"We were overrun with surveys," Long said.....

News Leader story this morning with the headline "Hartzler a top spender on mailers"

Rep. Billy Long, R-Springfield, ranked 87th in his spending on taxpayer-funded mailers, compared to other House lawmakers. He took the No. 2 slot within the Missouri delegation, spending about $115,000 in the last nine months of 2011.

Long said that when he arrived in Washington, GOP leaders encouraged freshman to take advantage of the franking privilege. “They said ‘you need to frank, you need to keep your constituents informed and involved so people you know you’re the congressman’.”

He didn’t send out any mailers for the first few months, but now he’s a convert to the practice. One of his first missives was a newsletter that told constituents about disaster recovery efforts after the tornado in Joplin. Included in the newsletter was a survey that voters could fill out to weigh in on various national issues.

“We were overrun with surveys,” Long said, estimating that 1,200 to 1,500 residents took the time to fill out the survey and mail it back.

So he has sent out other newsletter-surveys. And he has held telephone town hall meetings, too.

I've gotten Billy's surveys before and been a participant in his telephone town halls also. The Turner Report filed this report on Billy's first teletown hall:

Anyone waiting for an opportunity to ask Seventh District Congressman Billy Long about the issues that affect southwest Missouri and the nation might as well forget it...Long's aides are letting it be known that the Congressman feels he reached more people through his recent telephone town hall meeting than he could reach through in-person meetings.

Left unmentioned is the obvious: With the telephone meeting, Long may have reached thousands of people, but all they had a chance to do is listen to Long reel off folksy one-liners and take questions from carefully pre-screened listeners. I might add that in the one hour town hall meeting, Long only fielded five questions, with one of those being specifically about one man's problems with the Veterans Administration.

The latest teletown hall Billy did was on Israel/Iran issues, somewhere around the garage I got the notes I took from that phone call. I do remember there was a lot of talk about bombing Iran.

And that newsletter survey? I saved that too.

I liked Question #7: What is the single biggest impact government has on you and your household?
*Lack of meaningful employment
*Health care costs
*Health insurance availability
*Government regulations
*High taxes
*High energy prices
*Paying for education
*Other___________

Just about what one would expect from the congressman who has been described as a loud, opinionated person who’s thinly veiled racism and misogyny is only superseded by his not-so-thinly veiled hatred of gays.

He says he’s a Christian, but never misses the opportunity to cheer for war, judge his neighbor, applaud the death penalty, and bloviate proudly about how merciless he is.

He fights anything that challenges his fantasy of earned superiority, even if Liberal socialism of Social Security, Medicare, etc. allows him to live in dignity.

He regales you with factually incorrect tales of American history.

He disdains “intellectuals,” and perceives science as a “liberal plot.”

It tickles his brain to hear Paul Ryan paint a picture of millions of lazy bums swinging in the cushy hammock of our social safety-net.

He fears the end of liberty if the government confiscates rich people’s money and they stop “trickling down jobs” on us.

His fear, inflated sense of self-worth, and bigotry cause him to pander to an ideology that opposes progress and places him squarely on the wrong side of history. Here is a list of issues where, from a historical perspective, he is or will be dead wrong:

• Equal rights and opportunity for all races
• Equal rights and opportunity for women
• Equal rights and opportunity for LGBT people
• Minimum wage, child labor laws, sick leave…
• Conservation of natural resources
• Austerity as a path out of recession
• Environmental protection
• Humane treatment of animals
• Freedom of religion
• Reproductive health rights
• Deficit reduction and taxes
• Social Security
• Affordable health care
• Deregulation to produce economic growth.

It would seem to me that if Billy's going to spend in excess of $115,000 on surveys---(“We were overrun with surveys,” Long said, estimating that 1,200 to 1,500 residents took the time to fill out the survey and mail it back) and this survey went to every voter's household in MO7 -- and he only got 1,200 to 1,500 replies-- I would think that someone in his office would tabulate or should tabulate the responses and Billy should know exactly how many he received back.

But that would involve work. It is much easier to brag about your votes on repealing healthcare, repealing funding for Planned Parenthood and National Public Radio, his support of the Fair Tax (thanks Bill Phelps), the Sanctity of Life bill (from fertilization an egg is a person-personhood amendment) and a bill to reduce frivolous transportation lawsuits- than it is to actually govern.

