Sarah Steelman's Comical Endorsement Letter of Billy Long

As you know, last week Billy Long received another endorsement from an established politician. This time it was Sarah Steelman, which furthers the question, can Billy Long stand on his own two feet if he gets to Washington, or will these established politicians attaching their name to this simpleton control Billy Long. The big career politician producing machine of the Republican party has come out in full force to support Billy Long, the candidate who on the campaign trail curses their very nature. Even today, we find out how Billy Long has looked away from James Harris big spending lobbyist days to bring him on as a key staff member and strategist. The Billy Long on the campaign trail looks much different than the Billy Long who stands in front of Joe Six Pack claiming to be a self-made man who will represent the average guy.

I think it's important we look at Sarah Steelman's rhetoric the Long campaign posted in form of a letter on their Web site.


Dear Friend:

Ronald Reagan said, “They say we offer simple answers to complex problems. Well, perhaps there is a simple answer — not an easy answer — but simple.”

Notice, like Billy Long quickly name drops in his stump speeches, Steelman name drops Ronald Reagan's name immediately. While Reagan's words are admired and I hold them dear to my heart, Billy Long is no Ronald Reagan. With Billy, a simpleton stands before Southwest Missouri, influenced by insiders as we see with today's story of lobbyist and Long strategist James Harris lobbying for $100 million in tax credits for the city of St. Louis.

The truth is we knew who Ronald Reagan is, and he proposed simple answers to complex problems that worked. With Billy Long, he says one thing to the people but behind closed doors, he is everything he claims he isn't. This is why he has run a big money campaign, used a career politician producing machine to get elected, cursed earmarks even though he has sought them in the past for wasteful spending projects, and even cursed other Republicans like Matt Blunt while on the radio for his 2005 Medicaid spending spot. I wonder if Steelman even knows the real Billy Long or if she's just been promised a job or knows she will have great influence over this simple man and political dunce.

Steelman goes on to write:

The country’s total federal debt is at $13.2 trillion and rising. Stop spending. The government is too big. Cut red-tape and needless regulations, spending and programs. There are millions of illegal immigrants streaming into our country. Secure our borders. Our unemployment rate is over 9 percent for the last year. Cut tax rates and let small business invest and expand their own business. Uncertainty in the economy is stifling growth. Quit passing new laws and regulations that include tax and fee increases, mandates for healthcare and who knows what else are in those 5000 page bills ! Simple answers that have eluded Congress. But in less than a week you will have a chance to help change the direction of our Great Country.

If you believe Billy Long has the ability to change this think again. We already know Billy Long is addicted to other peoples' money just by looking at his outrageous campaign spending, which last quarter sent over 75% of his total spending outside of the Seventh District. Steelman talks about jobs, but Billy Long didn't care about Southwest Missouri jobs when he decided to use a Washington, DC, media company to develop his television ads rather than look at local companies like the other candidates did.

What about the $3 million earmark Billy Long sought to build the SGF bus terminal for the old terminal that would soon be closed down? Long has no record of standing up against wasteful government spending. Like I said earlier, he attacked Governor Blunt on KWTO for cutting Missouri Medicaid and eliminating fraud. Long's promises are just rhetoric based on the political temperature of the day, but he has no history of actually standing up against federal spending. Just words. That's all Long has given us. As you know, words are easier than actions.

Steelman continues:

I hope you will consider voting for Billy Long for Congress. The way I see it is we need someone who is not part of the political establishment. We need someone who loves his country and is willing to put his country before himself; before his party; before politics as usual; before special interest groups; before lobbyists; and before his colleagues in Congress. We need someone who will put YOU before money and power and influence.

With all due respect Ms. Steelman, if Billy Long isn't part of the political establishment, would you please explain all his trips to Washington, DC, over the recent months. Do you really want us to believe he went out there to enjoy the grand opening of the "social Safeway?" Then would you also explain to me why Billy Long promised voters he would run a grassroots campaign and then went and hired James Harris and Jeff Roe, who are in the business of building the same career politicians Billy Long curses. Do you have any integrity Ms. Steelman when you try to pass this idea Billy Long isn't a part of the political establishment when all signs point to Billy Long seeking direction from the political establishment?

Ms. Steelman, if you want a candidate who isn't part of the political establishment, then you need to look at Jeff Wisdom, Michael Wardell, or Mike Moon. This idea Billy Long is an outsider, especially now since we see the political cronyism of Jeff Roe's ties in yours and Mike Huckabee's endorsement of Long is laughable at best. By the way Sarah, why should we listen to someone who is part of the political establishment tell us we shouldn't be voting for the political establishment? Obviously, this wouldn't be the case had you decided to run for Roy Blunt's seat.

