Stossel: $2 Million Bathroom

John Stossel investigates a New York City park bathroom that cost $2 million to build.
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John Stossel investigates a New York City park bathroom that cost $2 million to build.
For that price you might expect gold-plated fixtures-but it's just a tiny building with four toilets and four 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.
Edited and produced by Joshua Swain.

[@theaveragewoodsman6002]

I own a small construction company, mainly focusing on masonary. And I can tell you that my company would have been able to build that bathroom for under $200,000 and within 7 weeks, not 7 years.

[@hankbukowski5383]

wicked Hale sounds good. are you hiring? I'm. serious.

[@JamieR1988]

wicked Hale. I've the same business. We could do it for about the same. Even 7 weeks is a bit long. I'd hire a couple extra hands.

[@vandertuber]

That was my estimate as well. Something is VERY wrong here.

[@vacationboyvideos]

wicked Hale that is still expesive! I would thank 35-60 grand tops

[@TigerWoodsDUIcrash]

wicked Hale sounds like somebody's pocketing money.... Definitely shouldn't be $2million...

[@heronmyer3780]

Im sure it used organic locally sourced ethical non-racist bricks.

[@ogifull632]

Organic portland grade antifa bricks

[@Gcsmith12]

Sadly, if you go against the unions, especially in NY, I bet you'd wind up under the bathroom.

[@TickedOffPriest]

Those contractors are laughing all the way to the bank.

[@BHDerp2]

I doubt it's the contractors. I come form a family of union construction workers, no one laying cinder blocks is making $100/hour. years of administrators filling out paperwork, that's where 80% of the money went, imo.

[@Watchout5]

If it's so lucrative why don't you get into the labor game yourself? It sounds like you think you could get rich from building and designing city structures.

[@inspectorjavert5563]

Look at that Mitchell guy, too. He can hardly keep a straight face when he says "2 million was a good deal." It's easy to be a smiling, joking, goofball when you and your cronies have carte blanche to do whatever you want with taxpayer money. DeBlasio wins votes by pandering to minorities and promising goodies to everyone, while he and his cronies pull off corrupt stunts like this. It's sad, really.

[@cluelessPhilosophic]

Daniel Nolan The facts out way your personal experience.

[@d4n4nable]

STOPASKING, are you seriously asking him why he doesn't enter a protected field of work? Because he can't. These unions restrict labor supply artificially and then lobby to get this kind of work despite their above-market prices.

[@supernate223]

I love how proud that guy is that he took 7 years to build a bathroom 😵

[@vandertuber]

Proud of his own obvious incompetence and likely corruption.

[@KevinSmith-qi5yn]

A lot of it is the planning phase. Pretty much any city infrastructure project goes through years of planning. The actual building takes much less time. Weeks to a year depending on the scope of the project.

[@bewilderedape]

When did you ever build a bathroom that met regulations?

[@fredieguerra7306]

I guess there's planning involved but still it's not a giant infrastructure project, I don't think the same rules for building a highway or bridge should apply to a small bathroom.

[@artemiasalina1860]

Bewildered Ape: You should go into business for yourself. We could all use a good laugh.

[@MeganBrooks2003]

I am in awe of the guy's ability to say what he said with a straight face. He actually started to look annoyed at the questions, after a while. Talented.

[@MGTOW_Modality]

I get highly annoyed at a moment where both people know the truth but one won't acknowledge it.

[@finalbossd]

Megan Brooks I think he's not bluffing and he legitimately believes what he says.

[@eddiespencer1]

He's a NY politician so probably on the take.

[@9999plato]

He is telling the truth. His hands are tied in these matters. You don't think he wouldn't like to get these bathrooms built on the cheap and get all the bathrooms in all the parks re done? I worked in Federal government Planning and Estimation. You would not believe all the bullshit involved in getting anything done. Holy Shit. You work with what you are given. Change the court decisions and the laws these legislators create and we will get things done better and cheaper. It would have made my life easier and far less stressful just to be able to hire the guy with the lowest price and a good reputation. It doesn't work that way. You have to meet quotas. Women and minority owned first, then small business. There is a hierarchy in bidding and a list of just who can even qualify to bid. It's not based on the price or ability but on if you are an Indian female transvestite with one leg, then you are at the top of the minority hierarchy and get on that golden list of approved vendors. I'm not kidding you. To hire the right kind of people is the highest calling, not to get the best job at the lowest price. I hated it.

