‘Conservative Congress,’ Long attempt to clarify positions on Social Security

Long and Eckersley, during the KSN Debate last Wednesday. (Photo/Blake James)

(SPRINGFIELD, Mo.) An endorsement that went unnoticed in the primary got a whole lot of attention last this week during the seventh congressional debates.

Conservative Congress, a right-wing group based on the east coast, threw it’s support behind Billy Long (and others) during the heated primary to fill outgoing Roy Blunt’s seat. Long ‘passed’ every issue.

Eckersley said during both debates last week there was a survey Long filled out for the group that suggested Long wanted to dismantle social security.

While there wasn’t a survey, there was a specific issues statement that the group said candidates it supports were in line with.

Nick Brown, Co-founder of the group, told The Fuse Joplin (who broke the story on the endorsement), “The questions that we ask were fairly specific so there wasn’t a lot of leeway to wiggle out of answering the question or confirming where they stand on an issue.”

Now, the group is clarifying.

“The organization recognizes that the solution to this issue is not a silo of a single idea, but that there may be many solutions and many ideas that can lead the country out of the current status quo,” said Brown.

“Mr. Long clearly understands what Mr. Eckersley and many others on the left do not: that Social Security in its current form will take ‘social security’ away from seniors faster than any reform Mr. Long or Conservative Congress could suggest,” he said.

On the group’s website, they advocate dismantling of the federal Department of Education and the Social Security program. “Conservative Congress supports candidates who are committed to de-regulating and dismantling wasteful federal social agencies and programs.”

It clarified, late this week, to sa it supported state’s rights on both of the issues.

Long, in a statement, said, “The truth is Billy believes we need to honor our commitment to our seniors. Billy is not going to try to ‘dismantle’ Social Security. He won’t change benefits or increase retirement age for those who are already retired or close to retirement. What he will do is work for reforms that will ensure Social Security will still be around for future generations.”

Eckersley’s own position includes keeping a “commitment to seniors,” leaving “all options on the table.”

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