News-Leader editorial: Billy Long vote to shut down government was extreme

The Springfield News-Leader Editorial Board did not appreciate Seventh District Congressman Billy Long's vote last Friday against the budget deal. In an editorial in today's edition, Long's vote was referred to as "extreme."

Long has not yet decided whether to support the final bill on this year's budget, which is due for a vote this week.

But we hope he and others in Congress support it so we can move on to the larger debate.

We agree Congress and the president have already wasted valuable time in a game of brinksmanship -- and we fear they will do it again on a critical bill to raise the federal debt ceiling.

"If there is a vote to raise the debt ceiling, it needs to come with spending cuts and budget reforms to be taken seriously," Long said.

On that, we agree.

But let's avoid threats of a government shutdown and moves that appeal only to those on the extremes.

Instead, we hope Long starts listening to folks in the middle.