Wanting Change? Stop protesting and start participating.

Little known is the fact the TEA Parties actually started in 2007, before Obama became a prominent figure in national politics. These rallies and protests were specifically about out of control spending by the government (Bush and a Democratic controlled Congress) and high taxes. These continued in small fashion on a regular basis through 2008 and into 2009, when a national Tax Day protest was organized for April 15, 2009 and coordinated by the original TEA Party group.

This national protest was in the process of being organized before Obama was ever elected in November 2008.   The liberal mainstream media will tell you the TEA Party sprang up because of Obama - but there is little to no basis of fact to that.

After that Tax Day Rally in April 15th, 2009, individual TEA parties have sprung up across the nation, in towns, counties and states. At the height of the fervor, there were in excess of 1000 individual active TEA parties across the United States, holding hundreds of rallies and protests marches any given weekend. By Spring 2010, there were TEA Party protests concerning just about everything; Obamacare, Taxes, Spending, Gas Prices, etc, etc.

Now, the TEA parties as a whole had some effect upon the 2010 elections, but the effect was limited, and many of the "TEA Party" candidates that won office has fallen to "business as usual" activities. They talked the talk, but have done nothing to "walk the walk."

During the 2009 and 2010 Congressional sessions, all of the protests, rallies, letter writing, faxes, "pink slips", and more did NOTHING to thwart the agenda at play. Even today, 2011, there has been little influence using these tactics. It seems every day or so, I get some notice or warning about how this legislation or that bill is coming up and I must get on the phone, on my email, on my fax to my representatives to demand a certain action. It's a waste of time for the most part. These representatives know that Americans for the most part have short memories and party blindness.

It is time to stop wasting time with activities that have no effect, and start participating in the political process. Here's a little known secret–you don't have to leave town to do it.

Very few, even amongst the politically active, are aware the power of the local precinct. Most only think that the purpose of a precinct is to setup voting stations during elections. What many do not realize is that the precinct holds a very powerful position in American politics and both parties, Republican and Democrat, are obligated to that power.

Each party's County Executive Committee is comprised of the elected officers, and the precinct captains (sometimes called precint presidents, or precinct executives) within the county. The Republican and Democratic party only differ in the way they elect precinct captains and how they are organized within a county, but the fact remains, it is an important post. Suprisingly, over forty percent of the precinct captains in active counties across the United States are empty.  Even more surprising, over 40% of the 3,143 counties across the nation have an inactive or non existent party presence–whether it be Republican, Democrat, or both.

That means there are approximately only 1854 active county parties per political party, with an average of 8 precinct captains seated in each. That's 14,832 people per party that is deciding the leadership for that party, and effects the direction of this nation through policy, platform, and candidate approval. It means in total, less than 1/10th of a percent of the population controls the political discussion for an estimated 308 million Americans.

This is an area that is starting to get some interest. Here in Georgia, various TEA party groups, 9-12 groups, Campaign for Liberty and such have come together and are working a precinct strategy that had some success this year in placing conservative, Constitution principled individuals within the precinct posts and county leadership for the Georgia Republican Party. This is being repeated in various states at different levels throughout the US.

Coming forward is also the New Liberty Democrats. In full disclosure, I founded the New Liberty Democrats last year while I was running for Congress, challenging Rep. David Scott (D-GA13) in the Democratic Primary. The goal and mission for New Liberty Democrats is to recruit conservative and Constitution minded and principled people within the Democratic party and Independents, train them in precinct strategy, management, and activism. The idea is to infiltrate the Democratic Party from the local precincts on up, purging progressivism and progressive leaders from the party.

It isn't hard to get involved. All you need is half a dozen or more people that reside in your precinct to come together that have the same mindset.  In more active areas, maybe a dozen or so.  Once you organize and successfully acquired the precinct captain post, start working with your neighboring precincts to develop a precinct team there and get another like-minded person elected to their precinct post. Eventually you will have a county wide organization, and can take hold of a majority of precinct posts, and thus have majority voice and control of the county party executive committee. Now–you can start having a voice, start making real changes, and start to inject those principles this country was founded upon into BOTH political parties.

I'd call that a win-win for America.