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Former Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAulliffe is running for Governor in the state of Virginia against Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli. Asian Fortune reached out to the Cuccinelli campaign for an op-ed essay but received no response at time of press. All those for political office in 2013 are welcome to send an op-ed essay about your platform for the Asian American community for our October 2013 issue. Please email editor@asianfortune.com for more information.
This past May, I had the pleasure of celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month with proud Virginians from across the state. One of the highlights of that month was the opportunity to attend the grand opening of Virginia’s first Vietnamese-owned and operated commercial center in Falls Church. Building the center had been the dream of a Vietnamese father that was finally realized with the help of his son. As I watched that family beam with pride over such a wonderful achievement, I was filled with hope for the future of Virginia.
Inspiring stories like that are why I’m running for Governor. I want to see a Virginia that fully embraces the idea of a Commonwealth – where families of all backgrounds are welcome, diversity is not just tolerated but celebrated, and all Virginians have the best chance for economic opportunities, education, and a blessed life.
As Governor, I will honor our Commonwealth and embrace that spirit by reaching out across communities, and across party lines to make sure Virginians of all backgrounds have those opportunities, and that we keep moving Virginia forward. One way I will do that is by ensuring that my administration is one of the most diverse in Virginia’s history. I have been committed to bringing as many folks to the table as I can in order to find the best solutions to growing our economy, and that is what I will continue to do as Governor.
In order to build a strong foundation for Virginia’s economic future, we need to invest in our education systems, make sure that healthcare is accessible and affordable in the Commonwealth, and improve our transportation and infrastructure systems. My wife Dorothy and I came to Virginia 21 years to start a life here and raise our family here, and these are the ways that we will ensure that our children stay here and raise their own families here in the Commonwealth.
One of the ways I will do this is by improving our K-12 education systems so every child in Virginia has access to quality education that will prepare them to get good jobs of the future. We need to reform the Standards of Learning here in Virginia, base performance on progress, not one-time tests, and let our teachers do what they do best: teach.
I am also committed to investing in Virginia’s 23 community colleges and making them engines of workforce development. Three out of every five students in higher education here in the Commonwealth attend one of our community colleges, and there is a community college within an hour of every town across Virginia. These are the institutions that are providing real world training for the jobs in innovative industries that will diversify our economy and keep Virginia competitive.
As Governor, I will also make sure that we make it easier for those who want to start and grow their businesses here in Virginia to do so. I’ve been an entrepreneur since I was 14 years old—I know the ups and downs of business ownership– the thrill of landing a first customer or contract as well as the challenges we sometimes face in starting, accessing capital, or scaling up. We need to make it easier for our small business owners to hit the ground running, and reduce the regulatory burdens that too often can hamper business growth.
But most importantly, we have to continue to live the spirit of Commonwealth, of focusing on the issues that all Virginians care about and finding mainstream solutions that help everyone. We are not going to move forward by focusing on divisive social issues or by rejecting the rich diversity that makes Virginia great. All Virginians dream of a bright future for their families; I hope you will work with me to achieve it.