[@finalbossd]

9999plato That is a bit ridiculous. In the end, a bathroom built by a white man makes no difference compared to a bathroom built by a black woman given the exact same credentials. But, with that being said, it doesn't seem that he is expressing the sentiment that the bureaucracy and minority outreach is hampering business and making projects needlessly expensive. He acts as if he is proud of what he has accomplished.

[@Raggamuffinz917]

It took 7 years to build a bathroom?? Come oooooooon

[@kevinbender6153]

Right? Thats more alarming than the cost

[@chrimony]

Don't worry, the next one will only take 3!

[@Raggamuffinz917]

Government over-spends all the time but honestly, I'm shocked at how long it took to build. They started this bathroom when I was 22...

[@chris0000924]

Raggamuffinz Corruption, unions, regulations and bureaucratic inefficiency

[@Elliandr]

if I was paid $100 an hour to do absolutely nothing I might want to drag that on for seven years as well.

[@XonWechtvt]

Money straight down the toilet, or something like that.

[@DeViceCrimsin_]

tvrn2179 one more reason why my government is failing. American Politics: Budget? What budget? Oh! You mean that piece of paper thingy. I think it's stuck up someone's ass somewhere. (Que hysterical laughter of businessmen high off of power).

[@marcvsahlal-khatwa5460]

So, you spent 2 million $ on quality piping and union wages? Nice story, bro. Now, would you please, GTFO of my sight! We all know the name of the game, it's called FAT cats getting FATTER.

[@psikogeek]

Government planners are full of shit.

[@XonWechtvt]

I was trying to work that into my comment, but I figured it was a bit too vulgar.

[@DeViceCrimsin_]

tvrn2179 I got you bro

[@culturehorse]

Smelling huge kickback scheme..

[@chris0000924]

culturehorse Obviously

[@Watchout5]

Yeah it's called labor.

[@TayLybb]

And increased pensions for the big wigs.

[@theconstitutionalistrto8807]

Any one else really enjoying Stossel since he has been appearing on Reason? Because I am.

[@OpenSourceAnarchist]

The Constitutionalist RTO he is shining! Reason is really becoming a huge presence online and in the libertarian community. They're definitely my favorite KZbin channel! So much humor and facts into one video... I'm always excited to laugh about the next government failure!

[@Watchout5]

I've had a better time eating my own vomit

[@tinx214]

i love Stossel! I have grown up watching John on 20 20 on Friday nights!

[@jgunner280]

He's awesome

[@Pirategod23]

The Constitutionalist RTO I need more of him

[@TReeves80013]

John Stossel is a frickin national treasure. His reports should be broadcast nationwide, mandatory watching for all students high school on up. Thank you John for so often reminding me why I am a Libertarian.

[@rickeyryan303]

he does have a nationwide

[@concujak]

"manditory" --->then says im a Libertarian lols

[@artemiasalina1860]

His reports are broadcast worldwide.

[@glorytoamerica6332]

@@concujak if we’re going to shove bullshit down our kids throats it might as well be factual

[@r.blakehole932]

The reason it costs so much more is it is constructed with union labor, at sky high rates. And those unions funnel enormous funds back to the Democratic elected officials who then give the unions more huge contracts. It is an incestuous relationship. I believe that if any business or union entity gets a government contract of any kind they should not be able to donate any money to election campaigns because of a potential conflict of interest.

[@sarasotauptoseattle]

And they should have to leave their books open to the public.

[@r.blakehole932]

Interesting I evidently made this comment some 3 years ago. And, nothing I do can dredge up the original comment or, original commentator. Yet, somehow I am supposed to make a competent comment to this comment some three years later.....Good luck with that! But, yes, those receiving public funds should absolutely have open public availability as to how they spend their money. My fail safe bent is, those receiving tax dollars should be prohibited on spending for public office as, that is a conflict of interest.

[@sarasotauptoseattle]

@@r.blakehole932 Privatization solves all of those problems. The Government's primary responsibility is to protect American citizens. The Constitution says nothing about the Government being in the "construction business".

[@ronaldarchibald2506]

@@sarasotauptoseattle their books are open and watched by feds like a hawk.

[@sarasotauptoseattle]

@@ronaldarchibald2506 Good to hear.

[@LizRealGirlBeauty]

Government is like a teenager who is given dad's credit card and dropped off at the mall. Except the teen still has a credit limit.

