Congressman "Call me Billy" Long giving seniors the benefits he says they deserve. But not to worry, he's against abortion.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On TUESDAY, April 19, 2011 at 8:30 AM CST, U.S. Representative Billy Long will attend a Senior Issues Coffee to discuss issues impacting the lives of Southwest Missouri seniors. The event is hosted by Experience Works, a national organization whose mission is to improve the lives of elderly Americans. It will be held from 8:30—9:30AM CST at the Boys & Girls Club in Springfield, MO.
“America’s seniors have worked hard their whole lives, believing that they would be able to retire comfortably and give their children bright futures. Unfortunately, Washington and this economy have given seniors plenty to worry about. I look forward to being back in southwest Missouri and listening to how I can help our hard-working seniors get the benefits they deserve.”
NOTE: Long will be available to the media to discuss issues affecting seniors as well as the well as other issues the House of Representatives is considering in Washington, D.C.
WHO: U.S. Representative Billy Long
WHAT: Senior Issues Coffee
WHEN: Tuesday, April 19, 2011 8:30AM—9:30AM CST
WHERE: Boys & Girls Club 1410 N. Fremont Springfield, MO 65802
7th District of Missouri - Congressman Billy Long Bret Funk 202.226.7648
It appears voters will have to wait until mid-June to find out whether or not Long is a man of his word. That’s when federal lawmakers’ annual personal financial disclosure reports become public.
[Ed Note: I don't have any particular axe to grind with Rep. Long, and would almost support compelling lawmakers to own an outside business so they have to live with the consequences of their votes. But since he used his claim that he would have to sell his businesses upon entering Congress as a reason voters should trust him, a follow-up on this seems a reasonable question. I don't have expert knowledge of House Rules, so I wanted to give Rep. Long's office every opportunity to respond. Yesterday, I sent the following e-mail to his press secretary:
Mr. Funk-
This is Mike Flynn, editor of BigGovernment.com. One of my contributors, Bob McCarty, has filed a piece raising questions about whether Rep. Long has sold his business interests, which allegedly he said he would do during the campaign. McCarty notes in the piece that he hasn't gotten a response from the Congressman's office. I'd like to give you that opportunity here. Can you update me on the status of this or whether or not your office foresees a future sale or even if no future sale is planned? Thanks.
I received this reply:
Evening Mike,
I talked to Bob on the phone this morning when he called our office. He had faxed in his questions to us, which is unusual, so regrettably his request was lost in the shuffle. When he informed me that he was not from the district I told him that at the moment we are focused exclusively on our district press and our constituents.
Let me know if you need anything else.
Bret
Mr. Funk, meet the Internet. Internet, meet Mr. Funk. Mr. Funk seems to think there is such a thing as "district press" or that only certain reporters are allowed to ask questions of an elected official. This isn't the case. So, I replied with the following note:
I understand he is not from the district. Are you comfortable, then, with BigGovernment running the piece as is, without a statement or clarification from your office? I understand that BigGovernment.com is not in your district, but can pretty well guarantee it will be read by people in your district. I met the Congressman when I spoke at the Reagan Library last month or so, so I'd like to give your office a chance to get its side of the story out. So, that would be the "anything else" I need.
I have not received a reply.]
This morning, Congressman Long was on KZRG in Joplin with Josh Marsh. It was on Marsh's show last fall that Long said he would have to sell his auction house. Long also told the Springfield News-Leader and the Springfield Business Journal the same thing. While Marsh asked Long about "Auctioneer's Day", he didn't ask Long about the promise Long made on his show last Fall. Marsh gave Long a pass.
From Bob McCarty Writes, "Was Poker-Playing Congressman Bluffing?" 03.31.2011:http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
Almost five months after Billy Long won election to the U.S. House of Representatives in Missouri’s 7th Congressional District, some people are wondering whether the words used on the campaign trail by the auctioneer and real estate industry mogul-turned-politician were serious or just a World Poker Tour-style bluff for votes.
First, some background.
On Nov. 9, 2009, then-candidate Long sat down for a short interview (see video below) with Josh Marsh, Morning News Watch host on KZRG radio in Joplin, Mo.
During the interview, he spoke about the hardships and sacrifices he was willing to make if voters in southwest Missouri elected him to Congress:
“You have to sell your business. If you have a fiduciary business, you have to sell that, so I’ve gotta walk away from a business I built up for 30 years. Who’s gonna buy it without me there? Answer: Nobody. Whoever I sell it to has to take my name off of it. Now, what’s it worth? Absolutely nothing.
“I own a third interest in the largest real estate company in Springfield; I have to sell that. Do you want to buy a real estate company today? You know, they’re not worth anything, and I have to give up my real estate broker’s license.”
One of those people interested in comparing Long’s rhetoric to reality is Clay Bowler, the conservative Missouri blogger who became the victim of a witch hunt after a complaint by the recently-elected congressman prompted FBI agents to visit him at his Ozark, Mo., home. Five days ago, he reported there was no record yet of Billy Long selling auction house to meet House rules and campaign promise.
