років тому +51

      Well, that's why we're 10T in the whole, the entire other half was Obama bin laden.

    • @AtlasReburdened
      @AtlasReburdened 6 років тому +7

      *hole

    • @Jkstolz
      @Jkstolz 6 років тому +26

      Totally off... OBAMA is why... he gave money away in the hundreds of millions before he left.. most frozen and most we won't ever see again. 500 Million at a time, average payment.
      All taxpayer money, all done in the last few months of office.

    • @biggreenblob
      @biggreenblob 6 років тому +12

      This has nothing to do with the national debt

  • @feelthesun
    @feelthesun 3 роки тому +297

    the parks commissioner is a king of jumping around questions and no admittance to fault

  • @danieldawson222
    @danieldawson222 3 роки тому +29

    As a licensed plumbing contractor
    For 37 yrs, this is absolutely ridiculous.There is no way in hell
    Corrugated tin box cost 2 million to build.Heads should roll!

  • @taz069
    @taz069 6 років тому +498

    Best of all... the bathroom looks like shit...

    • @afaceinside1210
      @afaceinside1210 6 років тому +11

      Definitely fire their creative department! haha You can tell that wasn't built by hipster's! Hahahaha :D

    • @jshepard152
      @jshepard152 6 років тому +17

      taz069 The city believes very strongly that a facility designed to handle shit should also look...

    • @IronCavalier
      @IronCavalier 6 років тому +1

      Government; it is suppose to.

    • @dreadog6425
      @dreadog6425 6 років тому

      Well said .

    •  6 років тому +2

      It isn't even an attractive building!

  • @Noahuhhh
    @Noahuhhh 5 років тому +1258

    That parks official seems to actually believe they’re doing a good job

    • @FuddlyDud
      @FuddlyDud 4 роки тому +21

      @Summs
      It’s very good when he gets taxpayer money to do as he pleases

    • @justaman2024
      @justaman2024 4 роки тому +6

      They all do

    • @Contra1828
      @Contra1828 4 роки тому +15

      Either that or he's really talented at making up really nice arguments for bullshit positions. Some people have that skill, myself included. It's not very useful, though, unless you're willing to be evil.

    • @Manvaril
      @Manvaril 4 роки тому

      reminds me of someone at the highest of the government right now doing the same thing

    • @kenik2023
      @kenik2023 4 роки тому +11

      No
      He's trying to convince YOU...
      He doing a good job. This crap won't fly in the private sector.

  • @user-ep8cl3zt7n
    @user-ep8cl3zt7n 4 роки тому +137

    I mean, I’ve heard of money down the toilet, but this takes the urinal cake.

  • @camerongray7767
    @camerongray7767 3 роки тому +162

    Local tradie and his mates could build this for 30k in 2 weeks here in australia

    • @johnponti4003
      @johnponti4003 3 роки тому +6

      Here to my friend the public sector is a con. At least here

    • @david-yi6dm
      @david-yi6dm 3 роки тому +14

      We slavs here would make a 2 story house,buy a car,a motorcycle and an smartphone with that money 😂.Don't get me wrong,no cheap materials for the house,solid like tank!

    • @hydragons
      @hydragons 3 роки тому +2

      Oh yeah mate. In the projects the gov is involved with less than 5% of the work. They end up paying 20-30% of the project.

    • @EvanIsAwesome777
      @EvanIsAwesome777 3 роки тому

      Yeah, you're gonna run all that underground piping for 30k?

    • @samuelmmmk181
      @samuelmmmk181 3 роки тому

      We had these almost the exact same bathrooms outside my high school.

  • @jakebarnier5188
    @jakebarnier5188 4 роки тому +940

    2:50 you heard the man. 100,000 uses in it's lifetime.
    2mil divided by 100k is..... $20/poo

    • @ExtraFrySauce
      @ExtraFrySauce 4 роки тому +21

      Its so stupid

    • @off_mah_lawn2074
      @off_mah_lawn2074 4 роки тому +31

      When you put it like that....

    • @robertnewman4854
      @robertnewman4854 4 роки тому +52

      Holy shit... pun intended.

    • @beringstraitrailway
      @beringstraitrailway 4 роки тому +8

      Good math! But the bathroom should actually get millions of uses in it's lifetime! It should have cost less, but the cost per use will be less than one dollar.

    • @ExtraFrySauce
      @ExtraFrySauce 4 роки тому +20

      @@beringstraitrailway huh ok still seems too pricey still

  • @MaxPower-oq2df
    @MaxPower-oq2df 6 років тому +532

    And the land was free ....

    • @afaceinside1210
      @afaceinside1210 6 років тому +5

      When? 1776? LMAO

    • @readhistory2023
      @readhistory2023 6 років тому +15

      The Europeans bought the island from a tribe that didn't live there and had no connection to the island. The tribe that had lived there died out from plague and the island was considered cursed by the other tribes living in the area. So short version, the Indians were the first ones to run the Brooklyn Bridge scam.

    • @jshepard152
      @jshepard152 6 років тому +24

      aFaceInside When the bathroom was built, that's when.

    • @pendragonshall
      @pendragonshall 6 років тому

      Lol yea.