[@trejrco]

And the teen gets punished afterwards / loses access to the credit card ... This bureaucrat was *proud* of this.

[@maarten9272]

@@trejrco That and many (though certainly not all) teens still have a basic understanding of finances.

[@Stiggandr1]

I could go to college. Get a double major in architecture and construction, finish a 2 year construction internship, and design and build that bathroom for less money and about the same amount of time.

[@wild5851]

Possibly even less it took them 7 years

[@wowulam7411]

I could live lazily for two million.

[@ronaldarchibald2506]

I bet you couldn't. I bet you wouldn't be able to build anything long lasting or safe for public use. I come across people that think they can do my line of work all the time..usually aftet they burned something up doing home renovations. You would not believe the projects doctors, lawyers and the like think they can do because they watched a youtube video..their spouse is the one calling saying my husband wired the family room but the fire department had to come out the first time they used a vacuum cleaner in it. People literally kill themselves thinking they know a job somebody else does everyday.

[@firearmsstudent]

@@ronaldarchibald2506 You have to learn somehow

[@73_65]

@@ronaldarchibald2506 If your response is anything to go by you're an idiot, it doesnt take a genius to understand the point of the comment is that for an equal or lesser amount of time someone could learn the needed skills and make essentially the same bathroom for less money.

[@TheMaddenComebackKid]

This is like a story out of Toronto about a week ago. The local government wanted to build some stairs in a park, and the government projected that it would cost about $60,000. That annoyed one man so much that he built the stairs himself for around $500. The government didn't like that very much, though, so they went in and tore them down. Now the government says it can build the stairs for only $50,000. Smh

[@iamsearchingforthefiletmignon]

Shitty government

[@dannyg.9060]

Corruption, it is that simple.

[@rubytuby6369]

The saddest part is that guy actually thinks he’s doing a good job, and that their way of doing things is good.

[@ErwinSchrodinger64]

If a private company did this to a private citizen (the market) this would be considered thief and breach of contract according to the original cost. However, get the government involved, because they have a monopoly on thief, all of sudden, it's OK.

[@a.gabbey5569]

Exactly

[@AJ6644]

As someone who is on the private contractor side of the public works equation, I can whole heartedly agree with the man from the city: the government's mandated process is what causes all the costs. "Governments simply will not get out of their own way," is a common expression when we are halted in the field due to some arbitrary rule that says we need to wait for their 45 day review period of blah blah.

[@Papadoc1000]

Yes, but it goes much farther in many cities. You not only have to pay for the project, but for the attorneys that work years to get you a restroom contract, pay off the inspectors and those who will give you approvals, back door payoffs to politicians, and hire the council member's grand-niece as a project supervisor at $200K for the next 4 years. This is the cost of doing business in NY, Chicago, Philly, etc. All that money must come from some place so it must come from taxpayers.

[@ericlieu5424]

@@Papadoc1000 I mean, it is what it is. Government must cover all areas. Imagine the PR nightmare if the whole thing crumbles and kills several people. This means it must always cost more as they are simply covering all the bases. Of course this will be ripe with corruption. This is the same thing on the IT side. So much money is wasted on logging every single detail and ensuring the software works on all occasions but it simply must be done because government must cover all areas.

[@jonstewart9792]

I am very proud to have been apart of this project for the last 3 1/2 years. When I look back on this project I feel it is my crowning achievement. Let me explain this one. Working on this one project put my kids through college at Marist and NYU, paid for my new condo in Florida (cash), it also paid for and allowed me free time I needed to travel to 22 different countries and two trips each to Disney World and Universal Studios in Orlando! My next project which is another "comfort station" should take me all the way to retirement, life is good! When I look back on my 27 years in the bathroom building industry and the 8 projects I have been involved with, I am filled with pride! One more side note my own personal bathrooms do have gold toilets and fixtures made of gold because these projects have made me filthy rich (pun intended)!

[@brokenstacker8297]

Jon Stewart you are the contractor, boss, business owner not the union member/worker. The workers aren't getting rich, just the business owners.

[@alankramer8723]

That message sounds like people should go to prison for building shitters in NY. I call it fraud to the hilt!

[@kalebbruwer]

This guy is proud that he finished a puzzle in 4.5 years when the box said 5 to 7 years.

