Accountability 101

Accountability of elected representatives is one of the most important duties to engage in when it comes to the governance of a free state. Obviously, there are those who speak of accountability and in the same breathe will accuse you of being a “negative force” “divisive” or “controversial” as soon as the same expectations for accountability are applied to them.
This is not surprising, of course, as the saying goes “He who hates correction, is stupid.” It’s why we don’t bother with the democrats.
Unfortunately, being stupid is NOT an excuse when their words and actions lead to the election of RINO politicians and overly ambitious leadership that cares more about power and control than upholding the will of We The People. For years, Nebraskans have shouted from the rooftops that they are sick and tired of do nothing senators and GOP leadership that just lie to and use them. Nebraskans want everyday hardworking American representation and yet, election after election, he who raises the most money gets the seat – they never even have to divulge actual policy positions or legislative plans!

You wanna change the course of this state?! You wanna drain the swamp? End the corruption?

While the obvious answer is to STOP playing into their hand!, some just can’t help themselves. If it didnt have a direct effect on the lives of all Nebraskans we might just ignore it, but with all the shady, dirty politics in Nebraska, we have an obligation to call it out…

The Tea 🍵

NAGO is primarily focused on the State Unicameral (often referred to as the “Unistupid” or “Uniscameral”) and will naturally take a step back during the time in between sessions. Of course, we’ll occasionally offer commentary on other areas as is pertinent to the Medical Freedom Movement and/or future impacts on the State Legislature and the potential policies we might see.

For the most part, we stay away from the Federal Issues because that system isnt operated in a way where “you or I” really have any say or influence. Those seats are bought and paid for ( with the very rare exception ), we all know it, and NAGO will absolutely call that out each and every time *cough* like Brinker Harding *cough* – this is what drove the creation of NAGOs Election Guide.

If we want to stop overreach, if we want to preserve our liberties, it matters who we elect. From the Presidential Ticket, sure, but even more importantly to our state and local boards.

In 2020 to 2022 it became even more apparent that in order to elect actual constitutional-freedom-driven Nebraskans, it was going to require (or so many thought) major involvement, to the point of a “takeover” of the NEGOP at the state convention in Kearney of July 2022. The people in power of the NEGOP at the time (aka “the Ricketts Cabal” and the consulting class) were and are still to this day utilizing their war chests to fill seats the way they see fit, which has led to a bunch of weak RINOs that really only seem to care about making themselves and their buddies rich to the detriment of the state and Nebraskans at large ( hello to the $471 million dollar deficit and $500 million in tax credits stolen that we see today ). The majority of the Nebraskans that came together to attempt to break this stronghold were not the politically savvy folks ( sure there were a few – more on that later though ), they were normal everyday Nebraskans that watched money and dirty politics allow weak representatives to lead us right into the largest medical tyranny of our time and the stealing of our elections through the decades and which came to a tipping point in 2020. These weren’t people seeking power, they were returning the power to We The People. That’s what the fight was really about, the regular everyday Nebraskans versus the elitists and their establishment loving cronies, the fight for freedom over power and control.

Our founding fathers saw the writing on the wall. They crafted a form of government that was to be self governed, individual states that would work together towards a common shared goal of individual freedoms instilled by our creator, God. They also implemented safe guards and procedures to reduce risk of and eliminate threats/acts of corruption, invasion, and treason.

Unfortunately, over the past many generations there has been a shift from the intentions of our Constitutional Republic to one of Democracy, which worked well for many decades while the majority of our country had shared morals, values, and principles, even across political party lines.
In 2022, Nebraskans came together because they had a shared common goal, a strive for freedom, that surpassed the will and abilities of those who strive for power and control. Then the mandates ended, and from that Republicans regained the Presidency and the trickle down effect was felt even at the local levels across the country and also here in Nebraska at the NEGOP, the county parties, state and local school boards, and more.

Now, we’re looking at a midterm primary election about 6 months out and NOTHING has improved here in Nebraska. All that #WINNING and here we are 4 and a half years later with the same fraudulent system churning out the same do-nothing politicians (with the exception of a few, we know). It begs the question, WHY?!?!

Well, because, as the saying goes, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

And where does the power lie?

Some would point to the Ricketts Cabal and consulting class, others the Lobbyists and Nonprofits (the Unicameral refers to them as “the stakeholders”), and many, without any political awareness, would say the NEGOP/Republicans in general. In many respects they’re all right to some degree.

After the dirty politics against Herbster in the last gubernatorial race, securing Pillen’s governorship, and conveniently appointing Ricketts to US Senator, that became more than obvious to most people. Hence the ridiculously close race between the incumbent “Republican” and a fake Independent candidate we see with Ricketts and Osborne.

Varying lobbyists and nonprofits control darn near every senator in our state. Whether it be the education lobbyists which control the dems and beat the republicans into submission every year (thats why your property taxes are so high) or the Farm Bureau, large “prolife” groups, or the Nebraska Medical Association. They all have their slice, and the current election system in Nebraska pretty well exclusively serves in their best interest (Bob Evnen ensures of that). If you ever take the time to browse through candidate disclosures and bios, you’ll find nearly every one serves on or worked for one or more of these types of entities.

Now, much of this has been allowed to happen through a self-governed system because We the People have become complacent to our own civic duty, there’s no denying that. Many Nebraskans recognized that and led them to hold a sense of obligation to get involved, more specifically to get involved with the Republican party which seemingly had (or should have had) the most influence and accountability over the majority of Nebraska’s elected representatives.

Here enters the promises of the New NEGOP.

