Dyer set to challenge Barrett
from the August 20, 2008 edition of the Aiken Standard
By MIKE GELLATLY
Staff writer
The woman challenging Congressman Gresham Barrett for his third district seat believes the incumbent has neglected the interests of his constituents over those of big money lobbyists.
Former Air Force Pilot and mother of two, Democratic candidate Jane Dyer is challenging Barrett, she says, on a campaign that represents the view of working people of South Carolina.
“Our current Congressman has voted against the interests of the people of our District and helped oil companies, pharmaceutical companies and the health insurance industry,” she said. His stance and voting record are opposing investment in the people of our district.”
Dyer, currently a pilot with Fed-Ex, is focussing [sic] her campaign on three specific areas where she feels the incumbent is lacking.
“The biggest issue right now is energy,” she said. “Gas prices are entirely too high.”
The 1981 Clemson graduate believes real investment in clean, alternative energy is needed with a view to bringing research and development jobs to her district.
She believes that South Carolina’s Washington delegation have paid lip service to alternative fuels while voting against “every alternative energy bill.”
The challenger’s second major focus is that of healthcare. Reform of the insurance and healthcare systems are needed, she says stating that the current system makes care “less available to more people.”
“I recently met a nurse at a local doctor’s office,” she said. “She told me how she and her family could not afford health coverage… it’s appalling.”
Dyer proposes a private industry/public program blend that she sees as best to repair the system. She said she was open to suggestions of what that might be but offered no definitive plan.
On this subject, as the others, Dyer criticized Barrett for “cutting medicare, tricare and payments to doctors over as they felt the money needed to go to the insurance companies.”
“Everybody should have affordable healthcare,” she said. “But we don’t want a system that discourages children from entering the medical field.”
Coming from a military household, as Dyer and her husband are both former Air Force pilots, the congressional challenger says she is a proud supporter of the military.
On Iraq, Dyer believes entering into conflict was a terrible mistake, and that now is the time to have dialogue with that country’s leaders to begin their taking over control.
“The people want us to leave and leave as soon as possible,” she said. “It’s just a priority we cannot maintain any longer.”
Linking the conflicts Dyer stressed that the biggest mistake made by going into Iraq was avoiding a full assault on Afghanistan’s Taliban and Al Quida [sic].
Dyer said she hopes her previous leadership experience in the military and the private sector, as well as her local upbringing give her the experience for the office she seeks.