[@sean3533]

Usually these hyper expensive projects are city councils giving a contract to their good ol' boy and he says "oh yeah that'll be $2 million

[@Fletchdoig]

I have to echo that it is great to see Stossel doing videos for Reason.

[@fullnelsontv721]

You can sure bet, some Relatives (oh, I mean Contractors) made some extra sweet money on this build. Sadly, all at the Tax Payers expense. At most, you've got $ 11 K worth of materials in that bathroom (and that's an overly generous estimate). This is a prime example of why we can't have Government controlling everyone's healthcare.

[@dicebagdaryl]

Democrat response to this video: "See! Socialism works!" >:(

[@23HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA]

harrylongbaugh1 Is that coming from the country that is trillions in debt with worse living conditions than most of Western Europe

[@ritikasharma8949]

@@23HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Europe should care about their migration problem. Pretty soon you'll be hearing allah hu akbar

[@qdsw]

@@ritikasharma8949 whats wrong with hearing that, that just means God is greater, nothing wrong

[@73_65]

@@23HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Thanks to a government that hasnt been legitimate in decades, maybe even a century or more, wouldnt be in debt if the government only did its actual jobs and nothing more.

[@Papadoc1000]

@Deepthi Rupasinghe He never said "liberal". He said Democrats. When Democrats run on socialism and vote for socialism, then that's what they are. That said, Democrats are more about "socialism for thee, but not for me". And yes, it is the progressives that are pushing it within the party and the liberals are happy or at least willing to fall in line.

[@sirsaint88]

A tiny bathroom cost 2million dollars and took 7 years to build? The funniest thing in this interview is the city official keeping a straight face the whole time. He truly believes that's acceptable.

[@cristoballs]

These are the same people who think government is going to lower the cost of HC.

[@nickfotopoulos5323]

Love all of these new Stossel videos! Keep it coming!

[@Jpeazify]

Can you believe Stossel is 70?!? Anyways, love these new videos.

[@joe1940]

What a waste of money. These government officials should be locked up for blowing the taxpayer's money like this.

[@swedsteve93]

After watching Ozark I'm convinced that everyone is laundering money...

[@Jgrimwald]

Government cost more because it is corrupt. Charge extra, pocket the difference.

[@NomadJournalistNews]

I love Stossel! Calm, reasonable, and to the point,

[@tylercourtney7986]

Thank you ReasonTV for adding John Stossel to your staff.

[@silverado7253]

Jon stossel deserves a novel peace prize

[@geezer3090]

is there a single piece that Stossel doesn't hit out of the park? real journalism at work

[@TheBambam1230]

If Stossel stays on this channel it's going to 🔥

[@cluelessPhilosophic]

John Stossel for president 2020

[@mmmbiscuits1211]

he can't even understand what a composting station vs. a "small building' is. give me a break, he is a classic snowflake blowhard

[@cluelessPhilosophic]

Mmm Biscuits that word. I don't think it means what you think it means.

[@mmmbiscuits1211]

if you get butt hurt by a public project and have to mislead that same public about it, you are a snowflake

[@yourlocalmemeandanimedeale807]

@@mmmbiscuits1211 He is a snowflake because he is pissed that the government wasted 2 million dollars on a bathroom ? Seems legit.

[@mmmbiscuits1211]

@@yourlocalmemeandanimedeale807 you don't know what you are talking about. this video lies by omission.

[@allenatkins2263]

Comfort station? Do you get a hug while you shit?

[@chrisvinci5417]

I moved to Germany for 2 years and when I moved back to NYC the left lane on 10th Avenue and 50th street was still closed to repairs.

[@romeoasuncion3051]

Government corruption at its best. Here in Los Angeles, the 710 freeway center divider was destroyed, then rebuilt, then destroyed again, then rebuilt again. The work was done at night. Imagine the overtime and nighttime differential pay that was made.

[@edwin2600]

You would have preferred the work to be done during times of heavy traffic?

[@chrishall2594]

And you want these people running healthcare?

[@briankaul1201]

"But why does it take you three years to build a bathroom?" Lol

[@QU13TMAN]

That cat got rich off that deal. Who the fuck does he think he's kidding?

