Quote 1 from this interview:
“…I intend to open a Congressional office right here in Georgetown, in addition to other key areas in our district. If I could, I’d set it up right in The Rice Museum Clock Tower if that would make it easier for people to find the office with blinking lights that say “I’m Katherine Jenerette, your very own Congressman, come on in - coffee will be waiting for you.” ~ Katherine Jenerette, Republican Candidate, U.S. Congress First District South Carolina, Interview, Georgetown Times - 30 May 08

Quote 2 from this interview:
“Congressmen, issues and underwear have a lot of things in common, if you don’t change them with the times, they all began to stink and bother people. More politicians would be wise to pay closer attention to this universal rule.” ~ Katherine Jenerette, Republican Candidate, U.S. Congress First District South Carolina, Interview, Georgetown Times - 30 May 08

QUESTION: You worked for Rep. Henry Brown, how does they help you as a candidate?

My time as a 1st Congressional Field Representative for our district allowed me to understand the nuts and bolts of local, state, and federal government at work with one another for the benefit of our Coastal region of South Carolina. I understand our business concerns, our tourism industry, our environmental concerns, our veterans’ issues and needs, and our retiree growing populations’ concern for their future.

But most of all, I understand that government and being a congressman is about people who get up in the morning, go to work, or send their kids to school, open the doors of their businesses and do the best they can in a bureaucratic framework.

QUESTION: What are people in the First District concerned about and how will you address those concerns?

The top three problems that I’m hearing about is the economy, the economy and the economy. Of course the price of gas is part of the economic problem. And people have a hard time understanding how gas prices have essentially doubled in the past two years. That hits everyone’s budget real hard, whether you are an individual going to work, or a business trying to operate in the green – that’s a real big problem.

The blame is not hard to pin point. It’s the Congress. Whether we like it or not, four hundred and thirty five elected representatives set the budget and policy agenda for this entire country. The President can’t do it by himself, the courts can’t do it by themselves, and so if you have problems with what’s going on in this nation today, you do not have to look any further than your own Congressman and the other congressmen in Washington DC. I’m not saying that the problems are easy to fix, but at least we should be honest enough to put the blame where it belongs.

The problem with government is the government. Sometimes government needs to know when to get out of the darn way. And let free market forces govern the market and let the people and the states determine their own futures and let Washington follow the limited federal government role as set out in the Constitution. Let’s face it, if we had been drilling in Anwer, Alaska for oil and allowing refineries to be constructed years ago we would not be in as bad of a oil crisis as we are now.

I hate to use a saying from my military experience, but it fits. We used to say “lead, follow, or get out of the way.” And our Congress has screwed up royally for the past eight years and it’s time for them to either lead or get the heck out of the way.

The biggest concern is people are worrying about what is going to happen six months or a year from now with the economy. They don’t have the confidence in Congress or the economy to spend. We are a consumer driven economy. We have to spend to keep the economy going.

The economy is in serious trouble. My plan calls for immediate actions to be taken by the Congress and includes an indexed moratorium on the Federal Gasoline tax and permanent income tax cuts. The best way to help our consumer driven economy is to help people keep their own hard earned money. Our economic system is fueled by the people’s confidence to spend, and they can’t spend if the Congress keeps taxing them to death. The reality of a Democrat-controlled Congress cannot be ignored and their agenda cannot be challenged by status quo Republicans. As long as we were in the majority, it was easy to “Rubber-stamp” legislation - good or bad. But now, we need a Congressman who has insight, energy and the willpower to go on the offensive to introduce and push conservative legislation that is in the best interest of the people and businesses of our district. Direct challenge must be made to politicians who ‘play politics as usual’ with the best interest of the American people. The best way to control the federal budget and out-of-control spending is to not give any more money to politicians than necessary; most politicians never met a dollar they didn’t like.

QUESTION: As a veteran, how do you see the government's efforts to assist its military personnel -- VA Hospitals, GI  Bill, etc.?

As a US Army veteran of the Persian Gulf War, I know how we were treated compared to the bad treatment our Korean War and Vietnam War veterans received. As a commissioned officer still serving in the Army Reserves I see how things are today, but it still is a long way from where we should be. Our veterans should be treated like our Rock Stars because of what they have done for our country; no nation can last long if it asks its young men and women to put on the uniform and risk the ultimate sacrifice for their nation and then turn around and forget them. As a congressman, our veterans and their families will not be forgotten by me and I will aggressively carry their issues to Washington and fight tirelessly for their health care, their education benefits, and a New GI Bill that is more then overdue.

