Last week we asked the two candidates for Congress in the Eighth District of Virginia to write a sub-750 word essay on why our readers should vote for them in the November 8 election.
Here is the unedited response from Republican candidate Charles Hernick:
Dear Neighbor,
I got into this race because I was frustrated with status quo politics. I expect more from my elected officials and I expect more from Congress. I’m not a millionaire career politician, I’m your neighbor. I have a proven track record of getting results for my clients and I would bring the same work ethic and resolve to Congress. My campaign has gained local, national, and international media attention because of my distinguished, multi-cultural background and my plans to:
Improve conditions for small businesses through lower taxes and fair regulations. We need to reduce the corporate tax rate to 25 percent (the OECD average) so that our businesses are not at a disadvantage when competing abroad. We also must simplify tax filings for small businesses. We can grow the economy by improving conditions for small business–they are the engines/innovation centers of the economy. We must lower regulatory hurdles for small businesses and simplify taxes so that they can hire and grow — Don Beyer favors tax increases on individuals and corporations
Improve national security by taking care of our troops and Veterans and focusing more on cyber-security and radical Islamic terror. I understand that Congress has the unique constitutional authority and obligation to define our enemies abroad. I understand the threat from radical Islamic terrorist groups and I know how to work with our Muslim allies in other countries to defeat a common threat — Don Beyer doesn’t think ISIS poses a serious threat to the US
Make government more efficient and responsive to it’s employees and taxpayers through better Information Technology and systems to reward innovation and top performance. We need to manage our debt and entitlement obligations so that essential government functions are never jeopardized. We need to empower Federal employees to save taxpayer money by flagging unnecessary spending and establish systems that reward innovation and top performance — Don Beyer is comfortable with the status quo in government
Finally, I have proposed a market-based framework for addressing climate change that would link state and regional efforts through standardization. My proposal is the most actionable proposal by ANY candidate of ANY party in this election — Don Beyer has proposed a carbon tax that has gained ZERO traction in his first two years in Congress
If we haven’t met in person: I am an ecologist and economist. I have worked as a US Federal Government consultant across the United States and in over a dozen countries in Latin America and Africa. I grew up in a bilingual household and I am fluent in Spanish. I entered the workforce at the age of 15 cleaning hotel rooms. I worked my way through school and earned a B.S. in Ecology and an M.A. in International Relations. If we have met at the farmers market or at a neighborhood event you know that I’ve campaigned tirelessly in English and in Spanish in every part of our community.
I ask for your vote on Tuesday, November 8th. I have the experience and urgency to act. Let’s change the status quo — every vote counts.
Sincerely,
Charles A. Hernick