[@eleven-elevenproduction6211]

Big Government Project Expenses: - Washington DC visiting center- $621 Million dollars 💵 - Veterans Affairs Medical Center- $1.7 Billion dollars 💵 - Public Park Bathroom- $2 million - The surprised look on our faces when we learn how much these government projects cost- Priceless There's something's money can't buy.....For everything else there's American Citizen Tax Card 💳

[@s0nnyburnett]

Not surprising in a city that wants 15 bucks to cross one bridge. I hope it gets more expensive until New Yorkers can't afford food so the whole city will fall into the ground and then we can start over on a clean slate.

[@Papadoc1000]

I'm 3 years late on this one, but your prediction has come close. People are leaving NY in droves. The problem is they are bringing their nonsense to other places because they see no connection with how they vote and why they had to leave.

[@peter8488]

2 million for that, no wonder government keeps finding ways to say I owe them money, yet at the same time the regulations are putting me out of work so I can't make money.

[@TheBrokenLife]

Here's one that will piss you off... I interviewed with a company that makes handicapped conversion vans and their single largest customer was a New York taxi service. Why? Because the city pays for them to make as many cabs as they want wheel chair accessible so they're literally crushing all of their cabs and getting new ones at a huge discount. I'm all for helping out the handicapped, but EVERY cab in NYC doesn't need a wheelchair lift at taxpayer expense.

[@tvzuropa]

Well explained Stossel! Would like to see more of these please. Keep educating the public. My kids at 7 and 8 love watching!!!

[@kenduzouir]

I thought this kind of madness only happen in Africa, this is shameful, sad and disgraceful.

[@jessicacole8404]

We need to emulate Singapore

[@user-vv1do1wg1j]

Lmao the government doesn't build anything here in S Africa, property rights mean next to nothing since they can't even before the law.

[@neovenom9833]

Who do you think taught them?

[@rdlmethat2018]

unreal

[@ryandoherty4291]

I don't know why, but listening to John say, "Whoop dee do," at 3:38 makes me so happy.

[@cones914]

That old guy on the start was so nice.

[@imonlyamanandiwilldiesomed4406]

Keep up the good work, gentlemen. This insanity needs to end or this civilization will fall.

[@gt0sold1er]

Next level cronyism.

[@user47362]

cant believe that the commissioner does not remotely think that the situation is in anyway outrageous. He isnt the type of person you want in the government

[@michaelbcohen]

2 Million? Wow shocked a government project in NYC was so low budgeted and in only 7 years. Just wow!. I mean you should see what a 9.2 million (costs to date ) over budget library that is already 6 years behind schedule, in NYC where, I live gets you (and not finished yet)

[@petrolo72]

Typical corruption funnels with politicians and their nephews and grandkids getting kickbacks on jobs like these. 💯

[@1maxruss]

Government has no business running parks or toilets or anything else that does not conform to the only legitimate purpose of a government: protecting the rights of its citizens from violation by criminals, whether those crooks be private or government itself...

[@mikewilliams6025]

The worst part is this guy's flagrant defense of these costs.

[@DystopiaFatigue]

"It now takes us only 3 years to complete a 3 month project" It's hopeless people.

[@KillaCiViC1181]

When money is not earned, there's no incentive to spend it wisely.

[@Elliandr]

how about the just buy the house instead of building the bathroom, rip out the walls, and call it done.

[@Renovatio2]

Less shit will flow through those toilets in their lifetime than came out of Mitchell Silvers mouth in this video. A 2m USD toilet. Are you fucking kidding. I thought our public service bosses talked some shit here in Ireland but this guys right up there with them.

[@brianjohnson5620]

Demo, 1 week. Earthwork 1 week with proofroll. Footing 3 days; one day for layout and digging, 1 day to set steel, and one day to pour concrete. Base rock 2 days. Plumbing in ground 3 days with inspect. Steel for slab-on-grade 2 day. One day to pour slab-on-grade. Masonry 1.5 weeks, four lifts of grouting. Roof steel week. Roof 1.5 week. Interior finish 2.5 weeks. Exterior at the same time. It doesn't take 7 years to build one bathroom. "It's the material we use." What you have a special concrete mix design with meteorites and pixie dust? Instead of steel rebar it titanium rebar? Earthquake proof cinder blocks, roofing tar from the tar pits in the middle of nowhere? What your slec like, air entrainment in concrete 6.2 to 6.8 testing ever truck or ever used? You use the same material as ever one else, how is it different? Oh wait the answer is right there, is it a democrat office paying for it. Yep, better jack up the price and time frame.