  • @jamesford2942
    @jamesford2942 4 роки тому +130

    There needs to be cost transparency so everyone can see where their hard earned cash is being wasted, siphoned off, stolen, etc.

    • @theginger1187
      @theginger1187 3 роки тому +1

      Nope we just have to toss the gov our hard earned money and hope and pray it doesn't end up in a man-child's hands

    • @jonatanwestholm
      @jonatanwestholm 3 роки тому +8

      Situation: there are 14 steps to the building process.
      "14 steps!? We need cost transparency!"
      Situation: there are 15 steps to the building process.

    • @kapjoteh
      @kapjoteh 3 роки тому +1

      Jonatan Westholm reminds me of an xkcd

    • @theginger1187
      @theginger1187 3 роки тому

      @@greg6782 x

    • @Diamondragan
      @Diamondragan 3 роки тому +3

      The cost transparency program is another layer of bureaucracy that will increase the cost of the project...
      Be careful what you wish for. 😉

  • @clashmasterx3253
    @clashmasterx3253 4 роки тому +25

    I love how he’s proud of taking 3 years to build a bathroom

  • @garyf6971
    @garyf6971 6 років тому +101

    What's really crazy is how pleased the bureaucrat seems with this process.

  • @agentp6621
    @agentp6621 6 років тому +2017

    I'm in the national guard and every army facility I've been to barracks and armory and hangar latrines are handicapped equipped... We are supposed to be able-bodied personnel. We're the only people who use them. If they aren't able-bodied then they aren't fit for duty.

    • @mkauf84
      @mkauf84 6 років тому +383

      They're probably concerned that Franklin D. Roosevelt might come for a visit.

    • @scottgolden2766
      @scottgolden2766 6 років тому +34

      That's insane

    • @josephsuazo5210
      @josephsuazo5210 6 років тому +14

      So fucking what? Your a national guard, a coward one!! Why? You cant even defend your nation from people like these. So fuck yourself!

    • @josephsuazo5210
      @josephsuazo5210 6 років тому +3

      Thomas Schmidt But hurt!!? Call the authorities!! Lol! Another coward that can defend his turf!!

    • @user-do5zk6jh1k
      @user-do5zk6jh1k 6 років тому +170

      joseph suazo What do you do for a living?

  • @BobbyMack
    @BobbyMack 4 роки тому +62

    I LOVE how dumbfounded the people are when they find out how much it costs. Stossel is the best.

  • @Drj-69
    @Drj-69 9 місяців тому +1

    The fact that this guy has the balls to defend this outrageous process and cost is what is at the heart of the problem.

  • @buffaloaf8205
    @buffaloaf8205 5 років тому +912

    The empire State building was built in 1930 and took 1.1 years in the great depression when it took them to build a 6 year old's Minecraft house in 7 years

    • @SquidCena
      @SquidCena 5 років тому +44

      And they didn't have safety equipment... or anything else that advanced to todays equipment..

    • @trinitron384
      @trinitron384 5 років тому +11

      I guess because it’s the fact that so many people were building it at the time, and people were so desperate to get a job in the 1930’s that everyone just flocked to it. When 1 person is building it, it takes much longer since it’s a solo project, Even if it’s in Minecraft.

    • @Riiludragon
      @Riiludragon 5 років тому +15

      @@SquidCena Yes they still did it in 1.1 years even without modern equipment

    • @buffaloaf8205
      @buffaloaf8205 5 років тому +9

      @@trinitron384 Yes but think about it today. We have so much technology it is much faster. We've built high schools in my town faster than that. The NYC govt has spent more than enough money to get that restroom built. People in Minecraft have built skyscrapers in less than a year as well.

    • @WokerThanThou
      @WokerThanThou 5 років тому +4

      Also... All of the calculations were done with rulers using pencil and paper. [Updated] Forgot to say that it was the same for the Golden Gate Bridge (and done in 4 years; not 7).

  • @Kunta1926
    @Kunta1926 6 років тому +426

    I bet that politicians brother in law owns the construction company used to build the bathroom.

    • @onetwothree4148
      @onetwothree4148 5 років тому +21

      And has to have a female part owner on paper to even submit a bid.

    • @marilyntonelli8832
      @marilyntonelli8832 5 років тому +9

      Yup cronyism & nepotism. MA wrote the book on this. Big Dig~$2.5 billion turned into $24 billion 10 X BUDGET. Workers at bars, in yards at home. WAKE UP SOCIALISTS.

    • @DavidLLambertmobile
      @DavidLLambertmobile 5 років тому +1

      Dont forget the Mob & OC. Fun fact; J Edgar Hoover refused to accept there was any mafia or organized crime in 🇺🇸. The FBI uses the office term LCN or La Cosa Nostra, 🇮🇹 for "Our Thing". 😎

  • @JONTHEWHEREHOG
    @JONTHEWHEREHOG 3 роки тому +40

    We all know part of that money is going in that guys pocket. Thats why he makes all of those excuses

    • @thegelik4967
      @thegelik4967 2 роки тому +3

      Paying 100 an hour, he owns the firm supplying the workers, he gets 80% of the wagd, boom, money laundering

  • @makeromaniagreatagain9697
    @makeromaniagreatagain9697 4 роки тому +15

    1:48
    Houses *with* bathrooms. Things are necessary more expensive when government builds them. The Labour and material costs usually stay the same. It's just that often politicians take some of their "fair share" from tax payer money for their "hard work" regarding planning. Although this bethroom cost 2 Million dollars on paper, the materials and labour cost about 100k while the rest went into the pockets of politicians.

