Classic Stossel: No They Can't

Politicians say “Yes, we can!” and claim that they solve our problems. I say “No THEY can’t!”
Politicians are wrong when they say “Yes, we can,” but the fact that government can’t doesn’t mean that we can’t.
Free people accomplish wonderful things. While government wastes billions on boondoggles like Solyndra, X-prize founder Peter Diamandis explains how private investors have created cars that get 100mpg, space ships, and much faster ways to clean up oil spills, all without charging taxpayers a penny.
Without big government, life can be great.
A Classic Stossel from 2012

[@BobGymlan]

The government has absolutely no incentive to be fast or efficient, In fact, they get paid more that way.

[@cartertran270]

Facts

[@quintespeed]

And get voted back in

[@MatthewHolevinski]

It's also neither fast nor efficient to constantly re-upload the exact same videos over, and over, and over again.

[@papabilby8855]

Hey Bob!!! Love your content.

[@Fletchling863]

@@MatthewHolevinski Bruh you made a youtube video of it raining like its some kind of rare occurrence.

[@morrismonet3554]

“Any man who thinks he can be happy and prosperous by letting the government take care of him better take a closer look at the American Indian.” ― Henry Ford

[@kateruterbories2692]

Yep.

[@getchasome6230]

Henry Ford was a staunch nazi supporter. Js

[@musicalcharge]

I agree with the sentiment entirely, but Henry Ford never said it.

[@LynyrdSkynyrd.4Ever]

I'm greatly triggered by the use of the words "American Indian"

[@morrismonet3554]

@@musicalcharge Prove it.

[@icestationzebraassociates2460]

Except steal. They can steal a million times better than an individual can. And there's no recourse.

[@dodieodie498]

And they are thinking about hiring hundreds of thousands of more thieves under the IRS. So they'll steal the tax dollars to hire and expand it, and then they'll find more creative ways to audit small businesses and the middle class to steal a bit more than way.

[@c.jjohns6758]

I'm convinced all the mobs that made it to the top aren't hidden they become politicians

[@walterlowe7252]

Stossel is one of the few journalists still doing the occupation proud

[@stijnvdv2]

Yeah. But what he says here is nothing new. You see this throughout time. The government railroad syatem failed and went bankrupt when private people became filty rich tycoons with it. The government gave butloads of money to invent the first aircraft, they failed where others like the Wright brothers succeeded and you even can go back in time. When Italy was city atates, Florence and Genoa eventually economically defeated Venice coz in Venice the government was holding up trade by being involved in it.

[@nicklegos]

@@stijnvdv2yet people fail to listen to him and would rather be sheep. Makes you wonder why he’s so important in this field

[@jeevaguru11]

respect

[@michaelnaven213]

Get government off our backs. That will help mankind immensely.

[@leee3880]

Yet too many people want more government control.

[@nitromartini1422]

That was the campaign philosophy of Ronald Reagan.

[@bikeradam]

Gov knows that if they actually solve a problem, they will lose their power.

[@ScrappyXGC]

It's called job justification. Time is a factor -- the longer they can justify their job the better, it's not about doing the job itself.

[@retrofraction]

💯

[@theanomalous1401]

And 10 years later, they not only still can't, they have gotten worse.

[@Apollyon67]

And that is what Government calls "progress".

[@allenc1570]

Govt agencies & departments are incentivized NOT to solve problems, because those agencies & departments would no longer have a reason to exist. Thomas Sowell wrote extensively on this phenomenon.

[@GiovanniV69]

More should learn about Thomas Sowell and all that he wrote and spoke about. Truly a great American! He should be taught in school!

[@stevestiffler9120]

They need problems to Sell the solutions

[@Tacomuch]

Book title?

[@sbyrstall]

If the bureaucrats actually solved a problem they would either 1) be out of a job or 2) find another problem as to keep their job.

[@GiovanniV69]

@@Tacomuch Books by Thomas Sowell: Basic Economics, Economic Facts and Fallacies, A Conflict of Visions, and Race and Culture. There are many, many videos available of Mr. Sowell as well.

[@jeffreyjustis5338]

Stossel is doing God's work.

