"I'm begining to think it's a toss up between the government screwing us, or the private sector bending us over. "

US GDP: $14.29 trillion (2008 est.)
per capita GDP of $48,000.
300 million people times 48,000 gives 14.4 trillion
The Federal budget in 2008 was $2.9 trillion
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_federal_budget,_2008

And then you have the individual state budgets.
State govts may charge a 1% property tax

If you own or rent a home you will be paying property tax of the value
assessed of the property. People who rent don't directly make the yearly tax, but
whoever owns the property must pay it, and that cost is passed on in the amount
one pays rent. So, very roughly say 100 million households with property value of 100,000 divide 1% per [it's at least this much] is going to the state govt. So
1 % of 10 trillion is 100 billion. Considering public education costs about 500 billion dollars per the 100 billion number must off by quite a bit. Though all the places of business are also paying a property tax. Nationwide, the property on residual homes is probably higher than 1 % and probably places of business [McDonalds or office buildings are probably paying a higher percentage- and business real estate generally is fairly expensive.
It should noted that if you have a property worth $200,000 and you are paying 1% per year you are paying that 200,000 every 100 years. If 2% every 50 years.

If you rent a home you may not realize you paying a property tax in form of higher rent. If you increase the taxes on McDonald's or Evil Oil companies, the result that will be those buying Big Macs and/or buying gasoline or things made from crude oil
such as plastics, will be paying more for what they are buying. So as similar as renters, one is paying taxes by paying for rent or the big Mac. But someone who doesn't buy big macs or petroleum products is still paying for these taxes in an even more indirect fashion. If you pay for say cable TV, you will pay more for this service because this comp[any has to buy gas and could it service people buy big Macs.

Generally speaking, if you charge less for something people buy more of it, and if you charge more for something people buy less. Increasing taxes will cause the price to rise and people will therefore buy less.

Now, with all that said. How exactly in your opinion is the private sector [which if you aren't retired or working for the govt] includes you, is bending us over.