  • @andreustriant5888
    @andreustriant5888 5 років тому +198

    “Durable material” aka concrete from Home Depot

    • @banquetmeal663
      @banquetmeal663 5 років тому +2

      Lol its mainly tile you only use concrete for the foundation and they definitely aint buying 2 bags of mix and Home Depot

    • @jotrutch
      @jotrutch 5 років тому +1

      It was mostly sand

  • @Michael-dn9uz
    @Michael-dn9uz 5 років тому +739

    As a contractor my only question is Where do I sign up for this kind of project?

    • @CantEscapeFlorida
      @CantEscapeFlorida 5 років тому +4

      You arent getting the bulk of the money so.

    • @Michael-dn9uz
      @Michael-dn9uz 5 років тому +29

      @@CantEscapeFloridano but once you finish building the restroom in 2 yrs. you're moving up the tax bracket

    • @theseeker4313
      @theseeker4313 5 років тому +24

      You'll get paid the same lol ahahaha its the government officials who will get paid more

    • @chrisstolfa6819
      @chrisstolfa6819 5 років тому

      Michael R. DDC

    • @barbaraballard9738
      @barbaraballard9738 5 років тому +14

      You will need to marry a politician in order to be granted the project.

  • @voodoo7008
    @voodoo7008 3 роки тому +5

    John, thank you for unbiased reporting. You’re not afraid to call out anyone, or anything.

  • @Trunalimunumaprzure
    @Trunalimunumaprzure 4 роки тому +32

    1:43 yea it was a good deal when he takes commission from it. Has to be paid for being the useless middleman...

  • @0012erick
    @0012erick 5 років тому +391

    Its hilarious just how well the government guy held his ground. I mean really, that is Oscar worthy. Give this guy two Oscars and an Emmy award!

    • @macekane
      @macekane 5 років тому +24

      I thought I was the only one who was impressed by how the parks commissioner handled the interview. Even if I disagree with that man, the skills shown here should be sought to replicate.

    • @rexerator
      @rexerator 5 років тому +14

      Mason Kane He stayed cool and level headed the whole time. Props for that

    • @user-cu1uj6bl3r
      @user-cu1uj6bl3r 5 років тому +18

      He really did do a good job of downplaying it, at times i forgot I was listening to an argument.

    • @jotrutch
      @jotrutch 5 років тому +1

      He was part American

    • @VenezuelaNow
      @VenezuelaNow 5 років тому +4

      He was reveling in it, laughing inside

  • @DataJuggler
    @DataJuggler 6 років тому +370

    $271,000 is roughly 1/7 of $2,000,000, not 1/5.
    "We believe very strongly in labor" - translation - I get a big kickback aka political donation.

    • @MonkeyBurrito
      @MonkeyBurrito 5 років тому

      it was probably built a while ago

    • @muxpux
      @muxpux 10 місяців тому

      Yep. You’d be silly to think that getting work for these contractors isn’t rewarded somehow off the books… or on. It’s a racket.

  • @navjotsinghvirk7449
    @navjotsinghvirk7449 4 роки тому +38

    Man: Where did money go ?
    Politician and their goons: I dont know. May be my bank account. Just kidding or am I

  • @ccvee7287
    @ccvee7287 4 роки тому +46

    Giving extreme contracts to the highest bidder and getting kickbacks.

    • @mattkennedy6115
      @mattkennedy6115 2 роки тому

      Normally it’s the lowest bidder and the company just keeps asking for more time and more money and essentially holds the project hostage and the government always pays. Workers are paid hourly so they’re not in any rush to get the job done. Stossel was right to speak up about cost overruns but I think he also takes cheap shots at labor. These guys don’t work in an office where they can hide or hunch their head down over a keyboard and pretend to be busy. They’re out in the open and every sip of coffee and ass scratch is scrutinized which I feel is skewed reporting and disingenuous at best. If the company was incentivized to finish early then maybe we wouldn’t have this problem but the gentleman interviewed is just a public servant who doesn’t care because the bar set is so low and it’s not coming directly out of his pocket

  • @martinedwin8293
    @martinedwin8293 6 років тому +66

    Sadly I don't think John Stossel will ever run out of examples of the government wasting money

  • @jmlitwiller
    @jmlitwiller 5 років тому +254

    Stossel you are an American hero! Please do more videos exposing government waste.

  • @kaukolaurinolli
    @kaukolaurinolli 4 роки тому +13

    75% went to mayor's pocket.

  • @farmbear1231
    @farmbear1231 3 роки тому +12

    Let's cut the crap, everyone's corrupt and takes money to allow projects

  • @garywebb8086
    @garywebb8086 6 років тому +106

    And how many times do we hear that they can't cut their budgets? This is another outrage.

