Julie Johnson: “today we are seeing a full scale assault on the arts, culture, and public knowledge in America by Trump and Republicans…”

“today we are seeing a full scale assault on the arts, culture, and public knowledge in America by Trump and Republicans in this Congress. The administration has made it clear: They are not just trying to defund NPR, PBS, or make changes to the Library of Congress, they are trying to dismantle every institution that informs, educates, and inspires the American people. From Sesame Street to the Smithsonian, from symphony halls to small-town libraries, Republicans are waging a culture war on anything they cannot control. Their goal is simple: Erase facts, silence independent voices, replace them with partisan noise, and use them as propaganda machines to spread disinformation and continue to divide our Nation. The latest example is President Trump's removal of Dr. Carla Hayden as Librarian of Congress, a respected public servant with decades of experience, and his illegal installation of personal attorney, Todd Blanche, in her place. He is not a librarian or a scholar but only a Trump loyalist. It doesn't stop there. Republicans have repeatedly pushed to zero out funding for NPR, a lifeline for rural news and local journalism. They have attacked PBS, which brings educational programming to children who don't have access to cable or broadband. For decades, American children have learned from Big Bird and Elmo. These aren't just TV characters.…”