Billy and surveys... what a joke. Frequent bus riders may also remember Springfield News Leader reporter Cory DeVera giving us Billy's response to his written answers on the 'jillions of surveys' he receives: "That's just another out-of-state survey," said Republican candidate for 7th District Billy Long. "We get a jillion of them. There are a bunch of others I don't fill out. I've got my positions listed on my website."

"Just another out-of-state survey" in which Billy Long expressed his support for privatizing the U.S. Postal Service, killing medicare and social security (he voted for the Ryan budget bill, remember) .

I went to Billy's website to read his positions, they are different than what he signed on those surveys.

I wonder if Billy pays the same amount of attention to our survey responses as he says he gives to his survey responses. Remember this? I do.
Let's take a ride on the bus back to September 25, 2010:

The problem here is that Long told the three of us that he is not for raising the Social Security age right now at all. He didn't answer when we asked for clarification.

So we turn to other sources of information about Long, surveys and questionairres he has answered and who he accepted donations from. If he accepts money from NARAL, that is a pretty good indicator his is pro-choice. If he receives an endorsement from PROMO, that is a pretty good indication he is in favor of gay marriage.

Look now at a story in this morning's SN-L about political surveys:

"That's just another out-of-state survey," said Republican candidate for 7th District Billy Long. "We get a jillion of them. There are a bunch of others I don't fill out. I've got my positions listed on my website."

Researchers at Project Vote Smart were "unable to determine how Long stood on privatizing Social Security, capital punishment and regulations to affect climate change."

While we don't know how many surveys or questionnaires the auctioneer/political candidate didn't answer (somehow the number "jillions" seems to be quite the exageration), he did find time to respond questions from two groups that a simple google search picked up: "Citizens Against Government Waste" who said "Billy Long responded to CCAGW’s questionnaire and signed CCAGW’s ‘No Earmark Pledge'.

The auctioneer also answered a survey for "Conservative Congress". He received this group's endorsement also. Conservative Congress supports candidates who seek to dismantle the Department of Education and Social Security.

From the Conservative Congress website:

Conservative Congress supports candidates who are committed to de-regulating and dismantling wasteful federal social agencies and programs. Specifically, Conservative Congress supports candidates who seek to dismantle the Department of Education and Social Security, by and through constructive reforms, and who firmly oppose the expansion of federal control over our nation’s healthcare industry.

In endorsing Billy Long, the Conservative Congress says he is an approved candidate and fully in line with their mission statement.

Long also is a of 'vanguard' member of John Boehner's Freedom Project

By looking at these groups and their positions on Social Security, and their endorsement of Billy Long and his acceptance of their endorsements (remember how Long was all over Goodman for accepting casino donations? I do.) can only mean one of two things:

In tonight's debate Long said he never filled out a survey, the group didn't have a survey.

I guess when Billy Long says he gets "jillions" of surveys it is easy to forget which ones he answered and how he answered them.

Are you "Fed Up" now?

Billy Long "comes out" against gay marriage,

From the Springfield News-Leader's story on local reaction to Obama's statement on gay marriage:

Rep. Billy Long, R-Springfield, a staunch opponent of gay marriage, said Wednesday that he was not surprised by Obama’s remarks.
“When I heard the vice president’s comments last Sunday on ‘Meet the Press,’ I thought something orchestrated was going on,” said Long, referring to Vice President Joe Biden’s comments last week that he was “absolutely comfortable” with same-sex marriage.
“I am not surprised that the other shoe has dropped,” Long said. “I am not in favor of gay marriage.”

But Billy remains quiet on his favorite Swiss Miss and how she has withdrawn her Swiss citizenship. “I took this action because I want to make it perfectly clear: I was born in America and I am a proud American citizen,” she said in a statement. Bachmann’s husband Marcus has dual citizenship.

From April 15,  Billy Long ‏ @auctnr1  twitter feed:

I'm proud @TeamBachmann asked me to speak for & introduce her yesterday at @mncd6gop Convention #Michele #MN6 #MNGOP http://pic.twitter.com/NiaXmo38

Billy Long ‏ @auctnr1

Delivering Keynote tonight at MN6 Nominating Convention dinner w/ Marcus & Michele Bachmann AKA @TeamBachmann http://pic.twitter.com/mCerIePC

Billy's twitter feed seems to have missed  Marco Rubio's "anchor baby" status.

