Americans Pay More in Taxes Than Basic Necessities

Economist Stephen Moore said Americans now pay more in taxes than they spend on food, clothing and housing combined, arguing the growing tax burden shows government has become “so big and bloated.”

In a post shared on X on Wednesday, Moore cited a chart from the Committee to Unleash Prosperity estimating Americans paid about $8.19 trillion in taxes in 2025, compared with roughly $7.39 trillion spent on food, clothing and housing combined. “Government has become so big and bloated that taxes cost more than life’s basic necessities,” Moore wrote. “Every American taxpayer should be outraged.”

Moore’s comments come as many Americans say they already feel overburdened by taxes. A Pew Research Center survey published in April found that 60% of U.S. adults believe they pay more in federal taxes than is fair, up from 56% in 2023.