We need someone who will stand strong and have the courage of his convictions. Who won’t cave into the pressure from special interest groups begging for more taxpayer money or lobbyists needing special exemptions or tax breaks for their clients. We need someone who has the guts to CUT government programs and spending and reduce the debt. We need someone who is willing to consult with the people of the 7th district to find answers and solve problems. I have talked to 6 of the seven candidates running on the republican ticket for Congress in the Seventh Congressional District, and there are several I admire. But I don't think any of the other candidates have shown the independence or the spirit of Billy Long.

Courage Ms. Steelman? You mean courage like hiring a Columbia lobbyist to run his campaign only to attack his opponents with the same $100 million tax credit James Harris sought and influenced state legislators for? Courage would have been telling Harris to go find a new job because he doesn't represent what Billy Long stands for.

Courage would have been not spinning the earmark Billy Long sought and approved to spend while on the airport board. Courage would have been yes, I sought and approved to spend that federal money whether it was an earmark or grant, and I was wrong in doing so and it opened my eyes. Rather, the Long campaign chose to play with words and not call it an earmark but a federal grant despite it being wasteful government spending.

Courage would be engaging me in a Constitutional conversation rather than run off in front of the Gilioz during the Claire McCaskill healthcare town hall meeting last August, and then come begging me to take this site down, even going as far as promising me a job in his campaign if I was to remove this site.

No politician on the ballot is responsible for this site. It was the fact Billy Long ran way from my Constitutional question while he was out slapping stickers on people in front of the Giloz that led to the creation of this site Ms. Steelman. Yet, you claim this man has courage.

Other's have gotten this treatment as well as Long is often the first candidate out the door at forums to avoid the tough questions the voters have this election cycle. Yet, you promise us Long will listen to us if he gets the chance to. At the last Greene County Pachyderm club, Billy Long gave us my dad was a furniture salesman and I flunked out of Mizzou to go to auction school. Long didn't take questions from the Pachyderms, which I hear is customary after you are invited to speak in front of the group. He rushed off the stage.

An attendee went up to ask him a question, and he told the man he wasn't taking question there and that he needed to e-mail him. Why is that Ms. Steelman if Billy Long is truly the man with the simple answers Ronald Reagan was blessed with? Where are the answers coming from?

Billy Long loves our country and I believe he has the courage to stand up to the establishment to pursue those simple but hard answers in order to restore individual freedom. His experience outside of politics will give him a different perspective than the current Congressional vision. The people of the 7th Congressional District represent the Best of America – hardworking, God fearing people who take care of each other; People who understand the blessings of freedom and the power that comes from letting individuals pursue their dreams; People who understand what is at stake in this election. Please consider casting your very important vote for Billy Long for Congress.

Sincerely,
Sarah Steelman

Billy Long loves our country, well Barack Obama says he loves our country to. That's obviously not a reason to get a vote. Billy Long never laced up combat boots like I have and was willing to put his life on the line like Jeff Wisdom, Michael Wardell, and myself as well as thousands of veterans in Southwest Missouri and in our country. While I understand we have an all-volunteer force, that willingness to give your life for country is the greatest sacrifice one can make for their country. In Steelman's letter, it's really meaningless rhetoric. Like I said, how many times have you heard Barack Obama say he loves our country.

Where was Billy Long in recent years standing up against big government? As a tea party member, I never saw Billy Long at the first tea parties in February and April. On KWTO, he often praised Claire McCaskill while attacking Matt Blunt, even when Blunt cut state spending.

There are other candidates far more educated and ready to deal with our nation's issues than Billy Long who also haven't been involved in politics. They offer solutions while Billy Long sits at candidate forums lost, just like when Billy Long didn't have an answer for the question on Afghanistan in Joplin, even though declaring war is a duty of Congress, or Long's clueless response on education in Ozark, which Long had no idea what 'Race to the Top' meant, which is Obama's plan to replace George W. Bush's 'No Child Left Behind."

I just don't understand this fascination with Billy Long as a candidate. He has given the same stump speech adding names like Mel Hancock, Mike Huckabee, and Missouri Right to Life in it over the election cycle, but I just don't hear these solutions you speak of Ms. Steelman. Maybe you could elaborate before your credibility is totally flushed down the drain. As a conservative, I am not impressed with you Ms. Steelman.