Who is paying your check?

When I worked at Menards, on the back of every paycheck was written is elegant script "From our Guests" as a reminder that with out the customers there would be no paycheck. Now, that I work for a private college I wonder who *really* pays my check. The most obviously answer is the students, and those who give the the college. However things are not all that simple. Students by and large in one way or another are subsidized. Many receive aid from parents, grandparents, outside scholarships, and federal & state government grants & loans. Where does *the government* get it's money? Well, there are the tax payers. But since our lawmaker's think it is wise to fund 1/4 of billion dollor bridges in Alaska to island with 50 people living on them, in addition to a whole host of other *expensive* *projects*, *the government* spends more than it takes in. This of course would be a big problem for any household, or business, but since this is *the government* they can come up with funds creatively, which include, borrowing for foreign countries including, Japan and China, borrowing through savings bonds, and borrowing from the central bank (aka borrowing from itself aka creating money out of thin air aka inflation). So who should I thank for my paycheck? Students, finical supporters of the college, parents, grandparents, private scholarships contributors, tax payers, China, Japan, us savings bond holders, and myself 3 times since I am a taxpayer, savings bond holder, and since I have to *deal* with inflation.