As distinct from the patronage 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 presidential leadership of the bureaucracy, thus giving it greater coordination and direction.
c) provides for a neutral administration in the sense that civil servants are not partisan appointees, thus ensuring neutral work.
d) provides that all programs will be evaluated regularly to determine whether they merit continued funding.
e) none of the above.