The TEA Party and Billy Long

Billy Long tweeted today after leaving the Branson, Missouri, TEA Party headquarters. He complimented their volunteers after dropping by. This leaves open the question, why would the tea party support Billy Long?

The TEA Party demands accountability and transparency in government. Billy Long provides neither in his campaign. He is running from debates, making it nearly impossible for question and answer sessions, and avoiding the media. My question for TEA partiers is simple, based on your platform, why is this acceptable when your platform is based on a lack of trust of our elected officials in Washington, both Republican and Democrats.

Sure, I bet Billy Long is a real nice guy when he stops by your headquarters, but does he allow you a real look inside the candidate? Does he let you see that he is part of the establishment most TEA partiers are sick of as they are looking to return to a government that is held accountable? This is what I don't understand about Southwest Missouri TEA partiers, who appear to support Billy Long for Congress.

You want someone with a real record of standing up against government while demanding accountability and transparency, Scott Eckersley is clearly that candidate. What the D behind his name upsets you? Well, don't let it. Eckersley is on record telling other Democrats he will oppose Nancy Pelosi as speaker and he would not have voted for Obamacare. He was once a Republican before being cast out of the party for trying to clean it up.

So what is it about Billy Long that TEA partiers embrace? I just don't get it. He is part of the same establishment that has grown the federal government over the last ten years. He is embracing as he shows Southwest Missouri he is no longer fed up with career politicians while he welcomes their endorsement.

This TEA partier has never seen Billy Long as a true TEA party patriot. He is ignorant when it comes to our Constitution and the serious issues facing this country, and it's going to take leadership beyond a no earmark pledge to lead this country past its current woes. Billy Long represents big money establishment politics, and it sure doesn't make sense that any TEA party member would embrace Billy Long without demanding he reveal himself through the debate process.