An open letter to Commerce Secretary Lutnick:

Inefficiencies are caused by micromanagement. Your control of all contracts over $100,000 is disabling Commerce agencies; perhaps that is your goal? Stop micromanaging. We, the people, value the work done at all Commerce Department agencies.

Inefficiencies are caused by those in charge who are not available, or willing, to do the job of leading (not dismantling). Your time spent giving superficial interviews, which is significant and unproductive for America, should be spent supporting, not dismantling Commerce initiatives.

Inefficiencies are caused by inaccurate information. Your attack on PBS is a decades-old conservative diatribe against truth. PBS is an incredibly important informational resource–balanced, fair, researched, accurate.

PBS offers balanced information with a wide variety of perspectives.

PBS offers accurate history.

PBS offers a wide variety of accurate science resources and programming.

PBS offers a wide variety of musical and other artistic programs.

Note the use of the word “offers.”

No program is selling a change in culture — that is a myopic argument. As with all media, consumers have a choice to engage. I grew up watching PBS. My children have grown up watching PBS. I used PBS programming as a teacher, to support science and social studies inquiries. None of the programs sell a perspective; they all offer information and offer opportunities to discuss and further investigate. The programs offer opportunities to think, not be indoctrinated. Why are you afraid of offering opportunities to think and be engaged?

Government support of PBS enables those across the complex United States to have a choice to view the programs. Removing government support will remove that public access and opportunity. Removing government support will be another step toward impoverishing already impoverished rural America. Drive through rural America, as I have, and see the isolation and poverty that has grown much worse in the past 40 years. Everyone deserves the opportunity to have access to free, balanced, excellent information.

Shame on you for imposing your own life of greed and mean spiritedness on the American people. We, the people, will not forget!

Christina Wadsworth

Weybridge