In fact, with the firm prospering, Dalio has been living up to a promise to spend a bit more time away from it, and he has ceded some day-to-day management responsibility to Jensen and McCormick.

NEWYORKER: Mastering the Machine

The plan, apart from the government's promise to spend a little money, contained nothing that was not already known or predictable.

ECONOMIST: The single currency

Mr Berlusconi's Forza Italia (Let's go, Italy) and its allies on the right also promise to spend a lot more on public works: this brings back fond memories.

ECONOMIST: Italy

The promise to spend 0.7% of national income on aid by 2013 was put in the Conservative manifesto before the last general election and then repeated in the coalition agreement.

BBC: Liam Fox challenges government overseas aid pledge

The move follows the takeover earlier this year of five small banks by healthier competitors, encouraged by a government promise to spend more than 10 trillion won in taking up dud loans and helping the acquiring banks to bolster their capital.

ECONOMIST: Forced friendship in South Korea

So, the possibility of bailouts conveniently incentivizes states to promise benefits and but then spend on things having nothing to do with benefits.

FORBES: Just Say No To Federal Bailouts Of State Pension Funds

The feds spend money that is not their own and promise to replace it.

FORBES: No Shift Sherlock, Tax Cuts Go Straight To China And Commodities

Could the company go public with a higher than normal equity pool, and promise to carefully manage its equity spend going forward?

FORBES: Zynga's Pre-IPO Compensation Misstep

If he is to build on the promise of his first 100 days, he must spend his political capital cautiously.

ECONOMIST: Obama's record: A hundred days of hyperactivity | The

Worse, they promise to further distract Merck's management, which needs to spend as much time as possible trying to develop the next blockbuster drug.

FORBES: Magazine Article