Daniels' Illinois Speech Greeted By Thousands Of Protesters

An estimated 5,000 union workers showed up to protest a speech Gov. Mitch Daniels gave to the Champaign County Republicans because of Daniels' support of Indiana's recently enacted right to work law. Earlier this week, a similar number of union protesters showed up at a speaking appearance by Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker during a speech he gave to an Illinois Chamber of Commerce meeting in Springfiled. The Champaign News-Gazette has some quotes from Daniels' speech to nearly 500 Republicans who gathered for the party's Lincoln Day dinner in Champaign:

"When you take money away from people, you leave them a little less free," said Daniels . . .

"It leaves more disposable money in the pockets of those who earned it," he said. "When you approach the public mission that way, you maximize freedom."

When government increases spending and increases its debt, Daniels said, the middle class is hurt.

"For the first time in our history, people do not have the hope that has always been there in the darkest hour that my children will live better than I do," Daniels said. "We are seeing an eroding of the opportunity, and therefore the hope, for a vibrant, stable middle class in this country."

One way to improve the business climate, Daniels said, it to keep taxes as low as possible. The governor noted that Indiana corporate income taxes, worker's compensation, unemployment insurance and property taxes are all lower than those in Illinois.

"The lower our taxes are compared to the neighboring states, the more competitive we are," Daniels said.

Daniels said he isn't saying what he has done in Indiana is good for Illinois.

"If you are asking me if Illinois should pass a right to work law, please don't," Daniels said. "We're welcoming businesses every day and would hate to have that advantage neutralized."

Daniels said government must be careful to use the power of taxation prudently and use the money wisely . . .

"When we use the coercive power of the state to take money from people who need it, we need to be careful about it," Daniels said.

"Those folks over there don't think you can cut it," Daniels said, speaking of the Democrats. "They don't think you can possibly make your own decisions about your mortgage or health insurance or health care choices or the light bulbs that are best for you.

"We (Republicans) believe you are fully capable. You are a creature of dignity; not an object of therapy."

Daniels noted that President Barack Obama got elected with a slogan, "Change you can believe in."

"I asked myself, 'What the hell does that mean?'" Daniels said. "It doesn't mean anything, and that was its magic as a marketing device.

"I decided we as Republicans ought to twist that slogan into something that does have meaning. That would be 'Change that believes in you.'"