Hobble Foot Billy, Juvenile Diabetes, and James Madison

Months of running from tough policy questions has taken its toll on Congressman Long. The News Leader reports the hefty Congressman is wearing a walking cast to heal broken bones in his foot. The stress of having to be accountable to voters may be the reason Billy Long has stress fractures in his foot. Poor Billy. It's just not a fair world. Long says he broke his foot during a parade, but I think running from voters' questions probably had something to do with it too.



Run Forest Run!

Anyway, Congressman Long was in Southwest Missouri yesterday holding a number of meetings, including a meeting with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. I am sure the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation does good things for Southwest Missouri, but this meeting sets up a predicament for Congressman Long.

Jessica Hickok, who has type 1 diabetes, and others from the local chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation told Long they want his support for funding for research about diabetes.

While seeking funds from Congress may seem like the normal thing to do, and Congressmen allocating funds for such a cause may seem noble, I remind Mr. Long he ran on a no earmark, fed-up of wasteful government spending platform. If he is serious about cutting federal spending and cutting the national debt, he best not lead Hickok and the foundation on and he best not break his promises to be fiscally responsible. For those of you who believe this is heartless, well I will share with you a story about the great James Madison, on of the founding fathers and the most influential of Constitution drafters.

In 1794, six years after the ratification of the US Constitution, our Congress already began stretching the limits of their power. Congress appropriated $15,000 to help French refugees who fled from rebellion in San Domingo to Baltimore and Philadelphia. James Madison stood up and addressed the Congress. His words powerful--full of Constitutional wisdom, mainly that it's not the job of the federal government to provide welfare.

"I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents."

Mr. Long, rather than pander to these people and hint that you are willing to allocate federal dollars for their cause, I would like you to lay your finger on one of those Constitutions you handed out at the event and tell which article of the Constitution grants a right to Congress to fund charities and help develop cures for diseases.

I know it sounds cold, but if Congressman Long was truthful with these people and intends to live up to his campaign promises, he would have delivered a speech similar to Madison's. Then he would have taken out his own personal checkbook and wrote out a big check to the foundation explaining he will take the lead and encourage other Americans to make donations noting at this time our federal government is broke.