[@wengoszmleczny2802]

actually, he's doing journalist work

[@TheFirstBubbaBong]

Which Gods work? Do all Gods work from the same task list.

[@mattdillon4398]

@@TheFirstBubbaBong You know which God, you just don't want to admit which God because then you will have to answer to Him for your sin. You don't have an evidence problem, you have a moral problem. Aside from that, why do you atheists have to be in EVERY comment section of EVERY video (whether the video is about God or not) being snarky and constantly calling people out for even saying common expressions like "you're doing God's work"? Are you so unconvinced of your own beliefs that you consantly have to reassure yourself by harrassing others?

[@IIIRotor]

That is a hard NOPE!

[@theone-swta]

@@TheFirstBubbaBong Grow up!

[@2vnews902]

Government run anything = sacrifice quality, accountability, availability and innovation - in exchange for a never ending increasing cost to taxpayers.

[@USA_UNITED1776]

I disagree, the military, police, social security in it's original form.

[@blueknight5754]

Ever been to a DMV, Post Office, Town Hall? Service that is crap and makes you feel like YOU are bothering THEM! Government needs to get OUT of the way.

[@nexoncommand]

Always wondered why they employ people who hate the very idea of helping someone.

[@andrewpolasek5524]

Actually they are courteous and pretty efficient at my Orlando post office but my sister's in NYC is a joke.

[@blueknight5754]

@@nexoncommand I don’t think that they originally hated helping people but over time they realize that they get paid no matter what happens so why put in the extra effort.

[@blueknight5754]

@@andrewpolasek5524 it just might be a northern thing..I donno but up in the northeast is miserable for most of the time.

[@dRoscoAZ]

We the people gotta start to rise against the government. They are supposed to work for the people, not the other way around.

[@HateTheIRS]

Ok fed

[@juniorvonclaire3576]

@@HateTheIRS wtf

[@HateTheIRS]

@@juniorvonclaire3576 what

[@NicitoStaAna]

Well, the whole point of John Stossel's vids is show that the government is great at some things bad at others It's not necessarily by greed/fraud/abuse/collusion but by incentives My best way of seeing it is through game theory. So no. Goverrnments aren't a problem. Big/bureaucratic governments are. No collusion/fraud needed They all failed as long as there's competition

[@juniorvonclaire3576]

@@HateTheIRS “Ok fed”?

[@williamb1851]

Great work, John! This is the stuff that should be broadcast on all major networks. Our country is so divided, that one side only believes what mainstream media tells them

[@LynyrdSkynyrd.4Ever]

That's because MSM has decided to become 100% propaganda dissemination

[@vrclckd-zz3pv]

From my perspective people on both sides only believe what they're told from their respective arbiters of "truth". Their only real principal is that they extremely oppose whatever the other side is for regardless of it if makes any sense or not. Liberals want to contain covid? Conservatives want to make it illegal to wear masks. Conservatives want to keep sports fair? Liberals want to make it a hate crime to say transwomen have no biological difference which might give them an advantage. Decades of neglecting the education system has led to an entire generation which lacks any critical thinking skills.

[@travisfoster1071]

Network TV used to, but the more PC culture came in to the picture and the appetite for it evaporated.

[@wayneparke554]

Best channel on KZbin. Should be required watching in every high school.

[@juniorvonclaire3576]

I disagree with “required”, but share the aim.

[@emmittmatthews8636]

Obama: "You didn't build that." Stossel to Obama: "You CAN'T build THAT.'

[@jacktribble5253]

Speaking as someone who has been on a government development team, bureaucracy brings research and development to a screeching halt. On top of that, anyone who comes up with a really good concept will hold on to that innovation until they can position themselves to profit from it.

[@LynyrdSkynyrd.4Ever]

I too have been on such a government team. My favorite thing was when someone came up with an innovative idea and the leader says "great idea, but we don't have the budget allocated to pursue this. We'll just have to keep on the way we're going"

[@joedennehy386]

Also in the real world people make mistakes. If you do that in government your career stops

[@JJones-gw9vy]

John Stossel, you're a got'damned legend. Keep up the great work. I'm so sick of government and their "$8,000 to fix a pothole" mentality.

