We also were pretty unhappy about not having an effective voice. The American Party has been created and re-created over the years to give citizens of this country an opportunity for effective change.

  Originally established back in the 1850s as an abolitionist party, the American Party became one of the cornerstones of the original Republican Party which fielded Abraham Lincoln as their presidential candidate. More recently, the American Party has resurged as part of the movement characterized by the Tea Parties -- citizens who want to get back to the roots of the constitution and the kind of representative government envisioned by the founding fathers.

   "It's all right there in the Constitution," said Tom Macklin, chairman of the American Party of Florida. "It's a simple matter of squaring up what the govenment does with the template set up by the founders.

  American Party members now are gathering and rebuiding to reclaim the Republic on a number of different levels -- from candidate recruitment to education of youngsters about the founders and the founding documents, the move is under way and the American Party is part of it.

   "Clearly, we as citizens have let this go to long and it has gotten out of hand." said American Party National Chairman Arly Pederson. "Now it is time for us to rebuild together."