Congressman Billy Long Skips Reading of Constitution in the House Today

Congressman Billy Long skipped today's important reading of the Constitution. Despite the Republican effort to ensure Congress understands the Constitution and follow its words by reading it today, Congressman Long decided he had better things to do. Better things to do than to work with Republican leadership to ensure the new mood in Washington follows this important document? Yes, it's true.

Despite Billy Long's claim in the Wall Street Journal about his dedication to the Constitution, rode hard and put up wet, Long wasn't even in the Capitol. Instead, he was in his office on Longfellow with former Lieutenant Governor Bill Phelps, which Long gave away by tweeting while the Constitution was being read in the House of Representatives.

Long sent a tweet out at 10:27 am that identified he was not at the Constitution reading. That tweet has been removed from Long's Twitter page from what I can see; however, despite the fact that I am blocked from following Congressman Long on Twitter, all of his new tweets show up as text messages on my telephone. The following tweet was sent at 10:27 am, and probably removed once word started to spread Congressman Long was not at the Constitution reading.

auctnr1: Good to see Lt. Gov. Bill Phelps who just dropped in the office to talk Fair Tax.

Busplunge blogger Jim Lee immediately called Billy Long's office to verify he was not at the Constitution reading today. The following is the phone call Lee made Billy Long's new Congressional office in Washington DC:



Busplunge noted the following on his blog:

Where was Billy Long during the reading of the US Constitution in the House Chamber?

I was watching C-Span and the reps reading the US Constitution on the house chamber floor.

I saw Vicki Hartzler read her sentence, I heard a lot of reps read their sentences. I also saw a lot of empty seats which led me to post this tweet on twitter at around 11:20 AM:

Billy has constantly told us folks down here in MO 7 how important the constitution is to him and how he carries his rode hard and put away wet copy in his hip pocket.

So, when I didn't see him in the chambers during the reading, I thought he might be in the restroom, or maybe taking a break in the house lounge or perhaps in the house cafeteria getting a quick sugar fix or even in the lobby outside John Boehner's office trolling for reporters.

WRONG!

HE WASN'T EVEN IN THE BUILDING!Eight minutes later after my tweet, my Congressman, Bill Long, tweeted this:HE WASN'T EVEN IN THE BUILDING!

Ah jeez.

I just called Billy Long's office to express my disapproval that he wasn't even in the building during the reading of the constitution. The person I spoke to told that Billy had a previous appointment with Mr. Phelps. Billy's tweet makes it appear that Phelps just dropped in to see Billy.

What gives Congressman Long?

Congressman Billy Long's Art Contest?: I Thought Billy Long Was Fed Up Of Wasteful Government Spending

Someone please tell Billy Long he has no Constitutional authority to waste taxpayers dollars on art contests--even if it is "for the children." Do I need to remind him the children are being left with $14 trillion in debt all because someone feels the need in Washington DC to create a "feel good" environment?

What am I talking about? Well, I go to check out Congressman Billy Long's new Congressional Web site, which is quite nice, especially compared to Senator Claire McCaskill's mess of a Web site. When I get there the words "Art Competition" stand out. Art competition? Who sent "fed up" Billy Long to Congress to encourage federal art contests? I thought he was "fed up" of this wasteful spending? Surely we can have national art contests in this country without the federal government getting involved, which they have no Constitutional authority to participate in--at least I can't find it in the 18 enumerated powers.

Congressman Long's Art Competition page reads:

Each spring, a nation-wide high school arts competition is sponsored by the Members of the U.S. House of Representatives. The Artistic Discovery Contest is an opportunity to recognize and encourage the artistic talent in the nation, as well as in our congressional district.

The Artistic Discovery Contest is open to all high school students in the 7th District. The over-all winner of our district's competition will be displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol. The exhibit in Washington will also include artwork from other contest winners nation-wide.

Art works entered in the contest may be up to 32 inches by 32 inches (including the frame) and may be up to 4 inches in depth. The art work may be

• Paintings - including oil, acrylics, and watercolor
• Drawings - including pastels, colored pencil, pencil, charcoal, ink, and markers
• Collage
• Prints - including lithographs, silkscreen, and block prints
• Mixed Media
• Computer Generated Art
• Photography

All entries must be an original in concept, design and execution.

The Congressional Art Competition began in 1982 to provide an opportunity for members of Congress to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of their young constituents. Since then, over 650,000 high school students have been involved with the nationwide competition.

If you would like more information on the annual Congressional District Art Competition - including this year's deadlines - please submit the following form.

How much federal money are we paying as taxpayers to hire judges or to hang and maintain the art? Are taxpayers buying frames and other display hardware for this art? I think we need answers from "fed up" Billy.

Now I am going to keep my eyes open for votes in which Long approves money for the National Endowment for the Arts, because many of these youngsters who submit their art will soon become federal beggars looking for a grant paid for by taxpayers and delivered by the National Endowment of the Arts.