[@ricardocantoral7672]

Two people to fill it and five that stand around and do nothing because union rules say they need to be there.

[@marshallkobe]

@@ricardocantoral7672 not actually true. Most times it’s farmed out to private industry. Their fee is 8 grand.

[@DubcityTX]

After all these years, Stossel still bringing the heat

[@AndyFromm]

Expose them John 👍

[@sdlausen1]

"Progressive" is just a modern word for socialist

[@juliantheapostate8295]

Like 'sustainable'

[@DeconvertedMan]

TSA is AN UTTER JOKE.

[@FifthConcerto]

This is fantastic. And it is great to see real, large scale examples. If we had spent the last decade living by the lessons of this video, we would be much better off in every conceivable way. At the point of a gun, you can piss yourself and get a job done. At the opportunity for a massive prize, you can get usefully motivated and get a job done many times better, cheaper, and faster.

[@Cerberus984]

The barrier to enter the automotive X prize was $25K to even be considered for qualifying. The only one to reach market is Aptera that previously went bankrupt years after competing due to 08 crash, cheap gas following, & recently re-emerged as a $25K EV with solar charging built into the vehicle. Watts per mile is 100 vs roughly 250 for Tesla.

[@juniorvonclaire3576]

@@Cerberus984 Tesla didn’t compete in the marketplace and win? As for the ones who failed in the contest, they “freely paid” for a chance of winning. Calling this a barrier is odd.

[@Cerberus984]

@@juniorvonclaire3576 It was a bait & hook multi phase entry fee initially starting at $5k with an eventual grand total of $25K. As to Tesla it wouldn't exist without massive government subsidies and government loans that they gave the run around for these X Prize competitors from ever obtaining. Of the three wheeler competitors being fully enclosed vehicles took years to change the laws that mandate helmets being worn as it's legally classified as a motorcycle. Lots of shenanigan barriers was placed to prevent any of them from reaching market defeating entire purpose of the contest.

[@Marin3r101]

Nah guns scare the woke snowflakes. They are just likely to have a mental breakdown. So pointing a gun at them makes them, about the same....useless.

[@juniorvonclaire3576]

@@Cerberus984 You’re right. The taxpayer money escaped my mind at the moment and then you proceeded to educate me on this. Were those escalating costs not disclosed at all? And, what’s the difference between the bait and hook vs a Ponzi scheme? It was a fine print issue? You gave a thorough response which I appreciate. I don’t “need” these answers. ✌🏻

[@yvezalhopery9874]

I worked under the Navy’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program Office, and I can confirm that we do award money before the research has been done. Government research is so bureaucratic and time-consuming that this is the only way companies will work with us, especially small businesses.

[@lemonvolt]

This is entirely true on every level. Even private military contractors tend to be superior to most militaries because they have higher standards for physical ability and intellectual ability.

[@alantasman8273]

Yes, because they are usually picked from the creme of the crop former military personnel

[@juniorvonclaire3576]

@@alantasman8273 The private sector tends to utilize assets better than the government.

[@alantasman8273]

@@juniorvonclaire3576 No doubt...because it has limited resources and seeks to leverage capital to maximize returns. Apparently none in government have read Adam Smith's "Wealth of Nations".

[@juniorvonclaire3576]

@@alantasman8273 I just finished The Road To Serfdom audiobook and am thoroughly impressed. Thinking and writing of great caliber and also relevant today is the work. Are you able to see a reply above in which I pasted a link? Just wondering if censored.

[@ScrappyXGC]

@@juniorvonclaire3576 Yep, the link is not there.

[@christianbolt5761]

There is a place for government, but its involvement should be minimized and we should look for every opportunity to allow private competition and innovation.

[@corey9746]

Their job is to keep enemies off our soil and protect our rights. They do the opposite of both.

[@glennrishton5679]

You are talking now about Freedom. I am not an anarchist by any means but all government including the US government is an encroachment on freedom. I accept that some encroachment is necessary but the US government has crossed the line as well as some states.

[@miniontm23]

Thank you for telling the truth instead of spouting the narratives the media and government want to be the only talking points! You do important work!

