Final answer:
The claim that state government pensions in the U.S. are insured by the government is false; they are generally not covered by the PBGC and rely on the states' funding.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that those who work for state governments in the U.S. are certain to receive the promised pensions because of government insurance is false. While the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC) does insure many pensions, it primarily covers private-sector defined benefit plans.
State government pensions, on the other hand, are generally not insured by the PBGC but rely on the state's ability to fund these pensions. This generates concern about the sustainability of these pensions, especially as demographics shift and the proportion of retirees increases relative to the number of workers. Funding pensions remains a complex issue both in the U.S. and abroad, suggesting a need for careful public policy decision-making.