FLASHREPORT

On Friday I joined thousands of Californians in a Tea Party protest on the west steps of the state capitol.

We came together to protest high taxation imposed by Liberal Democrats, and government's burdensome regulations on water and energy. The bottom line is California taxpayers and business owners are sick to death of government intrusion. It's ruining their livelihoods and quality of life, and they're not going to take it anymore.

I spoke at the event, along with Republican Congressmen Tom McClintock, Northern California radio jocks Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty; Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers' Association and Peter Foy, Ventura County Supervisor and the California chairman of Americans for Prosperity. Sacramento radio host Eric Hogue served as emcee.

 Of the thousands of protesters, many were farmers and small business owners who have been particularly hit hard by the devastation of Central Valley farmlands in environmentalists' effort to protect a 2-inch long minnow. The rally also attracted many truckers who are facing financial hardship from the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (also known as Assembly Bill 32).