[@MintyFreshTurds]

John Stossel is like a throwback to when investigative journalism was actually holding people in power accountable.

[@TheRiverPirate13]

I really enjoyed reading this book by John Stossel. You start to realize how much of the population has misplaced trust in Government’s ability to solve problems.

[@JohnSmith-yd5wq]

Stossel is a liar. You like your govt research IPHONE and the internet, right?

[@TheRiverPirate13]

@@JohnSmith-yd5wq Typically lefty. Name calling is the their calling card when they lose an argument.

[@JohnSmith-yd5wq]

He is a liar. He lied in this segment. Why was that for you to understand?

[@TheRiverPirate13]

@@JohnSmith-yd5wq I’m not going to argue with a bot. I guess I didn’t pick the right pictures with traffic lights.

[@JohnSmith-yd5wq]

@@TheRiverPirate13 I don't think you know what a bot is. Bots don't reply back 1st off

[@peterpowers4851]

Easy to spend money when you are not the one that has to work to get it.

[@joestergios6557]

Stossel, always on point. For any given problem, if you had $100 to bet on a) a centralized solution comprised of heavily-credentialed bureaucrats or b) a decentralized solution comprised of motivated private citizens, which would you choose? The Federal Government can manage carrots (incentives) and sticks (coercive regulation) but it has no business picking winners in solving problems.

[@Loasdrums2]

The biggest problem is that no government program is considered successful if it puts itself out of business.

[@battalion151R]

Exactly! The same goes for the medical field. Can you imagine how many doctors would be unemployed if they found a cure for cancer?

[@TickedOffPriest]

My favorite example is the railroads. A guy was paid a set amount per mile to lay tracks. He put it in circles and loops. Some portions could not even be used. Then a private investor tried and made a fortune.

[@Timbrock1000]

A PRIVATE GROUP CREATES A BETTER WAY TO CLEAN UP OIL SPILLS. Yet the Government EPA won't allow them to use it!

[@stevennatale4471]

Its called the "National Products Schedule". It has to be listed there for it to be utilized.

[@steve03260]

Starting to wonder if we really do need government as much as they want us to think that we need them.

[@1guysopinion798]

Another great video John...it's time we tell our government to get out of the way. Start at your local level and vote them out all the way to the top. Is millions for the IRS really going to help us? No, tell your representatives today.

[@mikeg4972]

"Yes we can" "Change" "Hope" Intentionally vague so that you can fill them in with your personnel hopes and changes as you see them. Then you vote for that person thinking they have the answer to your problems. After a while you find out that they can't do anything you hoped for.

[@Mike-ff7ib]

Government fails we the people... but they win with we the peoples money.

[@smoothALOE]

Nothing has changed… and it likely never will!

[@malvane8061]

Govt: enforces fuel efficiency regulation Also Govt: raises taxes on fuel to help pay for their pet projects

[@larrykramer2761]

There is zero incentive to succeed once these government contractors get the money in advance and furthermore, there is no consequence if they fail.

[@Nexesys]

Great video John, keep putting this stuff out there! We need this kind of innovation in our government to succeed and achieve a higher quality for our country. This is how we win.

[@deniswauchope3788]

It's hard to even imagine the world we'd live in, if our government had stuck to Constitutional principles and otherwise gotten out of our lives. We'd probably be able to vacation on the Moon, we'd mine asteroids for minerals & leave the Earth natural, and (of course) we'd have flying cars to travel the world!

[@thundercricket4634]

If we spent on space exploration what we spend on the welfare state, the moons of Jupiter would have a tourism industry, even once you account for government waste.

[@melaneephillips8721]

Don't forget those hoverboards from Back to the Future! Heck,aybe we'd all have DeLorean that could time travel!

[@belettedelamort3588]

We had the same adventure here in Quebec Canada with the electric wheel. 30 years ago a man found a very efficient way to move cars. But suddenly, everything dissapreared. How strange?

[@barkpeeler2000]

I believe there were 2 inventors of cars that ran on water. Both died under suspicious circumstances

[@bradv9449]

Thanks John, good examples of private enterprise and the American way vs. socialism.