During his rise to political prominence, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) frequently repeated a compelling version of his family’s history that had special resonance in South Florida. He was the son of exiles, he told audiences, Cuban Americans forced off their beloved island after “a thug,” Fidel Castro, took power. But a review of documents — including naturalization papers and other official records — reveals that Rubio’s dramatic account of his family saga embellishes the facts. The documents show that Rubio’s parents came to the United States and were admitted for permanent residence more than 2½ years before Castro’s forces overthrew the Cuban government and took power on New Year’s Day 1959. 

 Funny, Billy sure found the time to tweet about Obama's birth.   

 Billy Long is on Twitter tonight, which means he isn't reading the legislation he promised to read before voting or working to complete his congressional Web site. Long tweets tonight about Obama and the birth certificate:

"And for his next Act" - Now that he found his Birth Certificate can he find a copy of The Constitution?"

If there is a man in America who probably shouldn't be trying to hold someone up to a Constitutional standard it's Congressman Billy Long. Billy was visiting with a lobbyist on the very first day Congress was in session.

Billy also conveniently doesn't tweet about falling gas prices.

Billy remains silent on Mitt's tonsorial activities.

MSNBC's David Corn:  “Let’s be clear here, this was not a prank,” adding “This was even more than bullying. This was an assault. It was violent.”

Corn also made the excellent point that, while an incident from 50 years ago arguably has little relevance to the current-day presumptive Republican presidential nominee’s character, it’s “what the reaction today is that’s where (Romney) is failing the character test.”

 Laughing off violence and violation is the hallmark, not just of the bully, but of the culture that enables them, and make no mistake about it, laughing it off is exactly what Romney is trying to do here, and with a series of obvious lies.

 Last January Long endorsed Romney. Does this mean Long endorses bullying?   Long has also received a $2,000 check from Mitt.

 Remember how Billy came out against gay marriage?

Don't worry Billy, there isn't a self respecting man in America tonight who wants to marry you anyhow.

Well, almost.

Homosexual Activists Bullying Christian Lawmakers Over Bill

From the Missouri Baptist Convention

By BARBARA SHOUN/contributing writer

JEFFERSON CITY–Emails and threatening phone calls have been directed to Rep. Steve Cookson, R-Fairdealing, and those co-sponsoring his bill that would prohibit the discussion of sexual orientation as part of classes on human reproduction in public schools.

The homosexual community has risen up in opposition to House Bill 2051 (HB 2051) and the 19 representatives who have signed onto it. They insist it would have a harmful effect on students struggling with their sexual identity.

“We need to focus on how to get jobs. We want education to be about developing mathematicians and civil engineers. We do not like education to be the place where a political agenda uses it to social engineer our children,” Cookson said.

“We still need to be focusing our dollars toward good subjects and the primary mission.”
Calling for Cookson and other sponsors to withdraw the proposed legislation is a group of 36 representatives, led by Rep. Stacey Newman, D-St. Louis, calling itself the “House Progressive Caucus.”
Cookson said his bill does not target a particular sexual orientation but would ensure that the focus is on the curriculum parents expect their children to learn when they send them to school.

Kerry Messer, legislative liaison for the Missouri Baptist Convention, said that all the bill does is to remove the social engineering regarding the homosexual agenda.

“In 28 years, I have seen over 45,000 bills going through the Legislature. Until today,” he said, “I have never seen one group of legislators publicly call out another group of legislators to remove their names from a bill related to an issue those sponsors believe in.”

Messer said the homosexual network is doing everything it can to harass the 20 representatives who are in support of the bill. “They’re being beaten up with hundreds of harassing phone calls from around the state.”
Messer pointed out that the homosexual lobby is more than the homosexual community. It includes those who have empathy with them, and it is made up of groups who are affiliated based on the sexual fetishes that they hold in common, which may include criminal sexual behavior such as pedophilia, he said.

Cookson, who said he has been threatened as well as harassed, plans to work with House leadership but has no intention of withdrawing the bill or changing his stance on what the 23 words of the bill actually say:
“Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, no instruction, material, or extracurricular activity sponsored by a public school that discusses sexual orientation other than in scientific instruction concerning human reproduction shall be provided in any public school.”