The other person is yours truly.
After reading Bowler’s aforementioned post Wednesday, I decided to ask Congressman Long whether or not he had, indeed, sold his auction and real estate businesses.
In a fax sent to his office early Wednesday afternoon, I asked him the following questions:
1. Please name and briefly describe the “fiduciary businesses” in which you hold a sole or part ownership interest.
2. Have you put any of your fiduciary businesses up for sale? If yes, which ones? If not, why not?
3. Have any of your fiduciary businesses been sold? If so, which ones? If not, why not?
Note: I should have asked him if he gave up his real estate license as well, but, alas, I overlooked that.
More than 24 hours after submitting my questions to the congressman’s Washington, D.C., office, I have received NOTHING — not even an acknowledgment of receiving my inquiry — in the way of a response; therefore, I suspect I will have to wait until mid-June to find out. That’s when federal lawmakers’ annual personal financial disclosure reports become public.
UPDATE 4/14/11 at 11:49 a.m. Central: Two weeks have passed since I asked Billy Long to answer questions about his business enterprises, but the freshman congressman has chosen not to reply to my question. Even this morning, his media flak, Bret Funk, blew me off, saying, “Apologies Bob, we are initially focusing on our district press for media requests. Please keep us in mind in the future.” As the video below shows, he is too busy to take questions.
Stay tuned!
This morning, from The Hill.com, comes this story about our Congressman Billy Long and his auctioneering debut on C-SPAN yesterday: Rep. Billy Long shows off his skills:
How long would it take to auction off the nation’s $15 trillion debt? Presuming you had a buyer, the answer is about 20 seconds.
This news comes by way of former professional auctioneer and freshman Rep. Billy Long (R-Mo.), who took to the House floor on Wednesday and rolled his tongue at lightning speed, leading an imaginary bidding war up from $3 trillion to the actual debt of $14 trillion.
“The way our debt is, [Rep.] Jeff Duncan [R-S.C.] and I are some of the few people who can actually keep up with the numbers,” Long said.
Long still owns Billy Long Auctions LLC, which auctions a variety of items. Long’s fellow freshman Duncan specialized in real estate auctions.
But no matter, because when Long began “auctioning” the national debt, it was all a blur.
“Do I see 7, 7, 7 trillion? Eight! Eight trillion, 8 trillion. Wamana wamana 9!” he warbled at warp speed.
This went on all the way up to 14 trillion, and when there were no “takers” for the “15,” Long pronounced “Fifteen? Fifteen? No? Sold! At 14 trillion.”
Red in the face from his performance, Long then explained that the good news is that all those numbers could also be said backwards, and he volunteered for the challenge.
“When we get the spending under control here, I’ll be back.”
ITK is very much looking forward to hearing Long do the auction in reverse.
A flashy Southern auctioneer with as much a penchant for cowboy hats as for telling voters that he’s “fed up,” Rep. Billy Long struck electoral gold with his campaign as a bona fide Capitol Hill outsider.
“I may not look the part,” the Missouri Republican said in a campaign ad, cracking a sly smile. “But if you’re fed up with politicians in Washington and their cronies, I would truly appreciate your vote.”
After the election was sealed, Long’s rhetoric didn’t cease. When he came to the Capitol in November for orientation, he announced in a press release, “Mr. Outsider Meets the Insiders.”
What happened to the guy who was "fed up" with politicians and their cronies?
According to his quarterly report filed Tuesday with the FEC, one of the first things Long did in Washington was to spend $1,333 of his campaign funds to join the exclusive "Capitol Hill Club". Who's fed up now?Oops!
And now here's the answer to that titillating question that is of interest to all of those who buy nails: "How do you keep a free market free?"
Congressman "Just call me Billy" Long also received money from the following PACs: (hat tip to The Turner Report for compiling this list.) Those breakfasts must have really paid off.
Long received $78,517 during the last three months, with more than $40,000 of it that coming from either special interest PACS or lobbyists. Those breakfasts must have really paid off.
Among the contributions:
$1,000- Action Committee for Rural Electrification $1,000- Allied Pilots Association $1,000- Ameren Federal PAC $1,000- American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry $1,000- American Airlines PAC $1,000- American Bus Association PAC $1,000- American Hospital Association PAC $5,000- Anheuser-Busch PAC $1,000- Arch Coal PAC $3,000- Boeing Company PAC $ 500- CoalPAC $1,000- Dairy Farmers of America PAC $2,000- Emerson Electric $2,000- FedEx PAC $2.000- Free and Strong America PAC $2,000- Honeywell International PAC $ 500- MinePAC $1,000- National Air Traffic Controllers PAC $2,000- National Association of Convenience Stores PAC $1.000- National Association of Realtors PAC $1,000- National Rural Letter Carriers PAC $1,000- Outdoor Advertising Association of America $2,000- PriceWaterhouseCoopers PAC $2,000- Raytheon Company PAC $2,000- Southwest Airlines Pilots Association $1,000- United Technologies Corporation PAC
An additional $9,600 of Long's money came from Harry and Joann Baker of Omaha, Arkansas, according to the report.
