When Billy Long got up on the House floor and went into auctioneer mode, another Billy Long truth was realized. Billy Long has got to be the center of attention. Since going to Washington, Long has gone out of his way to ensure he might one day be a ringmaster of the established career politicians in Washington DC that make up the freak show known as the irresponsible United States Congress.
For thirty years as an auctioneer in Springfield, Missouri, Billy Long's bigger than life ego was the center of attention. Whether it be directing auctions or his time as the morning drive host on KWTO, Long always had the eyes on him. So it should be no wonder, despite telling the Springfield News-Leader he doesn't run to camera and microphone every time one is offered to him, that Long clearly wants to be seen on the national stage, which is why he has embraced the same career politicians he ran claiming he was fed up of. Look at who Long went out of his way to get pictures with when he got to Washington to send back to his constituents--look at me! I'm with Nancy Pelosi.
We know now, thanks to Long's first bill proposed, Long is building his own legacy in Washington, a legacy of self promotion in a time where we need the best minds in Washington who are working for "WE THE PEOPLE" not "them the politicians." Long has yet to produce one spending cut in the House. He has only supported more and more government whether it be a day to set aside National Auctioneers Day or co-sponsoring bills that give bureaucracies like the Department of Homeland Security more power--like in the If You See Something Say Something Act.
It's not just auctioneer day that shows Long's continuation of having to be the center of attention, like he has been for his 30 years in the business world, it's how Long always seems to have a clever sound bite rehearsed to feed the mainstream media while saying little more. It's enough to get his name in papers and get people saying the name Billy Long, but the sound bites do nothing to solve Washington's ills. You may remember some of these sound bites.
I was "Tea Party before Tea Party was cool." Or after skipping the reading of the Constitution on the House floor to meet with a lobbyist, Billy Long told reporters, his "pocket Constitution is rode hard and put up wet."
These by no means are classic American quotes that will be long remembered in America's history book, because they are all insincere. They are more of this look at me mentality that has kept Long in the spotlight over the last 30 years of his life. That's what Long's tenure in Congress is proving to be, a study in self-promotion.
Last week, The Hill blog wrote that Billy Long Auctions LLC is still owned by Billy Long. The auction business has been an interesting story in the tale of Long the politician and Congressman. Long went on KZRG saying look at me, look at me, I am having to make a sacrifice of my rich lifestyle to go to Washington and serve the people of Southwest Missouri--they are making me sell my business.
A few days before Long won his quest for Congress, he began another look at me campaign. This time it was oh poor me, because I am going to Washington I am having to give up my life's work. Long quickly silenced himself of these complaints, probably hoping that people would soon forget his promise to sell his businesses--and furthermore, he turned over an enemies list to the FBI hoping people that were critical of him would shut their mouths, probably so the sell of the auction company and Murney Associates would soon be forgotten about.
The Hill's article led Breitbart's Big Government to question what is the status of Billy Long's auction business and his 1/3 share in Murney Associates. Breitbart reporter Bob McCarty sent Long's office multiple requests asking for insight about the status of the sale. McCarty went ignored for two weeks until Bret Funk finally address McCarty's concerns.
“Apologies Bob, we are initially focusing on our district press for media requests. Please keep us in mind in the future.”
Oh really? About that same time Long was able to show his ringmaster abilities to a reporter working for an Ohio firm, clearly not living in Long's Seventh District. In a controlled setting, Long was able to prove himself as one of the more interesting critters on Capitol Hill.
"That evening we heard from Congressman Billy Long, a freshman from Missouri. Long is quite a character, coming from a career as an auctioneer, and he understands that a big part of his job is to work at reducing the deficit and the size of government."
The same talking points of self-promotion that Long has delivered for over two years given to a reporter who doesn't live in Long's Seventh District. Mr. Funk, do you care to issue an apology to Mr. McCarty?
I think the ultimate form of self-promotion comes from Long's claim he is Tea Party. Yesterday, Billy Long addressed the Joplin Tea Party. Unsure of what John Putnam, one of the faces of the Joplin Tea party, is thinking, having invited a Congressman who launched a war against his critics, abusing his federal power to crush the First Amendment using the FBI to intimidate his critics, as well as Long's decision to vote for the Patriot Act and federal funding for NASCAR teams along with other poor decisions of Long's in his short time in Congress, Long took center stage at the Tea Party. Front and center Long stood in front of the Tea Party crown creating this illusion he is Tea Party, which is nothing more than an uncommitted self-promotion of the man who needs to be in the spotlight.
When it was all over, Busplunge reports Long ignored the same reporters his staff claims Long is focused on. Jim Lee writes, "Reports are filtering in that following his remarks at the Joplin Tea Party, Rep. Long skirted past four local reporters set up to ask questions and quickly left the area."
Recently when Long came under fire for co-sponsoring HR607, a bill that would create a federal emergency broadband frequency (which might be tied to the Internet kill switch), Long told the News-Leader he didn't realize the bill confiscated frequencies from HAM radio operators. Long obviously didn't read the bill before co-sponsoring it, and he admitted he co-sponsored the bill because Peter King (R-NY) asked him to.
When the HAM radio operators expressed their concerns as Long came under fire, Congressman Long met with them. No press was allowed to attend the meeting. Showing once again that Long pushes away the press when it's likely who won't be portrayed positively. Yet Bret Funk says Long is focused on district reporters as time and again they are shut out of the story.
It doesn't get any clearer than this. Long is clearly about self-promotion. He doesn't like criticism or to be challenged in anyway. He goes out of his way to ignore reporters when they ask tough questions that may produce criticism. When Long has a sound bite rehearsed that will get him in the papers, he never fails to find a reporter. Reporters in Southwest Missouri, who Long is supposedly focused on according to Bret Funk, tell me Long ignores them like the plague. Write a story that challenges Long, and getting access to the Congressman will be nearly impossible. That's the greatest sign that Billy Long's tenure in Congress is about self-promotion--expanding Long's already bigger than life ego. Long has a history of running to the media when he wants to self promote himself, but he offers little insight when he is on the hot seat. Isn't that something all Americans are fed up with?