[@elhombremo7404]

4:15 - "Oohhh Yes it's a good thing!" You hear that? That little, "Yea I get paid a lot for that" in his voice? Of course he thinks it's a good thing. So would you if you got paid as much as he does for it.

[@samjudge1240]

I'm lost with this guy, why the heck the toilet needs to cost $2 million if a Private part can do it cheaper? What makes it worst is the amount of ridiculous excuses hes making. "oh well we need to make it Properly". If all of this video is true.

[@empirestate8791]

Material costs make up only a fraction of construction costs. Most of the money goes to labor, profit, bureaucracy, and inefficiency.

[@maniswil2]

My father and I did the remodel at ASU's main hall bathrooms, and it cost around 500k for two bathrooms. (Moen or Koehler paid for it as a donation to the University) HOWEVER. The subfloor was so destroyed we had to raise it almost 5 inches about a 20x20x2 area. (48 bags of Ardex) These same bathrooms have hand-made cracked glass tiles that are 16$ a piece, and every guy working on that job was white as a paper plate in a snowstorm. We were billing 25$ an hour. Which is steep as hell for AZ. (The tile alone for that job was I want to say 50k) 2x6 on the walls, and 6x18 porcelain on the ground.

[@cw7254]

Subversive Intentions wow

[@chocomalk]

So you could build 7 Empire State buildings in the time it took to make this literal piece of shit?

[@MK-ex4pb]

But you know government healthcare will be cheaper

[@MrCrashDavi]

+

[@necron998]

That dude seems so proud of his "accomplishments". LOL

[@billfogarty5963]

Gives new meaning to the term "Royal Flush".

[@ChristianF15cher]

If you want to give 10 people a job on the government dime, buy them an earthmover. If you want to give 10,000 people jobs, buy them spoons.

[@sshurmatz]

Must be nice to make a hundred dollars a hour.

[@laraoneal7284]

I’ve always loved Stossel . One of the very first independent reporter. Always the brutal truth.

[@theycallme_nightmaster]

the cut at 4:18 was genius lmao

[@MK-ex4pb]

Unions gonna Union

[@josephiafelice3930]

I can build 8-10 of those at 2 mill and make money too.

[@marcosbeni5875]

Just the other week in the news, they were doing a report about vandalism to public bathrooms in Aiea Beach here in Hawaii. One of the cases was a damaged section of a roof. According to KHON News, it cost $400,000 to replace the roof. Nope, that was not a typo. I was shocked!

[@SupersuMC]

$2 million?! Back in my day on the ol' simulators, bathrooms only cost $250 whether concrete or wooden and lasted forever until you demolished them to move them elsewhere _instantly!_ (If you don't get the reference, then you probably haven't played Roller Coaster Tycoon 1, 2, or Classic.)

[@jumbowana]

Sweet baby Jesus. Call it a wall and that will get dems to care.

[@AlphaGlitchHD]

Sounds like money laundering...

[@anchuto]

When I saw that comparisson with the Empire State I could help start laughing. However it didn't last long. As soon as I remember that this was real life my laughter stopped and it was replaced with a sense of hopelessness.

[@GCEXTREMEMN]

You laughed...until you realized it's your tax dollars.

[@dudelivestrong]

This is exactly why I haven't paid taxes in two years. I will continue not to do so

[@slicedGabe]

This is part of why single payer healthcare wouldn't work. Those who say that it would cost less than private healthcare don't understand how much government unnecessarily spends. Government wastes money all the time, and free healthcare is no exception

[@mikebozeman5440]

Gee this guy catches thirty seconds of a guy's day and says they don't work hard, as if that little twig of a man knew anything about completing a construction project. Probably can't even drive a nail home. I do agree it is outrageous for that bathroom to be priced that way. I think we are wasting more money on the people out of school, who don't know how to do the physical work and coordinate the projects they were supposedly trained to understand. Yeah obviously you could have come up with a better budget and schedule for a park bathroom. I heard it best when someone once said " You have to have a degree to be that stupid". Plus the private sector doesn't necessarily make construction better, it's all about maximizing profits. So corners get cut all over the place. Using illegal labor and doing a shit job of building something and doing it fast doesn't make you any more of an asset to the economy. It makes you a capitalist. Plus if certain business owners in the private sector, had the opportunity to take advantage of taxpayers, they would. People's biggest problem in America is they want a Cadillac for the price of a Pinto. In the case of the government it may be the opposite since they use taxpayer's money. I think the main point is, people try to get the most amount of profit while doing the least amount of work. Greed and status, are what drive America's economy.

