Illinois Crime & Politics

SEIU dares to come between disabled children and parents (Chicago Daily Observer) and Illinois Review



Dear Conservatives, Republicans and Independents Looking for Reform,

Can you imagine a public sector union coming between you and your child?

Well, that’s precisely what families with disabled children in Illinois are facing if Gov. Quinn does not rescind an executive order he issued which would unionize personal support workers of disabled children in Illinois.  Often these personal support workers are the parents themselves!

Prior to Gov. Quinn’s intrusion, the program in question was a rare state program that actually worked.  Currently, money flows to the families and the families control how the money is spent to best serve the individual needs of their child.  This program saved taxpayer dollars and kept children with challenges closer to their families while enhancing their quality of life.

Yesterday, several courageous families stood with me to stand against the bullies in SEIU and AFSCME, the intended beneficiaries of Gov. Quinn’s Executive Order.

Please watch this video (above).  The first speaker on this video is Ellen Bronfeld.  The second speaker is Gordon Stiefel.  Both are parents of disabled children who fear the deterioration of services for their children if Gov. Quinn’s Executive Order is not rescinded.

This cynical move by Gov. Quinn is nothing more than a payoff to the public sector unions that finance his campaign.  Quinn has taken more than $140,000 in campaign cash from SEIU and AFSCME.

I joined these families in calling on Gov. Quinn to rescind this blatant power grab on behalf of his financers. It is time someone stood up to politicians like Quinn and the union bullies. The families of disabled children in Illinois should be especially thankful for the courage shown by the Bronfeld, Stiefel, Schwartz, and Withers families who stepped forward to bring this issue to light.

We, as Republicans, need to take the fight to the public sector unions on behalf of the most vulnerable. For too long, Republicans in Illinois have gone along to get along. They have been complicit with public sector unions that have had the run of this state at taxpayer expense while people who play by the rules have been fleeced to finance the status quo.

If we’re going to call on others to cut ties from SEIU, then we should begin by doing so ourselves. Which is why I have called on my Republican primary opponents and all Republican party organizations to stop accepting campaign cash from SEIU and AFSCME.  If we want to present a comprehensive, conservative reform agenda to Illinois voters, we need to do so with clean hands.  We cannot do that if we are on the dole of SEIU and AFSCME.

If we are serious about protecting and providing for the most vulnerable in our society, then we define and defend our constituency.  We must stand with families of disabled children playing by the rules to provide for their children and against the cynical ploys of Chicago Democrats to rig the system for the benefit of SEIU and AFSCME union bosses.

Sincerely,


Dan Proft
Republican Candidate for Governor

P.S. - If we want better for Illinois, people who know better must stand up and work for better.  That’s what the families I have referred to have done.  What will you do?  Please consider joining our campaign today or making a contribution in furtherance of the delivering of our message to people who play the rules across our state.