One that was going to serve the constitution, and nothing but. One that was going to stand up for the hardworking Americans with an America First agenda; that was going to drain the swamp and oust the elistist,establishment, war-mongerers, neocons, RINOs, or whatever you want to call them, the corrupt, and fight for real Nebraska values (which is predominantly still Christian) – a sanctity for all life, 2A all the way, private OWNED property, secure elections, etc. For a little while it was exactly that way, but they quickly found there was no real influence or accountability to be had – which is often lost on those who aren’t regularly engaged in Nebraska politics or just like to hate on Republicans.

Between the control still leftover from former NEGOP leadership having largely been comprised of Ricketts/establishment cronies and the control of the lobbyists and non-profits, the New NEGOP was iced out by any representative that took Ricketts money or had used a consulting firm loyal to the establishment, which is pretty much all of them.
In 2024 they sealed that deal with the duly voted on refusal to endorse the federal delegation by the hundreds of central committee members. A reaffirmation that Nebraska conservatives would no longer support RINO candidates and expected our representatives to uphold the will of We the People who had elected them – this also chased off many of the remaining establishment loyalists (though not all) who had remained within leadership positions of the New NEGOP after the “takeover”.

This led to the creation of external PACs intended to circumvent the NEGOP and funnel money right back to the very candidates the New NEGOP stood up to. Sure some blew up on the launch pad, others such as Red State Nebraska, now going by Build Nebraska, is swimming in hundreds of thousands of dollars. Of course, their goal is not freedom, but control and power, to “win”.

These people know, better than most, that all they have to do is wait. Without the shared common goal we saw in 2021, basic freedom over tyranny, the New NEGOP would fall into disarray and the common struggle for power and control. All they have to do is be there to pick up the pieces. Which doesnt mean they dont participate in and facilitate that downfall. That is the political way after all, well their’s.

In the first 2-2.5 years the New NEGOP fought like hell to find donors, to no avail. All the former major donors were loyalists to the federal delegation and therefore refuse to donate to the party so long as the “grassroots patriots” were in charge.
Of course these everyday Nebraskans that they despised so much were completely aware of this. The expectation of course was that the New NEGOP would find a new way of generating the donations and to NOT cave to the establishment for ANY promises of money (which again was never going to be given so long as they were in charge). Many Nebraskans have pointed out that you cannot serve two masters. So long as the money is the primary goal, one will never truly be focused on the actual goal of preserving freedom. (A huge reason and blessing for NAGO that we do not deal with money, at all.)

This brings us to the problem we’re seeing today. As expected in the last year and a half or so, and especially the last 9 months. The power struggle within the New NEGOP as the establishment bids for control once again has reached a red alert status. Systematically the everyday Nebraskans that rose up to take back their freedoms have been pushed out, being deemed “too controversial” or having their character assassinated to the point of being forced to resign or even removed without cause. In the last year countless amendments have been introduced (through a loophole that benefits the select few on the rules and resolutions committee) to centralize power and information and only ONE resolution providing an action item that the NEGOP has done nothing to participate in or promote. Meanwhile the dedicated volunteers and a growing number of central and executive board members that have been around for years, many even longer than (some of) the leadership today, are being turned off. Every meeting is focused more and more on gaining control, limiting participation, and sucking up to establishment in hopes of gaining their money.

The lack of accountability has gotten so bad that the New NEGOP can’t even say a candidate sucks! At the 2025 August SCC meeting the attempt was made to shut down all endorsements from both the state and county parties before the primaries, essentially “let’s just tag along with whichever candidate is the best at the pay to play game”. Several individuals, true to the grassroots cause, stood up to this blatant apathy and concentration of power, reduced the castration of influence (what little is even there) to just the state party and ensured the ability for the counties to withhold support from RINOs. These Nebraskans have targets on their backs to this day.

What will really be telling is how the New NEGOP handles the reelection campaign of Creepy Merv Riepe 🤔

Unfortunately, this is exactly the strife the establishment is waiting for. They are perfectly happy to see the New NEGOP  just sit idly by with grandeurs of “unity”, not hold them accountable, nor stand by their own platform, and eat their own until they go bankrupt and have no choice but to come running for their bailout. And – don’t forget Don Bacon has openly stated in interviews that he has all intention to come back to Nebraska and take back the party from the “radicals” (which might be better than the domestic terrorists label he previously gave to anyone who recognized the J6 setup for what it was – and has been proven today, we might add).

All this is to say that if we want to see a Nebraska where our representatives truly represent We the People. That stand up on the real issues Nebraskans face (like actually eliminating property taxes), you can’t go looking to the party to save you, certainly not without major realignment and accountability. Nebraskans must face the reality that our election system caters to the pay to play mentality and reject these candidates – on both sides of the aisle and especially those being promoted by large nonprofits, lobbyists, and other elitist politicians.

Trusting political endorsements, which are largely bought and paid for or required by consulting firm contracts, is a dangerous and silly way to determine if a candidate is good – though it can certainly be helpful in determining who ISN’T a good candidate.

Nebraskans, hold tight to your seats. The cold hard truth is that the fight for freedom over tyranny is far from over and it depends entirely on OUR actions. Do not sit idly by while the powers that be select your representatives, limit our voices, and restrict our ability to hold them accountable. Do not feed into the distractions of the power struggles and malicious infighting. Stay true to your principles and stand on truth and righteousness.

Nebraskans deserve better, and NAGO for one is going to fight like hell to see that come to fruition. We’ve led the charge before, we’ve filled entire buildings, and overflowed the halls and steps of the Capitol – and we’ll do it again.