“I am a man of faith,” Cookson said. “I prayed to God before I filed the bill, like I do with other legislation. He gave me the words to accomplish what His goals are, to further His glory. That’s why I filed the bill.”

Fed Up with sandwiches, Billy Long now eats at restaurants with "Mai-tre d's"

Is Billy Long Fed up with sandwiches now too?

"Despite his lack of political experience and his outsider status, Long also seems comfortable in Washington. He's already made a half dozen or so good friends in the first year and seems to enjoy kibitzing with his colleagues (although he avoids Washington's night-time social circuit, preferring to go home for another sandwich and some rest.)"

Apparently not.  Billy's twitter feed from this evening:

1h Billy Long ‏ @auctnr1

#NotAGoodSign when the Maî·tre d' rushes up to your table "Congressman Long do you have a Doctor in your group"? 911 on the way #WashDC

Billy Long ‏ @auctnr1

Clarification - emergency at dinner wasn't at our table, Maî·tre d' was just hoping there was a Doctor amongst us. Another patron w/ stroke

If Billy eats at a this restaurant enough that the "Mai-tre d" knows his name it sort of makes his tale about going "home for another sandwich and some rest" just more Billy Long bullsheet.

Maybe Billy's at Cheers?  But I thought that was in Boston.

Either way, Billy's doing his best Norm imitation again.  He's the re-tweet king tonight.

As Billy said to Steve Grant a while back, "There's been many a slip between the cup and the lip."

Oh yeah, Roy Blunt gave Billy $5,000.00 last week.

YELLOW BREAD

One time there was a fellow names Job Eskin, and he come a-walking up to where the ladies was giving a dinner-on-the-ground at the Methodist Church. Job was a ragged peckerwood and pretty dirty, but you can’t turn people away from a church sociable, no matter if he puts any money in the hat or not. They had fried chicken and vegetables and pies and all the trimmings, but Job didn’t touch nothing but Mary Weatherman’s yellow poundcake. He just cut off slice after slice and put butter on it.You wouldn’t believe that a skinny little old man could eat so much, unless you seen it with your own eyes.

Pretty soon it looked like Job was going to eat the cake plumbn up, and the ladies was getting desperate. So they ask him won’t he please sample the fried chicken and the nice beat bisquits.  “Thank you, ma’am,” says he, “but you just save them things for the high-toned folks.  This here yaller bread is good enough for me.”  In the early days we lived on cornbread mostly, and biscuits made of white flour was something extra fine. Country folks didn’t have biscuits only on Sundays, or when company was a-coming. Job was a good sould, but he didn’t know much.

Finally one of them Ledbetter girls whispered something in Job’s ear. He looked considerable set back, and after that he didn’t gobble no more poundcake, but just et chicken and biscuits like the rest of the boys. Poor Mary Weatherman was plumb sick.  “I don’t mind men actin’ like hogs, because that’s their nature. It’s what that old feller said that’s a-killin’ me!” And with that she began to giggle, and acted like she was going to throw a fit, so she had to be took home in the buggy.

Mary Weatherman was kind of upset for about a week, and then she come out of it and bustled round same as ever. And so did poor old Job Eskin.

Stiff as a Poker, A Collection of Ozark Folk Tales, collected by Vance Randolph.(Originally published as "The Devil's Pretty Daughter".

Told by Mrs. Pearl Spurlock, Branson Mo. The date is missing from my record, but it must have been in the Winter of 1934 or the Spring of 1935.

Mr. J.C. Edwards, Webster Groves, MO., October, 1950, has an almost identical tale which he read in rural Missouri about 1980. (V.R.)

Mary Louise Bansbach Lee April 30, 1928

Happy Birthday MOM!

Mom and Dad, June 1960, 19 St. Charles Place, Shrewsbury MO.  That's our 1960 red and white VW micro bus.  Mom and Dad liked these cars.

Mom sitting in the family room at the house on Jefferson in Springfield, probably mid 1970s.  I think she looks a lot like our sister Ellen here.

Annual Christmas photo taken in the front room 1822 South National, Springfield, MO.  This is now the location of the St. John's parking garage (SE corner National and Sunshine).

Mary Lou and Bob Lee, Spring, 1948.  

