Wow -- what an incredible turnout today at the tea party rally and the kickoff to the Tea Party Express II nationwide tour. Thousands of Californians gathered to make our voices heard opposing higher taxes, and a bigger, more imposing government in Washington, and Sacramento. KOGO Radio's photos from the rally My photos

Nancy Pelosi and her liberal allies in Washington dismiss these patriots as "astro-turf," a DC term referring to a type of phony grassroots advocacy ginned up to pressure Congress. I know astro-turf, and believe me, this isn't it. The Californians I saw this morning are genuinely concerned about the tax increases, bailouts, government takeovers and debt that have defined this increasingly unpopular government in Washington.

As someone who's been active in the taxpayer movement for years, I particularly appreciated the opportunity to address today's rally. It was a real honor.

I grew up in New York, and remember year after year the pressures the annual property tax bill put on my parents. Thankfully, in California we have Proposition 13 protecting us. To give you an idea of how high property taxes can get without such protections, my parents in New York paid about $5,000 each year in property taxes on a home that was worth under $100,000. That's an effective property tax rate at least five times higher than we have here in California under Proposition 13.

No wonder why the Sacramento liberals are always looking for ways to do away with Proposition 13.

Back to today's rally, it was great to see Roger Hedgecock, Howard Kaloogian, Peter Foy, and so many other leaders and activists on hand to show their support for this important movement.

In my comments, I noted that the Republican Party that will take back the Speaker's gavel from Nancy Pelosi next year will be a stronger, more disciplined party than the one that lost it in 2006, thanks in large part to the support for lower taxes and limited government that so many people active in the tea party and taxpayer movements have provided.

I noted today that Republicans should continue to oppose all tax increases as a matter of principle, oppose the dangerous cap and trade scheme supported by Barack Obama, and that no "Czars" in this administration should be funded unless and until they are confirmed to their positions by the United States Senate.

Thanks again to everyone who turned out in San Diego today.

Democrats are playing defense in some key U.S. Senate races that should otherwise be considered safe.

Historically, Senate incumbents already tend to be a bit less safe than House incumbents simply because one cannot gerrymander a state. House lines are often drawn and redrawn to protect incumbents, while states don't change borders without something major...like a war. Even in that revolutionary year of 1994, 92% of House members seeking re-election won, while 90% of Senators won.

A review of the position some incumbent Democrat Senators find themselves in shows a level of vulnerability that is out of the ordinary, and certainly a far cry from the last two election cycles which saw heavy Democrat gains.

Complete story on Fox and Hounds Daily

Thankfully, Internet content remains largely free of government intrusion and regulation. Americans are increasingly going online for news, to plan their travel, and perform other everyday tasks like banking and keeping up with relatives. They're also going online for the information they need to determine how they will vote. As candidates and parties consequently step up their online presence, outdated campaign finance laws are giving the bureaucrats a new opening to impose restrictions and regulations on Internet content.

Complete story on Fox and Hounds Daily

On German American Day, I'm reminded of the steps that led by family from Depression-era Germany to today's California. It's an important story but one that is not unlike millions of others involving immigrants who came to these shores.

Because of my parents' decision to emigrate, I had the opportunity to be the first member of my family involved in politics and government. I vividly remember my father's stories of those in his home town who spoke their mind about the county's leadership in World War II and were often never seen again, turned in by some informant for the regime and hauled off in the dead of night by the Gestapo.

Even in today's Europe, it's rare for first generation Europeans to rise through political or government ranks, and even more unusual without a PhD or some other advanced degree. Yet in America, people from all walks of life are routinely elected to federal, state and local offices, providing for a democracy that is more representative of its people than in many other societies.

My father in particular chose America because of freedom. Like so many others, he came to New York with little more than two chests of clothes and goods, drawn here by the promise, and the reality, of political and economic freedom that still serves as a model for much of the world.

Like so many other immigrants, my parents gravitated to a small German-American community on Long Island, working in a German-owned grocery store stocking shelves and living in an apartment above a garage in the back. It took seven years of classes and tests to earn their citizenship, and today their citizenship papers remain framed and on display in my own home. They were both proud to have earned them.

So on this German American Day, I remember my parents, and why they chose to become citizens of this very special country.