Jennerjahn looks to slash government spending
By Aaron Blevins, 10/04/2012
Republican candidate challenges Schiff in Congressional race
The challenger in the upcoming 28th Congressional District race is prepared to lobby for serious cuts if elected, chiefly to “duplicative” federal departments that he said could be managed at the state level.
Republican candidate Phil Jennerjahn said he is prepared to lobby for major cuts. (photo courtesy of Phil Jennerjahn)
Republican Phil Jennerjahn, a political consultant who lives in the Hollywood area, will face off against incumbent Adam Schiff (D-California) after receiving more than 12,000 votes in the June 5 Primary Election, more than doubling the third place finisher. The newly drawn district includes Burbank, Glendale, West Hollywood, Los Feliz, Silverlake and Hollywood.
If elected, Jennerjahn’s plan is simple: “Basically, do the exact opposite of Adam Schiff.”
He feels that the federal government is bloated with unnecessary departments, such as the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Education. Jennerjahn said that these services could be managed at the state level, and the administrative savings could be used to lessen the tax burden on taxpayers.
He referenced the Transportation Security Administration, saying that the agency is filled with approximately 4,000 “bureaucrats doing nothing but pointing fingers” while earning $100,000 per year.
“That’s insanity,” Jennerjahn said. “There needs to be some serious cuts in government.”
A self-described conservative “who won’t vote for nonsense,” he said he would seek to “destroy Obamacare” because the federal government should not be micro-managing people’s personal lives. Jennerjahn said that freedom is not the government’s to take.
“I believe in the Tenth Amendment,” he added. “The government does not have the right to dictate healthcare to you.”
Jennerjahn likened healthcare reform to the Los Angeles City Council’s ban on plastic bags and New York’s soda ban. He also criticized a bill by Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles) that blocks municipalities from banning male circumcision.
“I don’t agree with ‘nanny state government,’ and that’s all they do around here,” Jennerjahn said.
He said the federal government’s job is to print money, fight wars and defend freedom. Jennerjahn is against gay marriage, because “the gays do not have the right to invent religious theology.” He does not approve of rights for illegal immigrants either, as they jeopardize national security.
“The problem is … if you make an exemption for them, it becomes the general standard,” Jennerjahn added. “You can’t have absolute trust in these people. They may have an ulterior motive.”
He is against abortion, but supportive of gun rights. Jennerjahn is also opposed to restrictions on campaign financing, but he has opted to run his campaign with his own money.
“I’m the only one with any integrity in these elections because I’ve never taken money from anybody,” he said.
His bid for the 28th Congressional seat is not Jennerjahn’s first attempt at public office. He ran for mayor in 2009 and the 33rd Congressional District seat in 2010, but didn’t get past the primaries.
A Wisconsin native, he moved to Los Angeles in 1993. Jennerjahn has held various jobs, including work as a substitute teacher and movie production employee. He also has a background in tourism and transportation. Jennerjahn said he is listed as a political consultant with the California Secretary of State due to his unsuccessful bid to recall Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who he believes has not spent enough time improving Los Angeles.
Tags | 28th Congressional District, Adam Schiff, Phil Jennerjahn
