To the Editor:
Lee Greenwood may have been shocked when he was replaced on the National Council for the Arts, but he should not have been. Members of the council are appointed to six-year terms. They continue to serve until they are replaced. Greenwood was appointed to the Council in 2008. His term expired in 2014 but, in keeping with normal practice, he continued to serve until replaced. Normally that would happen in due course, but President Obama did not appoint someone to replace him. Neither did President Trump (who apparently never appointed anyone to that Council–see https://www.arts.gov/about/leadership-staff/national-council-arts). President Biden has nominated seven individuals to replace those on the council whose terms have expired. There is nothing unusual about this — it’s just normal practice.
By the way, I am a fan of Lee Greenwood. I remember his July 4 concert at the Sharon a few years ago. It was a stirring performance, concluding with a splendid rendition of “God Bless the USA.”
Bob Martin
Acting Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, 2001
Freedom Pointe