August 12 is Cost of Government Day (COGD), the day of the calendar on which most  the average American worker has earned enough gross income to pay off his share of government spending and services including regulatory costs imposed by government at the federal, state and local levels.

According to Americans for Tax Reform, COGD falls 26 days later this year than in 2008 when it fell on July 16, 2008. This means in 2009 the average citizen  had to work 224 days out of the year to meet all costs posed by government.