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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Neocon who wrote (148192)	10/19/2004 3:31:12 PM
From: jttmab	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

We agree! DISCRETIONARY SPENDING refers to spending set by annual appropriation levels made by decision of Congress. This spending is optional, and in contrast to entitlement programs for which funding is mandatory. jttmab

To: Neocon who wrote (148192)	10/19/2004 3:56:20 PM
From: jttmab	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

Of course, this is not hard and fast. Mandatory spending can be adjusted by simple statute, and discretionary spending is, for many programs, a foregone conclusion, apart from the exact sum. This is a rather interesting statement. I agree with it wholeheartedly. In discretionary spending for example, there isn't going to be any substantive changes in manpower, pen, paper, PCs for the Department of Transportation. It's a pretty fixed budget. Again, agreeing with your point. Which makes the whole discussion of mandatory vs. discretionary somewhat artificial. I can change mandatory spending by a mere change of law, or I can change discretionary spending with a mere change of law [the appropriations bill]. In the end, there's no difference. jttmab