After six weeks, the ballyhoo loosely described as an election campaign slumps to the finish line with the ballot on Saturday.
As merciful as that may seem, the result, however, will provide no remedy for what ails us. Littered with gaffes by a prime ministerial hopeful, the hollow promises of more government spending by both major parties will become all too evident.
Instead of increasing spending, the newly-elected government will have to curb its extravagant promises, lest it sets off a recession, with the tell-tale indicators of galloping inflation, interest rate increases and pressure on wages already on the horizon - as well as downward pressure on home values.
Put simply, excessive public spending will cause higher inflation, leading to more interest rate and wage increases that would lead us into a recession, with its job losses and related economic pain.
The $1 trillion public debt burden, caused by well-intentioned but reckless borrowing to fund pandemic welfare, will weigh heavily on the public purse as this unfolds.
No mention of this in the campaign, which is evidence of a basic dishonesty with the electorate as the bulk of promises cannot be kept. Little surprise the primary vote of the major parties is so low in this Seinfeld-like campaign.
