In my growing up I was often told that there were two subjects NOT to discuss in public: religion and politics.
Ooops. Here I go again.
I have been asked repeatedly who I thought would win this 2012 US Presidential Election. I answered the question in my October e-letter but I thought I would reiterate it with some of the columns I have written in my e-letters since this past May which led to my conclusion at the end of September.
As many of you may know, I ran for the US House of Representatives in 2000 for the 4th Congressional District in Connecticut as a petition independent candidate. During that campaign, and even to this day, I referred and continue to refer to the two major US political parties as ‘dumb and dumber’.
Although I may be accused of bias regarding my forecast given here, I am an independent and was a strong advocate in 2008 of an independent run for the US Presidency by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
I am giving the articles below in sequential order beginning with May’s article and finishing with the article I wrote at the end of September indicating that I thought the winner of the 2012 US Presidential election would be…..
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From May 2012:
An October Surprise?
I have written before how this 2012 US Presidential Election and results could be convoluted. Similar to the US Presidential election of 2000 [and we all remember the legacy of chad and the importance of one vote, just one vote… U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy], this US Presidential Election Day of 2012 has Mercury turning direction.
In 2000, Election Day in the US had Mercury turning from retrograde to direct motion. In 2012, Election Day in the US has Mercury turning from direct to retrograde motion. We might find that the results of the 2012 US Presidential election are as mixed up as those in 2000. This shift in direction on the very day of the US elections does not augur well for a clear-cut result. There can be confusions, allegations and a little corruption [little?] on this Election Day and with this US presidential election. We might find that the greatest turnout of voters occurs in the cemetery precincts.
We may also find that the consternation and anger that was exhibited with the fiasco of 2000 is turned up severalfold in 2012. Banana Republic may be a trendy outfit store but some commentators could refer to it as symptomatic of where the US has come to.
Before we get to November, we have to go through October. It always seems that October is a key month. Apart from it being my birthday month and apart from it being the crescendo of the baseball season, a sport where Reggie Jackson in his heyday was known as ‘Mr. October’; October often plays a significant role in US Presidential elections with the term bandied about of an ‘October Surprise’.
And what could this October present? One thing October 2012 shows is the movement of Saturn changing Signs, ending its two and a half year cycle of Libra and entering Scorpio for the next two and a half years. Not only can the Saturn in Scorpio challenge our personal resources, but we find could that there are restrictions and restraints regarding finances. I have mentioned it before, and now I am starting to hear it from commentators and read it in print, 2013 also initiates Taxmageddon, a period of time when we might experience huge increases in taxes. But will we be aware of it in October? Possibly not, although we would have to be totally oblivious not to see the dent in our finances, whether due to impending tax increases, inflation and spiked costs in food and fuel.
An area that I have concern about, both as we come into the Autumn and over the next two years, would be the Middle East. I am not into doom and gloom, but I have always had concern that the celebrations over the Arab Spring could turn into an Arab nightmare. I believe it well could do so.
Saturn going through the Fixed Water Sign will impact all the Signs of the Fixed Quality: Scorpio, Aquarius, Taurus and Leo. Not only are individuals impacted by the planetary configurations. So too are countries, organizations and all entities.
We saw the impact of Saturn negatively impacting the US as Saturn went through Libra and squared the many US planets in Cancer. A country likely to be impacted adversely as Saturn goes through Scorpio is Israel, a Taurus nation. Whether or not there is an October surprise regarding Israel, certainly over the next two plus years, we are likely to see some challenging issues for Israel.
The “October surprise” might not be anything more severe than Halloween, but maybe not.
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From Autumn 2012:
Curioser and Curioser
I am often drawn to comment on present day realities as symptomatic of Alice’s adventures in Wonderland. And why wouldn’t I? These times often seem incredibly surreal with situations, incidents and events so bizarre that you could hardly make them up.
While these volatile times are incredibly dynamic with things changing dramatically in a nanosecond, these times can also be slightly crazy making. Slightly? Well, sometimes more than slightly, even a whole lot more.