Mom, Jim, Tom and Bob, probably winter 1950

 

 

 November, 2003-- Bob, 1947 Tampa FL; Jim, 1949 Springfield, MO; Tom, 1950 St. Augustine FL; Ed, 1960 Ormond Beach, FL; Jane, 1955 Republic, MO; John, 1959 Ormond Beach, FL; Mary, 1953 Ocala, FL; Carol, 1954 Panama City, FL; Joan, 1965 Pleasant Hope, MO: Mary Lou, 1928; Ellen, 1964 Tampa, FL.  This photo was taken at Jane's house on the occasion of my Dad's funeral service. It was the last time all of us children were together.

 

 

 

My Mom, Mary Lou Lee, was the eldest of three sisters, she grew up in Shrewsbury MO on Murdoch Avenue. She and my dad were married for 56 years. She has ten living children, 15 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. She enjoyed working in the dirt and planting flowers, sipping coffee on the deck of her lake cabin, quilting and needlepointing and embroidery. A friend of Bill's for over 25 years, she liked walking through hardware stores and visiting with her family and friends. She had a warm manner and was a sensitive and thoughtful soul. My grandsons have good memories of her. So do I. Happy Birthday, Mom!

Hey Kids! Let's Join Billy's Secret Club! MEMBERS ONLY!

Billy's now got a 'secret club', members only.   On the sidebar of his web page is this message: If you would like to access the members-only areas of the Billy Long for Congress web site or leave us information on how can volunteer, please take the time to share your details with us.

This website, Billy Long for Congress.com is NOT to be confused with Billy's government website long.house.gov

The dot com website does contain, at the bottom of the page, the standard paid for by disclaimer AND a link to Billy's government website:

© 2012 Billy Long. All Rights Reserved. Paid for by Billy Long for Congress, Ron Neville, Treasurer, 88-FEDUP
For all legislative or casework inquiries, please click here.

Billy's secret "Members Only" club reminds me of  Ralphie and his Secret Society decoder pin from the Little Orphan Annie radio show. After weeks of anxious waiting, and missing out on the daily "secret message" (which to a kid appeared very important) Ralphie finally is able to participate. However, he learns a lesson in being ripped off, as the secret message turned out to be an Ovaltine reminder to 'drink more Ovaltine".

Will Billy's secret 'Members Only' message be to "Vote for Billy"?  Or maybe a change to win one of Billy's old jackets?

 

Billy Long in D.C.--- That's Hollywood for Ugly People

 Billy Long attended the White House Correspondence Dinner as the guest of Howard Goller Washington Editor, Reuters Professional News. 

Earlier today, MSNBC had a segment on the WHCD. Included in that segment was this sentence:
"Some say Washington D. C. is Hollywood for ugly people."  or words to that effect

Of all the crowd shots NBC could have chosen to illustrate 'ugly people'.....  well just watch for yourself.


1.  Earlier this year Long was featured as the 'least effective'  congressional tweeter

2.  How much does it cost to drop a bill?  Last April, in an appearance before the Joplin Tea Party (Long told NPR he was 'tea party before tea party was cool'*) in Joplin, MO "The National Auctioneer's Association called the office and they said, "We want you to proclaim the third Saturday in April, which a lot of states already have an auctioneer's day, a lot of cities already have an auctioneer's day. They say, "We'd like for you to 'drop that bill'." The NAA was a major contributor to Long's campaign, giving $5,000 in June 2010 and another $5,000 after Billy dropped the bill. http://bus-plunge.blogspot.com/2011/04/how-much-does-it-cost-to-drop-bill.html

3. Fed up with Billy Long?  So's the Joplin Globe

4. In addition to making Keith Olberman's "Worst Person in the World" --- twice!-- Long's antics while in Washington are discomforting. During the primary, Long tried to pass off his playing in high stakes poker games --some with $25,000 entry fees) as just a way to relax. http://bus-plunge.blogspot.com/2010/10/longs-story-doesnt-jibe-with-casinos.html

5.  Billy is a combination class clown / bully. Recently at a meeting concerning the closing or rural post offices in MO7, Long said,

"You catch a lot more flies with honey than you do with vinegar. So, when you tell stories about me through some of your representatives that I want to privatize the Postal Service, which is an out and out lie, that doesn't help you any with me or my office. So...."

