The U.S. employs 23.7 million government workers, costing taxpayers $271 billion a year

And they all get paid back pay afterwards.

— Tom Baranowski (@Frisco_Tom) September 21, 2024

The United States employs a staggering 23.7 million government workers across federal, state, and local levels. The cost to taxpayers is immense. In fiscal year 2022, the federal government alone spent $271 billion on compensation for its civilian employees, covering wages, benefits, and more.

When factoring in state and local governments, the total cost balloons even further, underscoring the increasing burden on public finances. With such massive expenses tied to the government workforce, the question arises: How sustainable is this trajectory?

Insanely bad spending of your hard-earned taxes is the problem t.co/goUFab8f3h

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 21, 2024