  • @redpilllense7125
    @redpilllense7125 5 років тому +575

    I smell CORRUPTION!!!! Someone is getting MAJOR kickbacks from these contracts.

    • @miepmaster25
      @miepmaster25 5 років тому +5

      Red Pill Rage i bet you’re 14

    • @johnnhoj15
      @johnnhoj15 5 років тому +11

      Guarantee blackey got at least a quarter mill for this project in his own pocket.

    • @ohillYT
      @ohillYT 5 років тому

      AverageDude #937 lol check their channel

    • @MagicCookieGaming
      @MagicCookieGaming 5 років тому

      @@averagedude9378 dude... have you never been around kids on the internet? As someone who was a kid on the internet you'd be surprised what kids say to make themselves look or feel good - they pick up on a lot.
      Not saying he did, but you seem pretty nieve on that subject, no offense.

    • @axelibrotherus3526
      @axelibrotherus3526 5 років тому

      Exactly

  • @david-yi6dm
    @david-yi6dm 3 роки тому +8

    "we care about design" 😂😂😂 the doors still open inwards and you have to climb on the toilet to get out

  • @trudifruty6078
    @trudifruty6078 4 роки тому +17

    Follow the money, I want to see the books on the money.

  • @tabletopcommander463
    @tabletopcommander463 6 років тому +86

    That dude owns the construction company

    • @icedcoldkilla
      @icedcoldkilla 5 років тому +6

      Probably not him directly... too easily traceable.

    • @RinkoDinko
      @RinkoDinko 5 років тому

      Porkbarrel

  • @eugeneshealthproject
    @eugeneshealthproject 5 років тому +410

    Sounds more like a lot of pockets are being stuffed

    • @CantEscapeFlorida
      @CantEscapeFlorida 5 років тому +2

      So run for office and stop whining.

    • @eugeneshealthproject
      @eugeneshealthproject 5 років тому +11

      @@CantEscapeFlorida I would but I would be a Trumper and to be a Trumper is to have your life destroyed by the left and some on the right. Called the Deep state which needs draining

    • @tacotuesdsy_8094
      @tacotuesdsy_8094 5 років тому +6

      @@CantEscapeFlorida many people do not have the skills to successfully run for office, or especially now have a past that would cause too much controversy to be successful.

    • @weberito
      @weberito 5 років тому +13

      Alyssa Stevens Do you run for the kitchen when you’re poorly served in restaurant genius?

    • @bobjoe5520
      @bobjoe5520 5 років тому +2

      Łukasz L she’s a woman. Her natural instinct causes her to go to the kitchen.

  • @richardchambers3533
    @richardchambers3533 3 роки тому +9

    There is no limit to government avarice. Like one of the other commenters mentioned, why is our debt 20 trillion +?

  • @SovereignStatesman
    @SovereignStatesman 11 місяців тому +2

    It's embezzlement, pure and simple.
    Whenever there's a government contract, it goes STRAIGHT to their friends, they overpay by ten times, and they pocket the difference.
    And NOBODY calls them on it.
    A restroom like that couldn't cost more than $75K, TOPS.

  • @DavidPimentel
    @DavidPimentel 6 років тому +98

    "That's government at work" is a perfect example of an oxymoron!

  • @Rodzilla5332
    @Rodzilla5332 6 років тому +120

    And it looks like a Soviet Cold War checkpoint bunker.
    Stossel I've watched you for years and really loved watching you go more and more libertarian over the years. You better watch out though because now that UA-cam has handed over censorship to the ADL you just might get kicked off UA-cam for all that "free speech" talk. I've subscribed and smashed the bell button and shared the video!

    • @andremartinez418
      @andremartinez418 5 років тому

      What a dumb comment. There's no hate speech, he isn't advocating violence or spreading conspiracy theories. He's about as likely to be kicked from UA-cam as Jacksepticeye.

    • @screamtoasigh9984
      @screamtoasigh9984 5 років тому +1

      It's the SPLC.

    • @andremartinez418
      @andremartinez418 5 років тому

      @@screamtoasigh9984 Aww why'd you delete your second comment? Did you realize I told the truth?

    • @screamtoasigh9984
      @screamtoasigh9984 5 років тому

      @@andremartinez418 www.investors.com/politics/editorials/social-media-trump-conservative-bias/

    • @screamtoasigh9984
      @screamtoasigh9984 5 років тому +1

      @@andremartinez418 don't know what you're referring to, I got a text, I was still typing, and I went back and edited more info in after, I didn't delete anything, just added . If you can't see it, that's on your end (that investors link was supposed to be in original comment... ) . And your feelings don't replace facts.

  • @benbrice9343
    @benbrice9343 3 роки тому +2

    I have watched a few of Mr. Stossel's videos today and I just can't bring myself to watch anymore at the moment. It sickens me how corrupt a lot of our politicians are. Im mad, Im sick to my stomach, and Im plain ole perplexed.
    I mean the politicians are Americans the same way we citizens are Americans. I could never turn my back on my friends and nieghbors you know ?
    Are they really that morally bankrupt that they don't feel any guilt for ripping off the country each day ?
    I wish I was smarter so that I could get into politics. We need politicians we can trust and count on to do the right thing !
    This is saddening to watch.

