Final answer:
Roosevelt believed that asking job-seekers whom they voted for could cause political discrimination and was irrelevant to job qualifications. He supported civil service reform because it was designed to reduce corruption by ensuring government jobs were based on merit, not political connections.
Step-by-step explanation:
Roosevelt believed that asking about voting preferences was inappropriate because it was irrelevant to job qualifications and could lead to political discrimination. He understood that personal voting history had no bearing on one's ability to perform a government job adequately.
On the issue of civil service reform, Roosevelt thought that reforming the system to award jobs based on merit rather than political favoritism would help eliminate corruption.
Essentially, civil service reform aimed to dismantle the patronage system, which contributed to nepotism and unqualified individuals holding government positions, undermining the efficiency and integrity of governmental operations.
He knew that political patronage had historically served to develop loyalty and raise money for political parties, but it also led to cases where individuals were given government jobs regardless of their qualifications, simply because of political connections.