We call government employees "public servants," and many of them are. But the size of governments can be such that you have to wonder who is working for whom.

According to the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, Oklahoma has far too many public employees (PDF). Only four other states have more government employees, compared with the number of private sector jobs, than Oklahoma.

Oklahoma. Not a state known for grand social experimentation or a political culture that entrusts a lot of power to government. Like say, Massachusetts, which to its credit, ranked 49.

Nearly 18 percent of Oklahomans-not that far from one in five, actually--works for a state or local government in some capacity.