  • @ianjharris
    @ianjharris 3 роки тому +1

    Love this guys videos and his approach. He gets to the point without being condescending.

  • @reynaldooreindain3738
    @reynaldooreindain3738 5 років тому +90

    1925 American gov: future will be bright for us.
    2019 American gov:

    • @miapdx503
      @miapdx503 5 років тому +1

      The wall is to keep you in...shhh.

  • @wetlazer2443
    @wetlazer2443 6 років тому +97

    The Bryant Park building is beautiful.

  • @mark55883
    @mark55883 3 роки тому +5

    "I hear that but the sound of money going into my bank account sounds better" there I fixed it

  • @toviyaondo
    @toviyaondo 3 роки тому +1

    I remember when I was a little kid there was some huge construction near a local baseball field of mine. Apparently they wanted to cut down the trees and make a little grassy area and a sidewalk to extend the park and have a place where people can lay down and have picnics. Not a particularly large amount of space either, maybe half a block at most. It took them 12 years to do it.

  • @gyalsnextman4725
    @gyalsnextman4725 5 років тому +38

    That old guy
    “FOR THIS” straight savage

  • @gbenay
    @gbenay 6 років тому +114

    Talk about government waste. I see unionized road workers standing around all the time doing nothing. Sometimes it takes a year just to repair a bridge. It takes the government longer to do anything because it's not their money.

    • @2013branth
      @2013branth 6 років тому +3

      The government in all it's infinite wisdom, decided that there'd be two main arterial roads to get to my suburb. Four more suburbs use those roads. Guess what? The roads are one lane roads. And instead of expanding the roads, they government added more suburb into the burrow, causing us to have peak hour like traffic on a Sunday at 2pm.
      Now they are expanding those roads to have another lane. In the time it took them to clear the land and lay down the road, a private company built a large luxury apartment complex with two towers containing 20 floors and now people have moved in. The roads still aren't completed yet. And the construction of the apartments began well after the land was cleared to make expansions to the road.

    • @stephenmiller9009
      @stephenmiller9009 6 років тому

      If it were my job I wouldn't be complaining so maybe I get that job one day it will be awesome

    • @JohnnyYK
      @JohnnyYK 5 років тому +3

      They started road work on I 77 my 8th grade year I’m a sophomore in college and it’s still not done government is so ineficiente

    • @Minebilding
      @Minebilding 5 років тому +1

      I-love-youtube-videos boi the stupid thing is that they have people to hold up "slow" signs... MONEYWASTE

    • @j.m.5995
      @j.m.5995 5 років тому +1

      Did anyone notice the equipment operator inside the Backhoe loader messing around on his phone. Probably does this all day

  • @imshaunnurse
    @imshaunnurse 3 роки тому +1

    That's why I rock with John. He be telling the truth

  • @jean-claudelol563
    @jean-claudelol563 3 роки тому +4

    The sad thing is these ridiculously over priced government projects have been exposed over, and over, and over and it continuous. I became aware of these absurdly overpriced government projects when I was in grade school, I am 52 and it's still going on, more so than ever before.

  • @ItsGroundhogDay
    @ItsGroundhogDay 6 років тому +479

    All that money, and only two genders can use it?

    • @emnuc30
      @emnuc30 6 років тому +29

      I'm stealing your quote

    • @whatswilldoing7293
      @whatswilldoing7293 6 років тому +37

      I'm thinking about becoming racially fluid. Hey...if science and DNA doesn't dictate what gender I am why should it dictate which race I am?

    • @pamelawestenbarger2945
      @pamelawestenbarger2945 6 років тому +26

      I identify with the gender with the shortest bathroom line.......

    • @TheRoidemortetfleur
      @TheRoidemortetfleur 6 років тому +1

      will need to be torn down because it doesn't meet the 3rd or 4th gender ....

    • @reelfishingnw2372
      @reelfishingnw2372 6 років тому +24

      Any gender on earth can use it. There's a side for men and a side for women.

  • @TimothyChapman
    @TimothyChapman 6 років тому +253

    $2,000,000 for a public bathroom? That's absurd! Down with the unions!

    • @afaceinside1210
      @afaceinside1210 6 років тому +5

      Where's the free & fair trade? Where's the free market economics? I thought this is capitalism?

    • @themike97_58
      @themike97_58 6 років тому +32

      This is New York.... which means that capitalism is mostly non-existant and socialism is the preferred government structure.

    • @peopleschampgarage7869
      @peopleschampgarage7869 6 років тому +4

      Timothy Chapman you're crazy if you blame this on prevailing wage

    • @TimothyChapman
      @TimothyChapman 6 років тому +8

      s K, you're crazy if you *don't* put at least some of the blame on prevailing wage. Private companies can build the same thing for a lot less and in a much shorter time span!