[@fiatveloce2516]

Little known fact: John Stossel wrote the screenplay for the movie Idiocracy.

[@nathalieb734]

Wow! Interesting and not surprising.

[@mjr33mjr]

Love this guy! Keep on the good fight sir. 😁

[@emmittmatthews8636]

Hopefully he lives until he's 100. There's no one else like him.

[@harry2928]

God bless Mr. Stossel. Liked him ever since I first saw him 35 or 40-something yrs. ago. 60 Min.? I don't remember. His clones are badly in need. We salute Sir John!!

[@iloveschicken6527]

Thank you and God bless!

[@Santaheckler]

It’s not that they “can’t”, it’s that they “won’t”. They get rich off our taxes by not solving issues. Our perceived goals and theirs are entirely at odds.

[@marybethharrington4962]

This is one of your best!! Thanks John for making these videos 👍

[@ToddLuvsGolf]

John...you are still a National Treasure!!!

[@tiredofallthis7716]

I’ll never understand how this channel does not have 100 times its current viewership.

[@chancellorgowron8992]

This is a great representation of why we have Private health care in the United States. Government-funded healthcare does not work and also takes forever. But Private health care with doctors making money as an incentive to create better Healthcare we get better health care. Incentive breeds ingenuity

[@memazov6601]

Politicians like to talk but don't get things done business don't like to talk and they get things done

[@Jamesbradley001]

I read this book as a young man and it had a profound impact on me. I’ll have to read it again now that I’m near 30

[@paulettemcnaughton8202]

ALWAYS EXCELLENT, JON STOSSEL!!! BEEN WATCHING YOU FOR A LOOONG TIME!!! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@KaceSunShine]

Thank you John

[@ROGER2095]

My first car was a 1968 Renault 10 - Got 35 MPG. They didn't engineer it that way to please the government - They did it to please me, the cheapskate buyer. Without government interference, to please us cheapskates, as gas prices rise, so will fuel efficiency - At even lower cost. That's capitalism.

[@robertphillips6296]

One of the Scariest Statements in the country is "I am from the Government and I'm here to Help!"

[@peterbrunsgaard2012]

My favorite journalist hits another home run! 🙏🙏👏👏😊

[@harrisc8101]

"They could but they didn't did they?" - Epic reality smack

[@davidw64us1964]

Ty for showing us the Real Story

[@MongooseReflexes]

It's so refreshing to hear politicians getting called out on their habitual lying!

[@gcree20]

"They could but they didn't, did they?" That line sums up the problem with government agencies perfectly.

[@johndoez6481]

Time to defund the bureaucrat class 🇺🇸

[@ABC-kt1th]

I love this man.

[@Websitedr]

There's a demotivational poster about Government that says like if you think the problems we create are bad just wait until you see our solutions. It's spot on.

[@mbaxter22]

John Stossel is one of the few voices in the wilderness while the vast majority of humanity happily supports the collective mindset and freedom slowly fades away, no longer really considered necessary and basically forgotten as an anachronism. Kind of how nobody really cares that much about privacy anymore.

[@theunaimedarrow4903]

John, great video as always. But, NASA did develop image processing, but they can't take credit for CT scanners. That was Hounsfeld. Who is a great example of an individual succeeding.

[@stuh4932]

No they can’t indeed

[@chefbillybaroo2056]

One of the most intelligent and clear minded people of our times. Thank you John Stossel I appreciate all your hard work!

[@zinzardarean]

Gov't even fails to fail. Look at the national deficit. 32 years ago my math teacher warned our calculus class at NMB HS to watch the deficit and be prepared for disaster. Thank you Ms. Dostal

[@DeconvertedMan]

if goverment offered rewards for doing (X) that might be better perhaps?

[@whitetailedboss]

I love when thieves take my money and waste it and take cutbacks for their family 🤡💩 all while stripping everyone else’s rights

[@aliciasearvogel7933]

YES! This is how government should run! Not giving grants and money away!!!

[@tinytim71301]

I’ve never met Stossel, but I love his heart and mind. Just bought last hard cover of “No They Can’t “ on Amazon. They need to order more.

[@wrongthinker843]

"Typical politicians. Big promises, but all talk."

