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CHAPTER THREE: What Government Does—And How It Does It

Review

1. Why do you think Americans largely think of our government as "the system is good, but it is not performing well because the people in charge are inept and untrustworthy"? In your answer consider what the text says about Americans' perception of government as recorded by pollsters as well as Americans' paradoxical desire for responsive government and yet endless checks upon that government resulting in lugubrious action.


2. The text says "the diversity of public administration not surprisingly matches the diversity of the American republic". Discuss the quote tying in the ideas from the text on how government works. What do you think of this system? Is it appropriate for our country or should such a diverse nation have something more streamlined to bring at least some degree of simplicity?


3. What is "government by proxy" and how do you feel about it? Does it seem like the best course of action for our government to take given its size and scope? In your opinion, does it increase or hinder government transparency and accountability?


4. What do you think about the interplay between government at the federal, state, and local level? Do you think the "right" aspects are handled by each? How would you change things if you do not think the distribution of responsibility is well designed?