    • @peopleschampgarage7869
      @peopleschampgarage7869 6 років тому +9

      Timothy Chapman private companies DID build this. The government uses fbo.gov to contract. I use fbo almost everyday to bid and receive gov't work. Inflated prices come from the government requirements of onsite safety manager, onsite pm, onsite superintendent requirements. And no, you can't use the same person. Plus the amount of Bs paperwork that they require has to be built into the estimate. Plus we go after no bid set aside contracts. Who no bids construction in the private sector? Lol. My guys are over scale union workers but it's not the reason why the price is overly inflated to the govt. Plus if there wasn't more money involved, wouldn't bother with the govt work.

  • @glennwatson3313
    @glennwatson3313 4 роки тому

    This guy is actually proud of himself. Unbelievable!

  • @BryanMiller
    @BryanMiller 4 роки тому

    John Stossel, one of the best true journalists of modern times.

  • @johnhiebert8766
    @johnhiebert8766 4 роки тому +242

    The company I work for in Texas charges alot and we could still easily build it in 3 months and for less than a quarter of the price

    • @KuddlyKittyKat
      @KuddlyKittyKat 4 роки тому +5

      It takes you three months to pour a concrete box and attach prefab utilities?

    • @edwardbrown3721
      @edwardbrown3721 4 роки тому +27

      @@KuddlyKittyKat You have to do government paperwork to dig for pipes

    • @Tyler_Owen23
      @Tyler_Owen23 3 роки тому +5

      Here in Arkansas that wouldn’t cost but 40k at the MOST and that would still be outrageous. This is theft

    • @TheIronWristFighters
      @TheIronWristFighters 3 роки тому +1

      Suckers. You coulda lined your pockets for 7 years. Work smarter not harder

    • @daweller
      @daweller 3 роки тому +1

      Union douches. That bathroom is 60k job. Fight me

  • @andyknolls8735
    @andyknolls8735 6 років тому +42

    Thats a bureaucrat trying to justify his inflated budget. Wht should bureaucrats worry about cost, its not their money.

    • @billybong7394
      @billybong7394 5 років тому +3

      "Nobody spends somebody else's money as wisely as he spends his own" - Milton Friedman

  • @AWAG_FK
    @AWAG_FK 4 роки тому +1

    I saw this first hand when my company was hired to install solar installations on two schools in San Jose, CA. The project manager for the city told me to my face that they must use all of the funds allocated for the project or their budget would be decreased the following year. The incredible amount of waste and ridiculous bureaucracy on that project was enough that I refused to partake in any public works projects ever again. $125k for a 2 speaker AV system in the rec room for K-6th graders? Meanwhile the PM took home the $35k sound system they already installed. Disgusting, and yes I reported him.... Probably to his equally corrupt superiors.

  • @Cyclops0000
    @Cyclops0000 3 роки тому +1

    I'm a buyer in a UK tech company but have worked in the National Health Service as well. The issue is that governments are run by accountants that can't see the big picture; government salary for the front line staff that actually negotiate contracts or buy the materials is below average so they get below average staff most of the time. On top of this anyone in management of any level is basically unfireable so they do the bare minimum of work to achieve easy targets. The accountants (who are also 2nd rate) can't see past a few years of numbers because if they increase wages for new hires that are genuinely talented it might only pay off in the next election cycle when someone else could be in power and take the credit.

  • @cdreckling
    @cdreckling 6 років тому +12

    Great reporting Mr. Stossel. My favorite shot is the Union employees sitting around in the trucks... absolutely no urgency.

  • @Mark3O9
    @Mark3O9 6 років тому +325

    The renovation for a third "gender neutral" bathroom will cost atleast another $2 million

    • @durkadurka9711
      @durkadurka9711 6 років тому +20

      maldak309 I'm still offended, as an undead otherkin that they did not make a safe space stall for me and my kind. I'm taking this up to cnn.

    • @flux_time
      @flux_time 5 років тому +1

      At least. Like literally, thats the very least it might cost.

    • @sheepleslayer586
      @sheepleslayer586 5 років тому +1

      No, each pooper will be $2M, total cost will he closer to $10M.

    • @gijsvanhoutven6854
      @gijsvanhoutven6854 5 років тому

      Isn't there a disabled stall yet?

    • @argonhammer9352
      @argonhammer9352 5 років тому

      @@durkadurka9711 oh fuck off m8

  • @wrathofpaulii
    @wrathofpaulii 4 роки тому +2

    This is why we have $23 Trillion in debt, $1 Trillion deficit, and it's why Single Payer and "Free" college will not make healthcare and tuition costs go down. change my mind.

  • @frankem4837
    @frankem4837 3 роки тому +4

    People: 2million?
    Gov: yeah well you know.. *put some in pocket*

  • @daniebudipratomo8145
    @daniebudipratomo8145 5 років тому +41

    4:21 One little building $2 million dollars ,That's government work

  • @notkevin7
    @notkevin7 5 років тому +297

    $100 an hour and all I have to do is complain ?

    • @yesnone8813
      @yesnone8813 5 років тому +9

      This is the wage for the electrician or plumber, not the normal labour

    • @fabianc2781
      @fabianc2781 5 років тому +10

      Unions are a cancer. 100 dlls seems a little bit overkill.

