Posted on July 10, 2014
by Jerry Alatalo
While thinking about ways to increase support for Dan Buhrdorf in his run for United States Senator from Nebraska, the television was on and tuned into C-SPAN and the Senate. Those who’ve spent time watching the Senate proceedings on C-SPAN know that there are those long breaks where Senators stand around and talk while waiting for the next item on the agenda.
So, my gaze went from the computer screen to the TV screen for a moment and there was Senator Jay Rockefeller moving across the Senate floor with his walker assisting him. Mr. Rockefeller is up in age and deals with the body’s deterioration like everyone else, a common fact of life that no men or women, even billionaires, are immune to.
At that point, thoughts turned to the dramatic scenes in movies where actors portraying a solitary man or woman character deep in thought are captured on film. Perhaps the film’s main male or female character is in a scene where they are sitting alone in their living room at midnight staring out the window at a star-filled sky while considering their life circumstances. Maybe the scene is of a man or woman who has climbed a mountain, and is sitting while thinking about the world and ideas for improving the lives of the people who live in it.
Gary Cooper was an actor who has become remembered for his ability to “speak volumes” from the movie screen without saying a word, using only his facial mannerisms to convey what was going on inside. It was that kind of contemplative moment that occurred while simultaneously thinking about a post for Dan Buhrdorf and seeing Mr. Rockefeller moving across the Senate floor.
That contemplative moment led to an increased intensity of realization that Dan Buhrdorf has ideas which would transform America into a better nation, turning the page from Wall Street/Rockefeller concentrated money power and domination to the next evolutionary chapter in America’s history. It led to wonder at how the internet isn’t full of articles about Dan and the profound potential that could become actualized if he became elected to the United States Senate.
Occupy Wall Street (OWS) activists – and those who are in agreement on the basic concepts that led to America’s largest public demonstrations since the Vietnam War – have in Nebraska an opportunity to truly get the ball rolling. To the point, every man and woman in America who shares the general philosophy which sparked and fuelled the OWS movement should seriously consider – in Gary Cooper-like contemplative moments, perhaps – helping Dan Buhrdorf get elected in Nebraska.
Change of historic nature and proportion
OWS demonstrations – gatherings across the United States of America – were attended by men and women whose primary, experience-based concerns and intentions were all about change of a historic nature. Go to Dan Buhrdorf’s website danfornebraska.com, read his program points, then ask yourself if those points don’t add up to precisely what OWS men and women demonstration attendees want – change of a historic nature and proportion.
During my fastpitch softball playing days (baseball’s legend/home run hitter Hank Aaron played fastpitch softball before becoming a professional), every time one of our big hitters would step to the plate, he automatically heard “get the feeling!” encouragement from us in the dugout. “Get the feeling” came from the time when he was about to get his turn to hit and he told us he “had a feeling” he was going to hit a home run. Sure enough, and to the great surprise of us as his teammates, he got the “sweet spot” of his bat to intersect with the riseball thrown by the opposing team’s ace pitcher, smashed a rising line drive home run that met the left-center field light pole halfway up its length, then jogged around the bases as we stood in awe in the dugout thinking, mumbling or shouting “he got the feeling!”
This is the kind of spirit Dan Buhrdorf – who has stepped up to the plate in the political equivalent of the “big-league” – needs now from men and women in every state of America, and especially Nebraskans. Just like my old softball friend and teammate, Dan is in the batter’s box, has “the feeling,” and is waiting for encouragement from his teammates – the American people. Nebraska is huge.
The implementing of Dan’s ideas, which will come about after he receives the “dugout” support from like-minded citizens all across the United States and wins Nebraska’s U.S. Senate race, would be a “home run” for America and the world. Nebraska is huge.
The stars and the universe, the world economy, and situations of war and peace on this Earth have become aligned in 2014 in ways that show the wisdom of helping political candidates like Dan Buhrdorf become able to engage in the work of a generation – necessary historic change.
Before sharing Dan Buhrdorf’s words from his website, just a few more thoughts. As said earlier in this writing, it is puzzling that more men and women who were directly involved with America’s Occupy movement – or agree with the fundamental philosophy and principles behind its birth, high importance, and relevance – have yet to focus on Nebraska. Many people who were on the ground at Occupy gatherings look back and describe how they were profoundly moved by the sense of brother and sisterhood, and an anticipatory “feeling” of real, good change which warmed the hearts of all.
Ask yourself if living conditions for Americans will improve if Dan Buhrdorf does not become Nebraska’s Senator, if American lives would improve if Dan Buhrdorf became Nebraska’s Senator, then act as creatively as possible in accord with the answers to those questions. Do you have men and women friends who would agree with and endorse Dan Buhrdorf? Talk to them and help Dan win. Do you know men and women who have small, medium, or large contacts with the public with the capability and willingness to spread the word about Dan’s Senate race? Then, like the Nike commercials: “just do it.”
Do you know any multi-billionaires who would help Dan, who have “just a tad different” political philosophy than the Koch brothers or Wall Street super-rich political power masters?
The absolute truth inherent in that Occupy “feeling” is a great, noble, honorable, and democratically possible vision for Americans and humanity.
Nebraska is huge.
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(The following comes from danfornebraska.com)
About Dan:
Abraham Lincoln famously warned that “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”The once-proud Republican and Democratic parties have divided the American people against each other. The loyalty of our politicians to Wall Street, the war machine and the super-rich knows no bounds.
There is another way – I ask you to stand with me and fight for it.
My name is Dan Buhrdorf. I am a fifth-generation Nebraskan. I was born and raised in Lincoln and graduated from the University of Nebraska. After a career as a school principal overseas, I came back home to care for my parents when their health failed.I was able to provide comfort to my WWII-generation grandparents and my father during their final days. I have cared for my sick, widowed mother since.
Our older generations endured great hardship and sacrifice for American values and our economic rights. I consider it a duty and privilege to care for them, and to carry their legacy forward. I’m doing that as a candidate for US Senate.These American values have been lost.
Republicans like Eisenhower and Nixon protected Social Security, public schools, industry and family farms. Today’s Republicans have nothing to offer but savage budget cuts, free trade and empty populist rhetoric.
Democrats like FDR and JFK fought against Wall Street in defense of economic rights, and made historic commitments to infrastructure and scientific achievement. Today’s Democrats pay lip service to modest reforms while taking care not to bite the hand of Wall Street.
This is still New Deal America. Americans believe that wealth should be earned through industry, not stolen through financial speculation on Wall Street. Americans believe in a strong social safety net to protect seniors, the disabled and those who have fallen on hard times. Americans believe it’s the government’s duty to protect industry against free trade, to protect farms against Wall Street, and to advance the common economic interests of all Americans.
In this race, I don’t claim the resume with the most government and insider jobs or the most arguments before a judge. I don’t have millions in campaign contributions from Wall Street or ready access to the mainstream media. But I do have the best ideas, and I will fight for them.
I support family values. And I support the economic basis of family values. As Senator I will fight for the economic reforms for Nebraskans and all Americans to have quality housing, good and plentiful jobs, valuable education, 21st Century transportation, and the support needed to raise strong and healthy children.I believe that establishing a strong, Constitutional government to fight for our common interests is both our right and duty as Americans. Join me and fight.
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Join Dan and fight. For more information on how, please visit danfornebraska.com
THE ONENESS of HUMANITY 