Unfortunately for Long, during the campaign, he did state he was in favor of privatizing the Postal Service, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the TVA. http://bus-plunge.blogspot.com/2012/01/you-can-catch-more-flies-with-honey.html

6.   Still wonder why we're "FED UP"?   "Despite his lack of political experience and his outsider status, Long also seems comfortable in Washington. He's already made a half dozen or so good friends in the first year and seems to enjoy kibitzing with his colleagues (although he avoids Washington's night-time social circuit, preferring to go home for another sandwich and some rest.)" What Billy says he does and what Billy does are sometimes not the same: http://bus-plunge.blogspot.com/2011/04/long-spends-1333-in-campaign-funds-for.html and http://bus-plunge.blogspot.com/2011/06/million-dollar-billy.html

Billy Long straddles the fence on Springfield USPS closing

and we all know what happens when you straddle a fence...

The Springfield News-Leader, in a story Deidre Shesgreen (Bill would spare Springfield mail center) reports from Washington:

WASHINGTON — The Springfield mail processing center would be spared from closing under legislation approved by the Senate on Wednesday to overhaul the U.S. Postal Service.

The Senate bill, passed by a 62 to 37 vote, does not include an outright ban on closing mail processing facilities. But it does include a provision that would bar the USPS from easing its current overnight delivery service requirement, which would have the effect of forcing the USPS to keep Springfield and about 100 other such facilities open.
“The Springfield facility provides good-paying jobs and vital services to the community, and I’m proud the bill the Senate passed would likely keep these folks at work and mail arriving in a timely fashion in the region,” said Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo.

Both Senators McCaskill and Blunt voted for the final bill. (at the bottom of this post you will find a link to what Billy really thinks of Roy Blunt.)

Shesgreen adds that "Rep. Billy Long, R-Springfield, hasn’t taken a position on either the House or the Senate bill. “All the proposals I’ve seen so far use conflicting numbers,” Long said. “I have tried for months to drill down with postal officials and get real numbers. Postal officials have been less than forthcoming to all of my questions to date.”

Of course Billy Long hasn't taken a position on either bills--- these bills would save the Springfield Postal Service Center which is counter to Billy's position, as delineated by his own words, has been all along to privatize the USPS---

On June 10, 2010 Long signed his name signifying his agreement with this statement: "I will support legislation aimed at protecting taxpayers by privatizing government-sponsored corporations and enterprises such as the United States Postal Service, the housing government-sponsored enterprises such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and the Tennessee Valley Authority."

Further, Long added the following handwritten comment: "Entities like the USPS,Fannie and Freddie are proven economic failures that operate at losses constantly. Service and profitability would be enhanced by privatization."

When reminded of his position on privatization, Long said, "You catch a lot more flies with honey than you do with vinegar. So, when you tell stories about me through some of your representatives that I want to privatize the Postal Service, which is an out and out lie, that doesn't help you any with me or my office. So...."

In the later part of March, 2012, Rep. Billy Long’s office issued a statement from the congressman  indicating the congressman was supportive of keeping the USPS facility in Springfield open and running at capacity.

“I am deeply disappointed with the decision by the United States Postal Service,” Long stated. “As I have said all along, I want to make sure the Springfield Processing and Distribution Center got a fair shake during the evaluation process. I do not believe it did.”Long indicated he has a number of questions about the closing plan.

“I am not pleased with the Postal Service’s process and their apparent lack of care and concern,” Long commented. “I still have many questions left unanswered, such as why the Postal Service wants to close a facility in the fastest growing part of the state, and that is why I have asked the Postal Service Inspector General to conduct an investigation."

http://bus-plunge.blogspot.com/2012/03/congressman-billy-long-is-liar-date-set.html

Hot diggity dog, Billy, hot diggity dog!

btw-- the Washington Post quoted our congressman "Just call me Billy" in a story earlier this week that didn't seem to fit in the local papers:

Summing up the attitude of many freshmen, Rep. Billy Long (R-Mo.), a former auctioneer, reportedly told lobbyists early last year that party elders such as Boehner and Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), a former House leader, should not be trusted. “John Boehner and Roy Blunt are what’s wrong with Washington,” he said. Bret Funk, Long’s spokesman, said Sunday: “Rep. Long denies this incident ever took place and has nothing but the utmost respect for both Speaker Boehner and Senator Blunt.”

http://bus-plunge.blogspot.com/2012/04/billy-longs-explanation-of-why-he-gave.html

Billy Long doesn't trust Roy Blunt? Coulda fooled me!