    • @yesnone8813
      @yesnone8813 5 років тому +6

      @@fabianc2781 unions are part of the free market

    • @evan51298
      @evan51298 5 років тому +12

      Yeah it takes 7 years for the plumber and electrician to get one public bathroom to work right...

    • @banquetmeal663
      @banquetmeal663 5 років тому +11

      Lol they were showing video of the guys waiting for concrete like that isn't a part of the job. In between trucks their aint much to do.

  • @irangles9128
    @irangles9128 2 роки тому +1

    This is exactly what happened on Mexico, they love to make “improvements “ to the big city that take years and every politician get their cut. Please don’t let this beautiful country in the wrong hands.
    I am so thankful to this country as soon I became a citizen I vote carefully when I hear for “new tax that improved the city” corruption in disguise.

  • @gfyyoutube7702
    @gfyyoutube7702 4 роки тому +2

    I love how the guy just keeps talking and dismissing the fact that they suck, and misuse taxpayer money. He just talks right through the obvious lack of respect for taxpayers. Eat your heart out NY!!

  • @vidzzzz
    @vidzzzz 5 років тому +57

    Some part of the 2 million went back to some body's pocket in the government office...why not question contractors?

  • @paigelawrence5034
    @paigelawrence5034 6 років тому +16

    The bathroom was built by the government. The money went literally down the toilet!😂

  • @charlesferdinand422
    @charlesferdinand422 4 роки тому +1

    Politicians and bureaucrats don't care about wasting money that isn't theirs.

  • @dananderson3877
    @dananderson3877 4 роки тому +2

    Thanks for depressing me further, John, on an already depressing day! Seriously though, thank you for asking the questions that need to be asked! This is insane! I need to add relieving myself at this two million dollar restroom on my bucket list!!!

  • @richardhoepfner1633
    @richardhoepfner1633 6 років тому +28

    No wonder so many people want government jobs. Cash cow

  • @markocynamon5921
    @markocynamon5921 5 років тому +42

    It’s NYC..... get it???
    Three years to build a shitter....
    Businesses as usual

  • @dereks7061
    @dereks7061 3 роки тому

    YES! Pumped I found this channel. What a great interviewer!

  • @floridaman727
    @floridaman727 3 роки тому

    Thank you John for keeping it real

  • @Ghostofenzo
    @Ghostofenzo 5 років тому +8

    “You don’t actually think they spend $20,000 on a hammer, $30,000 on a toilet seat do ya?”

  • @ButlerFamily12
    @ButlerFamily12 5 років тому +10

    I’m a construction Project Engineer and if I had a restroom project that size and it cost $2million I would get fired!

    • @mbr5742
      @mbr5742 2 роки тому

      As long as the customer pays - you won't get fired

  • @riyadhf1rdausehh
    @riyadhf1rdausehh 4 роки тому +1

    if you procured this toilet from a private contractor in my country, it'd only cost about $3700 at max, more than that you're duped.

  • @olianims
    @olianims 4 роки тому +4

    I'm starting to question taxes altogether

  • @chasebh89
    @chasebh89 5 років тому +137

    The scariest 9 words are "we're from the government and we're here to help"
    ~Thanos

    • @michaelangelo6378
      @michaelangelo6378 4 роки тому +9

      Give president Reagan credit for.your quote.

    • @chasebh89
      @chasebh89 4 роки тому +2

      @@michaelangelo6378 fixed it for you

    • @chasebh89
      @chasebh89 3 роки тому +1

      @@goose4362 fixed it for you

    • @sgd8376
      @sgd8376 3 роки тому +3

      That's Reagans quote

    • @chasebh89
      @chasebh89 3 роки тому +1

      @@sgd8376 fixed it for you

  • @jackpullen3820
    @jackpullen3820 6 років тому +13

    Dad wasn't joking when he said," people will be either be working for the Government or on welfare."

  • @KipdoesStuff
    @KipdoesStuff 4 роки тому

    Our local government replaced the sidewalks in the downtown area.(4 blocks x 4 blocks) It was projected at $500,000 in 1992. Cost overruns in the millions and it was started over at least twice, still not done.

  • @eatnntuunasnwch
    @eatnntuunasnwch 3 роки тому +2

    Government bureaucracy at its finest

  • @brolutiongaming3983
    @brolutiongaming3983 5 років тому +139

    That german dude....
    “WHEN I WAS A SS LE-“
    “Sir let me stop you right there.”

    • @AZ-74
      @AZ-74 5 років тому +6

      alvi syahri oy vey

    • @ivanbro1208
      @ivanbro1208 5 років тому

      When??

    • @H4PPYx337
      @H4PPYx337 5 років тому +5

      @Noah William Bingo! It only took me 2 minutes to find someone in the comments blaming the jews

    • @H4PPYx337
      @H4PPYx337 5 років тому +1

      @@cuteface88 actually I did look into the Jewish question (since you're so afraid to say it and have to abbreviate it) and at one point I wholeheartedly believed it. Then I realized however that if the Jews did control the whole world stage that Israel would be bigger, Hitler couldn't have risen to power with his large anti Jewish sentiment, they wouldn't risk exposing themselves so that a few nutcases on the internet could notice their master plan and that if they do control us what have they actually done with that power?

