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Grassroots in Nebraska
Our mission is to promote a return to Constitutional government as originally intended by
the Founders, as the most effective avenue to encourage public policy that promotes
personal responsibility, individual liberty, limited government, and free markets.

In keeping with the principles upon which the United States was founded, we think this
mission is best fulfilled through efforts from the bottom-up, not the top-down. Therefore, we
offer support to all in the state of Nebraska who wish to collaborate openly with others to
meet our stated mission. We will not endorse or support any group whose agenda and/or use
of funds is not clearly stated, or is in conflict with our mission.
May 2010

Sovereignty
What does it really mean?
On April 13, 2010, the Nebraska
Unicameral passed the State
Sovereignty Resolution sponsored by
Senator Tony Fulton. There was an
energized effort to ensure the
Resolution’s passage, including an
overflow crowd at the Committee
hearing in February and persistent
contacts with legislators. Will the people
of Nebraska continue to support
Sovereignty? And what does that mean?
Some critics of the Sovereignty
Resolution noted that it had no “teeth” -
it was not a bill that would have the force
of law. It’s true. The resolution was a
starting point, and unfortunately, a
necessary one because our State
legislators don’t often base their decisions
on fundamental Constitutional principles.
The Resolution’s movement to the floor
of the Unicameral means there was a
debate about the meaning and intent of
the Constitution particularly the Ninth
and Tenth Amendments and the proper
role of the Federal government in
Nebraska’s affairs.
The question now is - will the passage of
the Resolution be the end of the debate?
The Sovereignty Resolution can either be
a philosophical exercise of little
importance or it can be a starting point.
What happens next is up to the people in
LOCAL IS THE ANSWER
Nebraska who understand what
Sovereignty really means. But do we?
Understanding that the relationship
between the Federal government and the
States is completely upside down means
that our focus should turn where it
properly belongs - within our state.
Our focus needs to shift away from
events on the “National” scene to the
places where the majority of the power is
supposed to reside - again, within the
State.
We cannot say that we want the State to
exercise the Sovereignty articulated in the
Tenth Amendment if we don’t know the
people who are elected to office, monitor
their activities regularly, or take action
when necessary to let point out how their
decisions are not strengthening
Nebraska’s sovereignty.
The more attention that is paid to the
workings of Nebraska’s governmental
entities, the clearer it becomes that we’re
hurting our own ability to exercise
sovereignty through the regular
acceptance of Federal funding and the
mandates that go along with them.
It also becomes clear who our legislators
hear from regularly. It’s special interest
groups of all kinds, almost all who are
looking for more and bigger government
to serve their particular needs. Those who
wish to see less government are rarely
heard from.
What Sovereignty Really Means
Simple Answers...not easy, but
simple
In a 1964 speech, Ronald Reagan said,
“They say the world has become too
complex for simple answers. They are
wrong. There are no easy answers, but
there are simple answers. We must have
the courage to do what we know is
morally right.”
The simple, right answer at this time will
not be one you will hear coming from
your television, from political parties, or
the majority of national groups. And
that’s why it’s not easy. It’s human
nature to look around and see what
others are doing and want to do the same.
In advertising this is called “jumping on
the bandwagon”. We’re going to have do
what is not easy - join some of our fellow
trail blazers who are not focused on
national politics only, who don’t listen to
sound-byte speeches, and don’t follow or
accept top-down answers.
We’re going to have to roll up our sleeves,
get our hands “dirty”, and step out of our
comfort zones.
It means less free time, it’s not a whole lot
of fun.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
 N E L I B E R T Y W A T C H . C O M

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A joint project of Grassroots in Nebraska and Nebraska Campaign for Liberty

Monitoring   We  ul9mately   official  or   To  successfully   Unicameral  we   ARE YOU A WATCHMEN?
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 June 1 - 10 If you are a registered Republican but

That means spending time reading
and researching about things that are
happening in our local governments,
attending boring meetings, and trying
to get bureaucrats and politicians to
give straight answers. We have to look
people in the eye and draw a line in
the sand, even when it gets
uncomfortable. We have to work at
reaching out to people all around us
and try to change hearts and minds.
It’s not easy to do what you see few
people doing. It’s not easy take firm
stands at times. It’s not easy...but it is
simple. The good news is, it does get
easier with practice.
County Party Conventions didn’t register as a delegate before March 1,
you may want to consider attending your
If you registered as a delegate to the county convention anyway. In the past,
Republican Party convention for your people who show up at the convention
county, you will receive official have been seated. But if even if you’re not,
notification in the mail regarding the observing the process and helping to
specific date of the convention in your gather information about it will be useful
county (it can’t be sent until after the going forward. If you’re interested in
primary election). All conventions are to pitching in with this effort, use one of the
be held during the first ten days of June methods given here to contact us.
according to Nebraska law. If you want to
work with others on being better prepared WANT TO HEAR FROM US?
for the convention, do one of the
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2 WORKING TOWARDS CONSTITUTIONAL LIMITED GOVERNMENT