Are we a schizophrenic society?

The Australian government has a recent history of managing the finances of the country into surplus and maintaining its reputation as the highest taxing government in the history of this country.

While they practice a form of fiscal responsibility, their constituents are a living a very different lifestyle from the government that they elected.

Australians, by and large appear to be living well beyond their means, with the statistics indicating a debt of considerable proportions for every man, woman and child in the country.

I wonder how this works. As a community we live on borrowings and increase our debts while electing a government that reduces its debts and preaches and practices fiscal responsibility?

Could it be that there is a desire to have in place a well healed government that can bail out the unwise investor if all of his/her investments come crashing down?

Sounds plausible, until you realise that it is the same group of people who want the government to temper the amount and extent of its welfare commitment.

So maybe they are just gamblers - albeit in stocks, shares and property no to mention horse racing, football and of course lotteries.

Sounds plausible until you realise that the same group wants the government to ban gambling on the Internet and want to see a reduction in the number of slot machines in clubs.

I can't see the sense really.