    • @H4PPYx337
      @H4PPYx337 5 років тому

      @@cuteface88 yeah don't actually debate my points/ prove me wrong or anything that would mean that your demented world view actually makes sense.

  • @sambrx1169
    @sambrx1169 5 років тому +68

    *thats how government works*

    • @simplegabriel6292
      @simplegabriel6292 5 років тому +6

      LvL 1 270.000$ Bathroom
      LvL 100 2.000.000$ Bathroom
      "That's how government works." - sambrx

    • @abcdef-ms9mb
      @abcdef-ms9mb 4 роки тому

      To be completely fair, in more and more places you could replace "government" with "mafia" and not much would change.

  • @meganlockhart4148
    @meganlockhart4148 4 роки тому +1

    John Stossel is a professional. He can talk to people like that parks commissioner and not laugh. I would be laughing so hard my abs would be in spasms.

  • @notpoliticallycorrect4774
    @notpoliticallycorrect4774 2 роки тому

    Our new local hospital was to cost $500 million, 20 years ago. By the time it was done, 15 years later, it ended up costing $1.5 billion.

  • @MarkRVillano
    @MarkRVillano 6 років тому +61

    If you want to know why this country is so messed up, look no further than the fact that a video like this gets less than ten thousand views, while a video of a cat playing with a ferret is watched a million times.

    • @asmallphd9648
      @asmallphd9648 5 років тому +2

      Ay man ferrets are cute

    • @ericmoreno7471
      @ericmoreno7471 5 років тому

      Its because most people are sheep.

    • @FireManiac58
      @FireManiac58 5 років тому +2

      Holy shit it's because people are on this site for entertainment not just to look into politics.

    • @FalconPunch1978
      @FalconPunch1978 5 років тому +2

      Can I get a link to the cat/ferret video please?

  • @Justin_Joy
    @Justin_Joy 5 років тому +248

    I'm glad my taxes are put in to good use

    • @johnmadden8939
      @johnmadden8939 5 років тому +7

      You’re probably a little ass kid you don’t got taxes just stfu

    • @illumi3604
      @illumi3604 5 років тому +71

      @@johnmadden8939 Kid or not, he's acting more mature than you'll ever be.

    • @Sam-nc3wl
      @Sam-nc3wl 5 років тому

      Justin are you on youtube all the time?

    • @killiskey
      @killiskey 5 років тому +2

      @@Sam-nc3wl that's not Justin y he's just a copycat

    • @r2xd314
      @r2xd314 5 років тому +4

      @@illumi3604 got em

  • @danielroth8738
    @danielroth8738 7 місяців тому +1

    200,000 for construction, 1,800,000 for graft.

  • @abamfngyw
    @abamfngyw 3 роки тому +2

    This was the first video by Stossel that I watched and I remember seeing the video title and thinking this was gonna be some Daily Dose of Internet knockoff video where you're shown a really really nice bathroom but no just a regular bathroom and the government wasting money lol

  • @TheRachag
    @TheRachag 6 років тому +25

    Money laundering???

    • @patrickfitzsimons8764
      @patrickfitzsimons8764 5 років тому +1

      You get it

    • @edthegoomba
      @edthegoomba 5 років тому +4

      That's not what money laundering is. But I know what you mean there's probably some sort of corruption afoot.

    • @nutsquirrel84
      @nutsquirrel84 5 років тому +1

      goverments money already laundered :D this one is just corruption.

    • @JekaZMD
      @JekaZMD 5 років тому +1

      Corruption scheme most likeky, the government official who was in charge of building that gave the contract to their trusted people who in turn inflated material and work prices, so the official recieved a rollback from that deal. A typical corruption scheme in 3rd world countries...

  • @markosparko7873
    @markosparko7873 6 років тому +3

    I used to work in local government in a construction management section. Through standardising of specifications, the use if tried and tested fittings and components and using competitive tendering we managed to do it for sub $100k, granted this was 10 years ago but even doubling that amount for inflation $3m is outrageous.

  • @deplorablechump8758
    @deplorablechump8758 3 роки тому

    Hahaha...That man could answer questions with a straight face!

  • @MDinhh
    @MDinhh 3 роки тому

    I worked as a purchaser for the government school board which was funded by the government. I remember purchasing papers, pens, masks, toner, etc from a SPECIFIC company.
    I compared the prices from Walmart/amazon/uline with this specific company. The price was 2.5x the price compared to buying it from a regular store. I asked why but the answer I got was “This is a verified/trusted/approved company (something like that)”. Meaning they won’t allow me to buy from amazon because I’m not allowed to.
    Now my question is, I technically could’ve made my own company, got it approved by the school board, but a bunch of stuff at Walmart, then sell it to the school board for 2.5x.
    The additional money goes towards the owner of the “approved” merchant/company. And the scary part is, the owner of the “approved” company is most likely a friend or a family member of someone high up in the school board.
    THIS IS CORRUPTION. We could have higher wages working for the school BUT they are lining the pockets of the powerful people. That’s Left-wing at its core. Government money going inside the pockets of true criminals.