They have a lot of discretionary buying power.
He also proposed a five-year freeze in discretionary spending, and more defence cuts.
Barack Obama has proposed a spending freeze on discretionary items such as education and national parks.
That implies leaner stocks and reductions in discretionary spending, such as capital projects or advertising campaigns.
In such a case, "there is no discretion in the [officer's] conduct for the discretionary function exception to protect."
They would explain that discretionary spending has little to do with the long-run imbalance between spending and revenues.
They are spending less on discretionary items, and many are struggling to keep their balances down-even, ominously, if they have gleaming credit scores.
I disagree with the conclusion but agree with one of the premises: that discretionary fiscal policy was a disappointment during the crisis.
Just cut discretionary spending, redirect the odd earmark or zero fund that nest of socialism, public broadcasting - and, hey presto, the budget is balanced.
If resistant strains raise it to even 5%, let alone 10%, a lot of orthopaedic surgery, cataract replacements and other discretionary but life-enhancing procedures would simply stop.
They constitute an unprecedented reduction of some 10%in non-defence discretionary spending, meaning all government programmes barmandatory entitlement schemes and defence (see chart).
I will send you a budget that holds the growth of discretionary spending below inflation, makes tax relief permanent, and stays on track to cut the deficit in half by 2009.
Indeed, Mr. Obama has lately been going where the money isn’t, making a big deal out of a freeze on nonsecurity discretionary spending, which accounts for only 12 percent of the budget.