Freshman showdowns with GOP legislators, Washington Post article by Paul Kane:

Summing up the attitude of many freshmen, Rep. Billy Long (R-Mo.), a former auctioneer, reportedly told lobbyists early last year that party elders such as Boehner and Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), a former House leader, should not be trusted. “John Boehner and Roy Blunt are what’s wrong with Washington,” he said. Bret Funk, Long’s spokesman, said Sunday: “Rep. Long denies this incident ever took place and has nothing but the utmost respect for both Speaker Boehner and Senator Blunt.”

From the bus garage, September 2010: Billy Long's Explanation On Why He Made A $1,000.00 Campaign Donation To Career Politician Roy Blunt. Could It Be He's Not That "FED UP"?
This morning, I had the opportunity to attend the inaugural stop on the Billy Long Business tour. It was at the Trailliner truck lines terminal on East Blaine here in Springfield.

According to the article that was in yesterday's paper, Long encouraged members of the community to turn out for discussion of business issues.

So, at 9:30 this morning I showed up at Trailliner. As did two other people. One was there because she was concerned about Social Security and the environment. The other guy, a known Democrat, was there because, as Myron Cohen said, "Everybody got to be someplace." It was just the six of us: The owner of Trailliner; A Long campaign aide; Long; the woman; the man; and me. No other members of the community showed up. No Republicans showed up either.

We had a very nice tour of the Trailliner facitities. The owner was very friendly as he showed us his operation, of which he was justifiably proud.

After the tour ended, the members of the community present (all three of us) had some questions for Billy Long.

I specifically wanted to ask Long about that thousand dollar donation he gave to Roy Blunt's PAC, Friends of Roy Blunt, in November of last year.

Here is an exchange I had with Long: (The donation can be followed on Opensecrets.org)

Jim Lee (JL): Billy, I wanna ask you, I do wanna ask you a serious question because you campaigned against career politicians.

Billy Long (BL): Right.

JL: And, and on November 23, you gave a thousand dollar donation to, to Roy Blunt’s Friends of Roy Blunt. And yet you campaigned against career politicians. Is that, how is that in keeping with you’re against career politicians by giving a thousand dollars to a career politician?

BL: He’s got a lot more conservative voting record than people that he’s going to be running against on the Democrat side. At that time, I mean we didn’t know who his opponent was gonna be, for sure, we figured it’d probably be and he’s got a lot more conservative voting record.

Female: I don’t think he’s conservative at all.

JL: But I, you ran against career politicians and you’re giving money to help keep a career politician in Washington.

BL: Carnahans are not career politicians?

JL: I’m not, I’m talking about your donation to Roy Blunt for a thousand dollars.

BL: Right.

JL: When you campaigned against career politicians and you gave money to help keep a career politician , specifically Roy Blunt, in Washington, which seems to be the antithesis of what you campaigned for in the primary. You were “Fed Up” with career politicians.

BL: I’m “Fed Up” with everything that’s going on in D.C.

JL: What, then why are you giving money to keep Roy Blunt up there?

BL: I think that he’s more conservative and a better choice than Robin Carnahan.

JL: So then you’re really not “Fed Up” with career politicians.

BL: You’re putting words in my mouth.

JL: No. no. I. I’m trying to, I’m trying to follow this train of thought. If, if, if, if a tea party guy in Branson, Missouri’s against career politicians and he’s got your sign in the dairy queen building down there and I know where that building is, it’s next to where O’Reilly’s used to be and he’s voting for you because he’s “Fed Up” with career politicians and then you’re giving money to career politicians. It, it, it, it doesn’t, there’s a disconnect. Why didn’t you give the money to Purgason? I mean, Purgason was a tea party guy.

BL: silence.

Male: Chuck got real, he took off his toupee.

(minor discussion about Chuck Purgason and his toupee)

JL: But those are the kind of questions I have and those are the kind of questions when I’ve got to hold your feet to the fire.

At this point the conversation drifted into other areas.