Under the curiouser and curiouser theme, I find it interesting to note some of the dramatic changes occurring in 2013 on the political landscape.
As I’ve written before, I am not convinced that we are on the path of economic recovery to the promised land of bounty and abundance. While commentators, hypesters and spinmeisters play the cockeyed optimist, I have my reservations and concerns. I don’t want to get into a diatribe about a post-consumer, post-labor oriented economy.
No, this blurb is about a curious astrological situation that is likely to occur for several political figures as Saturn goes through Scorpio.
Astrology is a study of cycles and planetary configurations. There are times when we are riding along the crest of the wave, other times when we are down in the trough and some times when we get those body slams and scrape along the gritty sands of the shore.
One of the gritty sands times is when transiting Saturn is adversely impacting us. We have heard of the seven-year cycles. It’s written about in the Book of Genesis in the Christian Bible, where Joseph interprets the Pharaoh’s dream as presaging seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. We also know of ‘the seven year itch’ made famous by a 1955 movie of the same name. In astrology, Saturn takes 27-30 years to cycle through the zodiac wheel and every seven years Saturn is hitting its natal position with an adverse impact. Seven years are significant in our human chronological development with the years 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, 56, 65 and on being momentous years demarking significant changes in our lives.
Saturn is the Great Teacher. Whatever we get through Saturn, we have truly earned and learned in the school of life. Saturn does not give generously but demands hard work and persistence and determination. Saturn constricts and restricts.
Those of us with strong Cardinal Sign influence have experienced some of the vicissitudes of Saturn over the past two plus years as Saturn has been transiting through Libra.
One person also slammed by the Saturn Libra configuration was George W. Bush who has his Sun and Saturn in Cancer and has three planets in Libra. With Saturn going through Libra, squaring his Cancer planets and conjuncting his Libra planets, it is not too surprising that Bush has been the butt of the blame game with everything negative, even my heartburn and upset stomach, attributed to it being ‘Bush’s fault’.
All of the Fixed Signs [Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius] will be feeling the influence of the Saturn Scorpio transit from its entry point on October 5th, 2012, to its exit point on December 23rd, 2014 [with Saturn doing a subsequent brief foray back into Scorpio from June 14th, 2015 through September 17th, 2015].
What has drawn my attention and makes things seem especially curious, even to the point of curioser and curioser, is the fact that the Saturn entry into Scorpio seems to hit several key Democrats with adverse Saturn aspects to their natal Sun.
The key players that seem adversely impacted with Saturn entering Scorpio this October for its two and a half year transit of the Fixed Water Sign with the most significant dates of its impact are: Hillary Rodham Clinton [from October 20th – November 6th, 2012], Barack Obama [October 14th – 31st, 2013], Valerie Jarrett [January 7th – February 10th, 2014, March 23rd – April 28th, 2014 and October 5th – 24th, 2014], Bill Clinton [November 10th – 27th, 2014].
Past issues and karmic expiation can be part of the Saturn impact on the natal Sun. Whenever Saturn hits our natal Sun, there is a tendency for us to do a great deal of internal work, a walk down Memory Lane and a recapitulation of what we have done and who we have become.
As I have written before, not only do individuals have astrological charts but so too does every country, organization and entity have a natal astrological chart. One country that may be sorely tested with the Saturn entering into Scorpio is the Taurus Sun country of Israel [May 14, 1948].
I have also mentioned that Saturn in Scorpio is likely to demand an exceptional resourcefulness from each one of us as the compressive nature of Saturn can constrict and restrict our resources.
It will be important for us to keep in mind the idea that…
Living Simply is not Simply Living
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From October 2012:
November 6th US Presidential Election: It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over
I have written before that there are some similarities between this US presidential election on November 6th, 2012, and that of the US Presidential election back in 2000. The similarity is that on both those days, Mercury turned and is turning direction.
Of course, there are also significant differences, the differences being that the planetary transits are quite different and perhaps even more importantly that in 2000 Mercury was coming off its retrograde cycle and turning direct on Election Day, November 7th, 2000, whereas on Election Day 2012 Mercury is coming off its direct cycle and turning retrograde.
