As distinct from the patronage and executive leadership system,the merit system for managing the bureaucracy:

A.allows the president to appoint top officials of executive agencies,thus making the bureaucracy more responsive to election outcomes.
B.provides for a neutral administration in the sense that civil servants are not partisan appointees,thus ensuring evenhanded work.
C.provides for presidential leadership of the bureaucracy, thus giving it greater coordination and direction.
D.provides that all programs will be evaluated regularly to determine whether they merit continued funding.

I think it is (b) or (d)

B is correct.

Thank you!!

You're welcome.

To determine the correct answer between (b) and (d), let's break down each option:

A. This statement refers to the patronage and executive leadership system rather than the merit system. It suggests that the president has the power to appoint top officials, which is not directly related to the merit system.

B. This statement correctly describes the merit system for managing the bureaucracy. It states that civil servants are not partisan appointees, ensuring that they are selected based on their qualifications and capabilities. This neutral administration promotes evenhanded work.

C. This statement suggests that the merit system provides presidential leadership to the bureaucracy, which is not an accurate representation of the merit system. While the president does have a role in appointing some officials, the merit system focuses on selecting qualified candidates based on merit rather than giving the president greater coordination and direction.

D. This statement does not directly relate to the merit system for managing the bureaucracy. The evaluation of programs to determine their continued funding is part of the budgetary process and program management, which may or may not be influenced by the merit system.

Based on the above analysis, option (B) "provides for a neutral administration in the sense that civil servants are not partisan appointees, thus ensuring evenhanded work" accurately describes the merit system for managing the bureaucracy. Therefore, (B) is the correct answer.