[@jimruby9657]

"If you think the problem is bad now, wait until the government solves it!"

[@rickhinojosa5455]

Thank you John Stossell for bringing out facts to us. 🙏

[@randyromano2854]

Every time Stossel prints a new video, I know I'm gonna get ticked-off. Great work John!

[@MrMSBranham]

Completely agree!

[@Gherit1]

This is not news to anyone with half a brain working for the government on any level. There are reasons private companies do not hire people who only work for the government. I could feel my mind dulling due to the lack of expectation. It seems like a trope, but I kid you not: I was told by my coworkers to stop being so quick and efficient with my work because it made them look bad.

[@Sawmill3872]

Great segment. Thanks Stossel.

[@dirty364]

KZbin must be changing my algorithm because this is one of my favourite channels and it rarely shows up in my feed. Also I have alerts on

[@GeorgeWMays]

Government can't fix stuff for you, folks. They can do mundane mind numbing chores that have to be done and that nobody wants to do. Yea, yea, the Army, the post office (no longer really a part of the government), the interstate highway system, and so on. Get real. Have you looked at how much you pay in taxes for this stuff? How much goes for limousines and drivers and for marble lobbies for their buildings?

[@NorthOfWindsor]

Privatization works as long as there’s ample competition. Otherwise, a monopoly or oligopoly is as bad as full government involvement

[@robertjohnson5838]

I remember when Peter Diamandis establushed the X Prize back in 1982 as I recall. Awesome!

[@chuckaddison5134]

Stossel, always a breath of fresh air!

[@ellenorbovay5226]

Its because nobody is motivated in the government. Its very similar to a communist system, and communism failed in the Soviet Union for the same reason, nobody is motivated. There are some things you need the government for, but it should be limited. The country is in great danger right now because the government does not function.

[@nerdicusdorkum2923]

Many days, I question if we even need goobernment for those 'some things'. The only thing I can think with certainty that we do need a governance for is as a publicly voted for official to represent the united states in foreign relations. Even that I would want just enough budget to set up a live video. I could find that kind of money by doing dumb side gigs.

[@raedwulf61]

Virgin Galactic now $400,000 per ticket and climbing.

[@jackieeastom8758]

I owned a 1967 Ford Falcon passenger van that averaged 32 mpg with a small cast iron 6 cylinder engine with a 1 barrel carburetor and a 3 speed manual transmission ! 1967!

[@brianp6965]

As an auto enthusiast, I've heard the argument that "without emissions and fuel economy requirements, we'd still be driving carbureted, polluting beasts" many times. It's a total fallacy. What brought the internal combustion engine to its zenith today is cheap, small, reliable electronics - brought to you by the private sector! People who remember cars from the late 70s - early 80s will know how unreliable, gutless and difficult to work on they were because manufacturers were struggling to keep up with ever tightening EPA restrictions. Then in the mid-80s, two things happened. The Reagan administration briefly loosened restrictions and microchips drastically decreased in price while increasing in performance and reliability. Consumers received electronically controlled engines that ran better, made more power and polluted less. This would've happened without any pressure from the government because competition would've forced evolution.

[@bobs152]

Let's GO BRANDON @2,000 MULES @FJB GERALDO RIVERA IS A P.O.S. Make Orwell's 1984 Fiction Again

[@MJtnp]

First

[@billolsen4360]

Stossel always hits the nail on the head.

[@DarksurfX]

Thanks again for the lesson Stossel!

[@2feetaguywith]

You are an American treasure! I wish you much success. You've earned it

[@MichealWeinfurtner]

John, thanks for pointing out that private citizens or organizations can do way better than government can. History also teaches us the other innovations from aviation were due to prizes being offered. Same for Rail and cars.

[@Rokabur]

Read about the Wright brothers. Funded SOLELY by their bicycle shop, they built the first airplanes. This other guy, funded for TENS of THOUSANDS of dollars for the 1900s and couldn't build shit.

[@millsrickman7703]

If our journalists and congress had half the integrity of John stossel, we'd be in much better shape as a nation and a people

[@mainer2123]

Competition has always been the key to innovation. The government stifles any real competition.