[@1MarkKeller]

Mike Bozeman thank you.

[@crimsonsamuraiftw]

It's not a coincidence. Sure it might not be the case 100% of the time, but even in the simple majority have given everyone else a bad rep. They call union jobs cushy for good reason, especially the ones funded by the government. Every government union job that I've been a part of or witness to was egregiously over funded and always behind schedule. That has nothing to do with illegal labor or cutting corners in the private sector in comparison. You could still perform the same level of quality, using qualified trades men, in at least a fifth the amount of time for a tenth of the cost.

[@Turk_2023]

Union workers will never rush to do anything except go home

[@mikebozeman5440]

Bill & Bill`s Gentlemans Club what would you know about it?

[@mikebozeman5440]

crimsonsamuraiftw Im telling you. It's not the labor costs that put these projects over. Even though I do believe the city unions don't deserve that type of money. If you were ever involved in any bigger construction. The money is wasted on the people who plan like shit, people who manage like shit, people who order like shit, and people who design like shit, and make over a hundred grand a year to constantly fuck up scheduling. You can't think that all union workers make $100 an hour. Depends on the job and the task being performed. And the private sector isn't that great at producing quality. I've been on several projects where corners get cut to to get a building completed, so that the correct profit margins are reached. Then a couple of months later the building leaks or has some other system issues that require a tech to stick around and work the bugs out for a year. I personally, have been on buildings for a year to a year in a half,after completion fixing things that need to be completed before buildings can be turned completely over.

[@pamelapainter3195]

Someone needs to investigate this. Insane.

[@lastmanstanding1954]

that is exactly why America does not have a hi-speed rail system.

[@Daniel-dx3be]

damn, you fiscal conservatives should make a video about Trump's expenses.

[@goodguy5595]

what does that have to do with anything this video is about so if Trump's an asshole the government can steal my fucking tax money pay dude's at do the same work I do 50 times more than I get paid and I'm supposed to just say Trump's an assholes so okay everything's good

[@Daniel-dx3be]

First of all, most of your comment is indecipherable. Secondly, my comment was completely relevant. My point is: If 'Fiscal Conservatives' love talking about "Crazy spending" they should ALSO make videos on the wild spending habits of the Trump administration. For example, Trump has spent more money on travel expenses in 6 months than Obama did in 8 years.

[@KevinSmith-qi5yn]

A lot of Trump's expenditures are out of his own pocket. Like Millennia's outfits. Not sure the exact figure since I have not put much research into it.

[@jakebishop7822]

I think of Trumps traveling expenses as an investment, when he is on vacation he isnt writing stupid laws.

[@JohnSmith-dd8bf]

Jake Bishop. Your.... your not actually wrong.

[@MP-eo6rf]

God Bless you Stossel! Keep up the good work.

[@thething168]

Cost of the Building (raw):350k Bribe dues: 1million Profits to Share between officials: 650K A two million dollar toilet: Priceless! Just my opinion

[@partialbullet2215]

Achievement unlocked Public urination Build a bathroom Play Time: 7 Years

[@brpadington]

I am going to start a Church of Stossel. We praise free markets and have stylish mustaches.

[@rockymntnliberty]

Isn't it funny that different perspectives on something like this. My little community and Wyoming recently completed a similar bathroom project. The residents were pretty annoyed at the cost and time involved in this comparable bathroom. It took over a year because nothing was done for a period of several months, and cost $100,000. The people here thought that was outrageous.

[@ashishvatsavai6982]

Of all the content against socialism, a video about a bathroom is the best piece ever made. I shared this video to my semi-socialist friends and they've been very quite ever since about how socialism is so great.

[@AsukaLangleyS02]

I can't believe the characters you have on here are real, they get so giddy and happy when they talk about how big government is great.

[@lancemcque1459]

"Oh yes! That's a good thing..." "for me!"

[@rosecity7488]

3yrs years to build a bathroom? I was an engineer in the Army and we constructed whole bases and villages in months. I see huge skyscrapers going up in my city in a year.

[@matthew8505]

I work with construction companies to build walls and our DOT projects can take years to be approved and built while some private walls have been designed and built within three weeks

[@karenkordes2210]

Where does the money go? Into the pockets of myriads of bureaucrats and "experts" that conduct "feasibility studies" LOL