Yesterday, residents from the Sacramento region gathered at the Capitol to express their outrage at wasteful government spending and higher taxes. The speakers came from all walks of life, including elected officials, Neil Cavuto of Fox News and conservative writer Michelle Malkin, and most important, ordinary citizens who sacrificed their time and efforts to make their voices heard in Sacramento.

And they have every reason to be angry. Even as hardworking families struggle to make ends meet, stretching each dollar further and further, government is looking to take away even more through higher taxes. But beyond the taxes and the issues of the day, people are fed up with a government that they perceive as distant and out of touch.

The Obama administration ignored the hundreds of protests across the country, and those in power accuse this movement as being a right wing partisan dog and pony show. While the chattering class who populate our airwaves and occupy the seats of power… Read More

According to FR sources, House Republican Leader John Boehner and close political ally Rep. Kevin McCarthy were schedule to speak at a Tea Party Rally in McCarthy’s home town of Bakersfield today — but no longer will be appearing after a considered decision by rally sponsors that they did not want to have any elected politicians of either party appearing in the rally.

This is a trend that is happening at Tea Rallies all across the country. The largest California Tea Rally today, which is scheduled to take place on the steps of the State Capitol in Sacramento, will not feature any State Legislators (save one, Senator George Runner who obtained the groups rally permit) — this despite requests from many to speak.

In talking to various rally organizers, the general opinion is that these rallies are "citizen rallies" designed to send a message to legislators of both political parties that, "enough is enough!"

In talking to one organizer of the Sacramento rally, the dynamics of the big budget/big taxes/open primary deal that took place last February, with six Republican legislators voting for tax increases, even more voting… Read More

I told Michael Reagan it was the best political event I have ever attended.

At least 5,000 and maybe 10,000 anti-tax grass roots advocates descended on our State Capitol West Steps today mid-day for three hours with one simple message: enough is enough! No more taxes!

Jon Coupal of Howard Jarvis Taxpayers and Peter Foy of Americans for Prosperity were the key people that made this hugely successful rally happen near the lore of the liberal Democrats!

Earlier, I joined with Reagan in his private meeting in the Capitol with the truest of our conservative true believers: Assemblymembers Miller, Logue, Duvall, Silva, Hagman, Conway, and Knight; and State Senator Jim Neilsen. Michael gave these great local leaders the Reagan fix and they loved it: no more taxes; no more out of control spending! Thank you Assemblyman Jeff Miller for bringing the Reagan message to the Capitol halls!

I am reminded of the Reagan revolution of 1980. There is a great sentiment of support for our conservative values brewing out there. Let us seize the initiative!… Read More

We’ll be bringing you extensive Tea Party coverage (including the big event outside the State Capitol today)… But here are a couple of photos (couresty of FR’s Jim Lacy) to "wet your whistle"…

The first is of HJTA’s Jon Coupal and Neil Cavuto of FoxNews. The other is a photo of Congressman Tom McClintock and radio talk show host Michael Reagan, son of former President Ronald Reagan.

… Read More

In my (too) frequent trips to the capitol building, I often see large crowds gathered outside for some protest or rally. Usually these groups consist of various union members angrily demanding increased government funding for their particular interest. One can only imagine my excitement and delight to see the massive crowd assembled on the West Steps of the Capitol this morning—and they were all there to demand lower taxes and smaller government!

While hard working Americans are usually out earning a living to pay taxes, unions and other special interests spend their time at the capitol lobbying to confiscate more of our money. So it was probably an odd sight to see so many of those hard working Americans assembled at the Capitol at noon on a workday. But this day merited using a … Read More

They may have said they wanted a Revolution or thought Moscow girls made them sing and shout, but I wish the Beatles were in charge of California.

Yesterday as I was trying to find a certain XM Radio Channel I found the Beatles singing about the “Taxman”.

Here are the lyrics:

Let me tell you how it will be, There’s one for you, nineteen for me, ‘Cos I’m the Taxman, Yeah, I’m the Taxman.

Should five per cent appear too small, Be thankful I don’t take it all, ‘Cos I’m the Taxman, Yeah, I’m the Taxman.

If you drive a car, I’ll tax the street, If you try to sit, I’ll tax your seat, If you get too cold, I’ll tax the heat, If you take a walk, I’ll tax your feet.

‘Cos I’m the Taxman, Yeah, I’m the Taxman. Don’t ask me what I want it for If you don’t want to pay some more ‘Cos I’m the Taxman, Yeah, I’m the Taxman.… Read More

Yesterday I had the special treat of taking my wife and law partner, Janice Lacy (a formidable former Deputy Chief Counsel to the Republican National Committee in Washington, D.C. under Lee Atwater) to the season opener of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who creamed the San Francisco Giants, 11-1.

It was a great day! It was a day game, and we got to Dodger stadium early and saw the work-outs of the teams and all the introductions. A little girl from the Phillipines lip-sinked the National Anthem sounding like Kathy Lee Gifford. Marines and Naval personnel unveiled a huge American flag on the field. Tommy Lasorta was there. A B-2 Bomber did a fly-over. Vin Scully threw out the opening ball to Joe Torre, pretending to be a catcher again. We had Dodger Dogs and drank some light beer. Fireworks, dovesand confetti! What a time!

While someof the opening day fans looked a little threatening,like gang members,they were very noble to Janice as she mustarded our dogs, and I settled in to have a good time quickly. It was one of those special Los Angeles days that require just a little bit of applied imagination to enjoy.… Read More

Tomorrow is tax day around the country. Here, in California, especially with the tax increases contained in the February big budget/big taxes/open primary deal, we are amongst the most taxed people in America.

Across the nation, frustrated Americans, concerned with the ever-growing portion of their hard earned money that is going to feed government at every level, are joining together in tea bag rallies. Back in the days when the British government ruled the American colonies with an iron fist, colonists protested the Crown’s high tax on tea by dumping a lot of it into Boston Harbor – at the famous Boston Tea Party of 1773.

Here in California there are over sixty separate Tea Parties planned and if you are fed up with your high taxes, I would encourage you to go to the nearest rally.… Read More