Author Question: What is politicization?As a new president, under what circumstances would you try to politicize and ... (Read 41 times)

beccaep · **on:** Jul 9, 2018

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?

Question 2

Jimmy Carter began planning his transition as soon as he became his party's nominee because he was __________.

A)certain he was going to win the election and wanted to get a head start
B)an outsider unfamiliar with the nuances of Washington politics
C)deeply familiar with transition experiences and aware of their difficulties
D)planning to use his transition as a key component of his election strategy

s.meritte · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 9, 2018

Answer to Question 1

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.

Answer to Question 2

B