What is politicization?As a new president, under what circumstances would you try to politicize and how would you do so? Use examples where relevant to support your statements
What will be an ideal response?
The ideal answer should:
a. Define politicization as a strategy used by presidents to exert control over the bureaucracy by appointing loyalists to key positions.
b. Demonstrate what politicization looks like, using the examples of James Watt and Gale Norton, political appointees who were more invested in protecting the interests of the president than those of the agency, explaining why this was in the president's interest.
c. Discuss how politicization does not always impede bureaucratic decision making but on occasion can accelerate it, using the example of Steven Chu, Obama's Energy Secretary.
d.Notethat politicization can be about firing as well as appointing individuals,for example, in the Paul O'Neil case.
e. Explain how presidents have numerous opportunities to politicize the bureaucracy by appointing political loyalists to key positions in PAS, SES, and Schedule A, B, and C posts.
f. Propose that a new president would set to work on politicizing the bureaucracy immediately on entering office and that where he or she decided to politicizewould be highly dependent on the context of the agency, including how much an agency supports the president and the tradeoff that exists between responsiveness and competence, using the appointment of ambassadors as an example.
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With respect to civil liberties,which of the following cannot be taken away by the government?
a. property rights b. personal freedoms c. business rights d. recognitions of equality
Why does the long ballot weaken the power of citizens to control the bureaucracy?
a. Voters have difficulty making good decisions because there are so many candidates on the ballot. b. Incumbent officials are often reelected only because voters recognize their names. c. The framers of the Texas Constitution intended to limit the public's ability to hold government accountable. d. Voters have difficulty making good decisions because there are so many candidates on the ballot, incumbent officials are often reelected only because voters recognize their names, and the framers of the Texas Constitution intended to limit the public's ability to hold government accountable. e. Voters have difficulty making good decisions because there are so many candidates on the ballot, and incumbent officials are often reelected only because voters recognize their names.