by Andy Aplikowski,
This post first appeared on True North

We all know that the Republican party has been a little less than conservative over recent years. The 2009 Tea Party movement was created in the vacuum of leadership against the full throttle liberalism of Democrats in Washington. The Tea Party is not a Republican movement, and is rumbling about a 3rd party, but…..

The truth is that a 3rd party movement would take a generation to build up to a majority in order to actually accomplish anything (read: undo the wrongs going on with government now and in recent past). Trust me, I really do know how hard it is to consider joining up with the current Republican Party folks.

But, most of us here at True North believe that your time is better spent working to drag the GOP (kicking and screaming if need be) back to its fiscal sanity and renew its devotion to limited government, personal liberties, and free markets. The beauty is that in Minnesota with our Precinct Caucus system, those who show up, actually do run the party.

Showing up in 2010 and making sure good conservative candidates get endorsed is the number 1 goal. In the Spring of 2010, Republican Legislative Districts (BPOUs) and Congressional Districts will be holding conventions to endorse candidates. Showing up at Caucuses and being elected a Delegate to the subsequent conventions will mean you get to have a thumbs up or down.

Being a Legislative District (BPOU) Delegate is critical to helping reform the party as it is a two year term or commitment. These same Delegates meet again next year to elect local party leadership as well as elect State Central Delegates, who in turn will elect the State Party Leadership next Summer.

Trust us, we understand that putting all your eggs in the Republican basket may be tough right now, but if we all work together, we can transfer the power in the GOP from the people who screwed it up and put it in our hands. And that is what the Tea Party movement is all about. Putting the power back in the people’s hands.

We can take the party back and use it to return America to its freedom based roots, but - and this is important - we can't have a conservative and liberty based Republican Party if there is a minority of conservatives and those with libertarian leanings who show up to endorse candidates and become Delegates.

The party IS run by those who show up, so do your part to help get it back on track. Show up February 2nd at your local Republican Caucus and become elected a Delegate! Take a Precinct Chair or officer position. You will no longer have to sit around wondering what to do, you will have the power and resources to organize the like minded people around you in order to get conservative candidates elected this November.

It is not going to be easy. It is going to take some work. But if we don't try to get back to living under (not around) the Constitution, we never will.

So please go here for some tips and advice on what Caucuses are and how you can get involved in saving the GOP, our State, and Nation.

True North Precinct Caucuses Info