Five lobbyists are listed as contributors:
-Samantha Cook, who lobbies for the Greene County Commission and Joplin Area Coalition, gave $250.
-Larry Hart, American Conservative Union, $250
-Scott Marrs, City of Springfield, Branson Chamber of Commerce, Greene County Commission
-Michael Waite, lobbyist for Livingston Group, represents defense interests. Waite is a Missouri State University graduate.
-James Massie, an energy lobbyist for the Alpine Group.
I have heard liberals and Democrats I respect very much get it all wrong regarding the nature of the upcoming battle over raising the federal debt ceiling.
One analysis has it that Speaker Boehner is hamstrung by the Tea Party in the House and he can use that as leverage during upcoming negotiations with Obama and Reid.
The gist of it is that Boehner can say to Democrats that he wants to do the right thing but those crazy teapartiers won’t let him. He will argue that he needs something big—substantial cuts, say—to take back to the ravenous nuts in order to keep them in line. Otherwise, he will claim, those crazy extremist Republicans would be willing to tank the economy.
But that analysis is wanting. Boehner can’t credibly make the argument that there’s no way to raise the debt ceiling without giving irresponsible House Republicans want they want. Somehow, people forget that there are 193 Democrats in the House. Only a handful of responsible Republicans—if there are any left in the House—are needed to get the debt ceiling raised and fend off a potential crisis.
If Boehner can’t find a handful of Republicans who care more about the country than they do their conservative ideology, then Democrats should stand back and watch Republicans destroy themselves, as the ideologues put the financial industry—and likely the entire economy—in the proverbial ditch again. Not to mention that those around the world who buy U.S. Treasury bonds would have good reason to believe that America is no longer a stable place in which to invest.
Yes, Democrats must have the guts to call Boehner’s and the Tea Party’s bluffs. If the GOP sabotages Wall Street (very unlikely since they have recently kissed and made up) and by extension Main Street, then that once-noble party will seal its fate for a generation. The likely scenario, though, is that enough Republicans will join Democrats and raise the debt ceiling, thus averting potential disaster.
Democrats, therefore, shouldn’t give an inch on the debt ceiling debate.
The other analysis I have heard involves the fact that 235 House Republicans have made love to tax-hater Grover Norquist and pledged their undying fealty to the concept that the government already taxes too much. In post-orgasmic promise mode, they promise Grover never to raise taxes.
Never mind that revenues, as part of the overall economy, are lower now than any time since 1950. Never mind that the top marginal rates are lower than they’ve been since 1931. Never mind that we are running huge deficits and piling up unfathomable debt, substantially due to a lack of federal income.
This analysis, much like the other one, seems to put Democrats in a box. Republicans will not compromise on the revenue issue, so Democrats have to compromise on budget austerity. In fact, under this analysis, Democrats have to essentially rubber-stamp the severe austerity advocated by the most extremist Republicans in history or watch the economy crumble.
Again, Boehner, unless he meant it when he said there is no daylight between him and the Tea Party, can rely on sensible Democrats to pull his party’s chestnuts out of the debt-ceiling fire. He can make a deal that will satisfy Democrats and save the economy and simultaneously allow his extremist colleagues to vote against the debt ceiling increase. Or, he can risk our economic recovery—and risk the full faith and credit of the United States—and possibly send us into a recession greater than the one we just witnessed—or worse.
In short, Democrats can force some in the Republican Party to be responsible stewards of the nation’s business. Or they can join in with Republicans and kill our nation’s well-being cut by cut by cut by cut.
Democrats, who control two-thirds of the relevant government in this case, have that obvious choice. It’s time Democrats—and the rest of America—find out if Republicans are willing to throw America’s economic fortunes to the wind out of a fanatical and dangerously misplaced loyalty to a discredited political ideology.
Congressman to speak on senior issues --U.S. Rep. Billy Long will speak at a Senior Issues Coffee next week, hosted by Experience Works Inc., a national nonprofit training and employment organization for older workers.
Long, a Republican who represents Missouri’s 7th District, will participate in the event, which will focus on issues relating to senior citizens in southwest Missouri. It will be 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 19, at the Springfield Boys and Girls Club Stalnaker Unit at 1410 N. Fremont Ave.
The event is free and open to the public.
“We are very pleased to partner with Representative Long to provide an opportunity for him to meet with area residents,” Diane Chambers, Experience Works state director for Missouri, said in a news release.
Formerly known as Green Thumb, Experience Works is a national, charitable, community-based organization with the mission of improving the lives of low-income older people through employment, community service and training.
For more information about the Senior Issues Coffee or Experience Works, call 417-887-1704 or toll free at 877-872-4740.
Congressman "Call me Billy" Long giving seniors the benefits he says they deserve. But not to worry, he's against abortion.
