The biggest thing people miss is gross vs net.

4% of your gross is two weeks pay a year. The insidiousness is that this your vacation. You have to work for two weeks, but you get no pay for that two weeks every year. HOWEVER, you have to work hard enough in the other 50 weeks to cover ALL your expenses while you spend your vaca working for the government. You have to cover rent, gas, vehicle, food etc.

25% tax means you must work hard enough in 9 months to take 3 months off working for the man. They don't even cover your gas back and forth.