Expenditure

Fans of human right may argue: Indications of treatment should be based on medical evidence rather than working backward from the available budget.

The idea is not new. In response to the Great Depression, John Keynes argued that government spending should not be limited by the amount of taxation income, but be determined by the need of the society. It was proposed that a high government expenditure would boost the economy, and there are ways to cover the fiscal deficit.

I am no expert to comment on Keynes' hypothesis. But, to say the least, it was put up as a remedy for recession. By the law of mathematics, the accumulated deficit could not growth endlessly. Yes, during the bad years we may overspend a bit to keep the ball rolling, but the book needs to be balanced again when the drought is over.

Alas, some European PIGS used Keynes' strategy of over-spending during the period of economic growth - I don't think I have to elaborate on the result.

PS. Of course it is always a curious phenomenon that our government overspends in some areas (for example, bidding for some international games) while holding the purse tight for health care. That's another story.