As for our Active duty, reserve and National Guard personnel and their families, they have to have the best equipment, the best leadership, the best living conditions that we can provide and the best support system when they deployed overseas. I will not stand by and allow any politician to use our troops as a political football for their political agendas. For me it’s personal, and they will have a fight on their hands.
You don’t send people off to fight a war that you intend to win. You don’t change your mind once you are there.

Withdrawal from Iraq will not remove security threats and reduce our vital interests from that area. Iraq and the Middle East does not stop being in our long term national interests just because House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and some naive Congressmen and Senator Barack Obama said so

QUESTION: You mentioned re-opening the Georgetown County office -- why was it closed?

Congressmen have the latitude to open or close offices as they see fit. The same goes for staffing those offices. One can always argue budget or money concerns. For example before I would do a mail-out to my constituents, I would hire two or three additional staffers and open up a new office for less than postage and printing costs; which I believe will help the people of the district far more than some mailout that will end up in the trash can. I am an objective mission type person and I look for solutions to problems and I carry them out. If I have to share office space in a county or city building and help staff my office with volunteers and that will help my constituents and the people of the district in Georgetown, Conway, or Dorchester or Hanahan or North Myrtle Beach, then I will do it. My job of a Congressman is to try to sort problems out, cut through the red tape, take care of our district; which is one of the reasons I intend to open a Congressional office right here in Georgetown, in addition to other key areas in our district. If I could, I’d set it up right in The Rice Museum Clock Tower if that would make it easier for people to find the office with blinking lights that say “I’m Katherine Jenerette, your very own Congressman, come on in coffee will be waiting for you.”

QUESTION: How will you cut into Rep. Brown's name-recognition in his  home of Charleston County?

I don’t want to mention the Capital Steps, but the name Jenerette is synonymous with politics in South Carolina. Put me on a stage with five men running for office and I will stand out because I’m more than just a pretty face in a skirt – I’m an Army Airborne Paratrooper and I drive a pick-up truck and I’m 39-years old. I think Jenerette name recognition will come under its own steam.

QUESTION: Do we need a change in congress?

Congressman, issues and underwear have a lot of things in common, if you don’t change them with the times, they both began to stink and bother people. More politicians would be wise to pay closer attention to this universal rule.

We can’t use the Republican ‘playbook/calendar’ from 2004. This is 2008 and the Home Team advantage is not ours. Status quo Republicans are NOT what we need. I will not be a Republican rubber stamp occupying space – I will push the “Real” agenda for all of the people of 1st District of South Carolina and not be intimidated by Liberal Empty Suits on Capital Hill; especially people like Nancy Pelosi. My conservative Republican principals will not be changed by being pressured by special interests. The only special interests I will pay attention to will be the people and the businesses of South Carolina.

I intend to show the congress a thing or two about South Carolina’s conservative principles, our agenda for America’s future, and what our district’s people feel about Washington’s ‘Politics-as-usual.

The Republicans had the Ball in Play for six years! And instead of having touch down after touch down, we’ve had fumble after fumble.

QUESTION: Why are you best qualified?

First, I know the people of the first district, I know the businesses of the first district and I know what we need for our future. I have the experience and background to go up to a Democrat-Controlled Capital Hill and not be intimidated because we are outnumbered.  I have the experience/background in government at the state, federal, and local level to understand the reality of government and I have the real world experiences having been in the business world as a CEO, as a college instructor, as a married mother of four children in the public schools and as an American soldier who has served in the Middle East.

The Democrats have a home team advantage now and Republicans need a Congressman who can go toe-to-toe with them. We’ve had a Republican Congress for six years and we can have more of the same or we can have someone in there that will make a difference.
I am not afraid to say what needs to be said and push legislation for family and values, fiscal responsibility, National Security, and subjects like Immigration and border control. Republicans have let liberals run their agenda. Republican values and principals on issues of life, health care, social security and marriage issues have been put on the side burner. The Republican members of congress need to do a better job of getting out our messages and sticking to them.

I am confident that I am the Republican with the energy, knowledge, self confidence, and optimism to get back our Republican Platform into the mainstream of hardball Washington politics. I know how to take a punch and get back up. I’m not a girl scout anymore. And I know how rough it is inside the Beltway.

If elected, I will be a Congressman that will be everywhere at all times for all the people of our district. I’m old enough to know what needs to be done as a Congressman, and I’m young enough to “hit the ground running” and make things happen. Nothing against being older, I would like to be there some day myself, but our times call for an aggressive, optimistic, realistic approach to the job of a US Congressman in the 1st District South Carolina in the 21st Century. Amen.

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