What's in it for Me?

The conservative will lament that last night's budget jettisoned fiscal tradition in favour of debt and deficit.

Let me be clear, I am one of the few who seem to care about the debt the country is in. Everyone else seems to think 'what's in it for me?'.

In this case, the government has delivered for most everyone.

There are subsidies for this, that and the other while the economic recovery is built around a return to the migration ponzi scheme and another $500 billion in debt and deficit.

Many will say this is important to stop us sinking in economic quicksand but both migration and debt is really only borrowing from the future to fund today.

And when you think about where the money is going, it doesn't give you a much cause for optimism.

Sure, there is $94 billion on health, there's $42 billion on education (while our kids get dumber) and $34 billion for defence. However these three combined are less than the $209 billion spent on welfare!

That's right, welfare spending is double the health budget while business complains they cannot get people to actually fill jobs.

It is so disheartening to see how large the welfare state has grown.

That figure doesn't count those who are propped up by government to buy a house or any number of other non-traditional support measures.

On the plus side there are some tax incentives for wage earners and small business owners but however you dress it up, the terrible fiscal legacy left from the past year will take decades to undo.

That said, the budget will be well received because there is something in it for almost everyone. One wag summed it up pretty well:

"They are using your children's money to buy your support today."

Maybe that's just what the economy needs; or maybe it's just what the government needs in an election year.