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Jane Dyer

ANDERSON — A pelting rain might have dampened attendance, but not the passion brought Wednesday to an Easley woman's Congressional campaign stop at an Anderson restaurant.

Jane Dyer, Democrat hopeful for the District 3 Congressional seat held by Republican Gresham Barrett, talked politics as she sat at a table at the Old Country Smokehouse on North Main Street, eating barbecue and sharing birthday cake with a restaurant employee.

“Number one, we are in a financial meltdown,” Dyer said during a spirited discussion about her hopes for the future. “The hands-off attitude of President (George W.) Bush and Rep. Barrett got us there.”

After talking for about two hours to any listener, Dyer was off to her next stop, one of 30 towns in a month.

Jim Roach, manager of the restaurant, saying it “is always wonderful” when candidates drop in to the business, attributed the small crowd Wednesday to a lack of advertising of the event.

Reached by telephone in Washington, D.C., Collene Mangone, communications director for Barrett, said she is “not sure responsibility falls at the foot of any individual,” cited Barrett's attempts to improve regulation of sub-prime lending, attempts to regulate mortgage lenders Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae and two attempts at introducing legislation to require federal agencies to review outdated regulations.

If elected to Congress, Dyer would advocate alternative energy, a balanced budget, letting Iraq pay its way to allow troop withdrawal, affordable and accessible health care, revision of the federal No Child Left Behind Act education law and fair pay for women, she said. She said her Air Force pilot training and commercial service as a captain of a FedEx jet taught her to maintain order and play by the rules.

“I will advocate Congressional oversight, policies that work and reasonable regulations (of mortgage lenders, insurance companies and banks),” she said.

“I am not a maverick,” said Dyer, talking a jab at the Republican presidential campaign of Sen. John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin. “I am a stand for the right kind of thing person.”

Mangone questioned Dyer's “accurate representation of (Barrett's) record.”

Saying the country could face up to a year to recover from recent action that has authorized $700 billion to stabilize the economy, Dyer said she would use her experience as a military and commercial pilot, her belief in America's ingenuity and teamwork to lead the nation to turn the corner if elected to office.

According to Barrett's Web site, he issued a public statement on Sept. 29 regarding an initial version of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008.

"The long-term success of the American economy has always been based on a free market system that rewards innovation, entrepreneurship and private participation," Barrett said. "I voted no on the legislation brought to the floor of the House of Representatives today because it would have begun the federalization of the private markets and forever changed the face of (America’s) free market system, leading to broad and lasting negative consequences for the American taxpayer, businessman and consumer.” It is critical that our government take steps to support our economic framework through these difficult times and I am committed to continue working with my colleagues on solutions that get us through this difficult time while preserving the free market principles that must continue to guide our economy."

The House defeated the measure.

About a week later, the Senate passed another measure to pump $700 billion into the economy, Rep. Barrett voted to support it, and the bill passed the House. President Bush signed the act into law.

According to Barrett's statement on Oct. 3, he cited an “economic Pearl Harbor,” including failure to meet payrolls in the Upstate.

“... Whether it is a small business that may have to close its doors, or major corporations employing thousands of my constituents, jobs are at risk,” said the Congressman in a prepared statement. “If Congress does not act, the effects will be serious for American small business, families and consumers.”

Wednesday, Dyer said Upstate voters aren't buying into the message.

“People are fed up,” said Dyer, who is working to heat up the rhetoric in a 30-city campaign that began Oct. 1. “People are concerned, worried and angry about the position we are in.”