What about European taxes? I', paying 48% + there is 21% VAT on almost everything. Plus taxes for water (taxes, not pay-per-used-m3, and this payment is here too), energy (atop of market energy prices), roads, gasoline, etc.
On paper, my employer pays me 72k per year. I net 36k of this after taxes and social insurances are paid.
Fun fact I learned the last time this topic came up, social security in the US pays more than German government pensions.