The election of 2000 was mired in all sorts of controversy regarding vote counts, chads, recounts and eventually the election decided by the one vote of Justice Anthony Kennedy as the US Supreme Court decided by a 5-4 vote the election of 2000 in the favor of George W. Bush.
We all know Mercury retrograde to be a good replication of Murphy’s Law whereby ‘whatever could go wrong can go wrong’.
And so it is likely to be in the 2012 election. While there can be greater clarity regarding the lead-up to the election, the results may be somewhat convoluted and may not please everyone. Allegations of vote fraud, miscounts, missing ballots, skewed electronic results and the like can be part of the aftermath of the US elections this year.
While I forecast that George W. Bush would win the 2000 election, and again in 2004, this election of 2012 has me flummoxed. Based upon various factors, I would suggest that Barack Obama would be re-elected, BUT I’m just not certain.
All the mundane indications would suggest an Obama win — [1] the power of the presidency; [2] the usual favor of incumbency; [3] the approval rating for the President; [4] the electoral college map of ‘safe’ states for the President versus ‘safe’ states for the challenger; [5] the ability to offset certain campaign expenses as presidential expenses; [6] perceived media bias in favor of the President; [7] the difference in apparent likeability factor between the two candidates favoring Mr. Obama; [8] Election Day being under a Leo Moon that would tie favorably into Mr. Obama’s Leo Sun.
Although going into the election, Mr. Obama would seem the favorite, I am just not that certain to make a downright forecast of an Obama win, and I can make the case for a Romney win.
Saturn’s entry into Scorpio for its two and a half year cycle can make all of us painfully aware of restrictions to our disposable income. Although the numbers show very little inflation exposure, at the moment, all of us may have felt a pinch in our pockets with the recognition of the increased costs in food prices and gas prices.
And no matter who wins the presidential election, the taxman wins either way. Taxes are likely to go up, and I include in taxes user fees such as increased sales tax, registration fees, talk of a national sales tax, an internet tax and on and on. Bottom line is that taxes are going to go up, no matter who wins, with possibly even greater talk of a flat tax or fair tax.
The Saturn coming into Scorpio does hit off negatively several prominent Democrats over the next two plus years [Barack Obama and Bill Clinton – Leos; Hillary Clinton and Valerie Jarrett – Scorpios].
Before Election Day, the Scorpio Saturn creates a T-Square in Mr. Obama’s natal chart with Saturn square Jupiter and Saturn square Mercury. There could be a sudden change in allegiance or something coming to light that has a negative impact on him. He could be slightly depressed, not thinking clearly, might make some verbal gaffe with some past situation putting him in a bad light.
The Scorpio Saturn will trine Mr. Romney’s Pisces Sun and also George W. Bush’s Cancer Sun. Mr. Bush could be ‘rehabilitated’ in the public eye over the next two years. That would be hard to conceive of under an Obama presidency which might excuse any failings as preconditions and ‘Bush’s fault’.
Election Day 2012 does have a Fire Grand Trine with the Moon in Leo trine Mercury in Sagittarius and trine Uranus in Aries. The people [Moon] are looking for change — but is the change in leadership or in governmental form?
There are various signals that seem to favor the President, but other signs that diminish his prospects. As I wrote above, I am flummoxed by this election.
But as if calling a coin toss, I would suggest that Mr. Romney actually might have an edge in the final election decision.
Not only does Romney have the Saturn Scorpio favoring him, but there are various other indications in the comparisons between the two men that would seem to favor Romney over Obama.
Most astrologers and psychics seem to see Obama winning the election. That has been my sense too. But as I studied the various charts involved – progressions and transits of both men, the US chart and transits and progressions to the chart, the Election Day chart and the 2013 Administration chart – my initial sense of an Obama win has shifted. I am still flummoxed by this election, and I think many people will be too. I do, however, believe that when is all said and done, and the done could even go back to a US Supreme Court decision to determine the winner of this presidential election, I would have to give the edge to Romney. I cannot believe I’m suggesting such a thing, since all the mundane considerations would give a strong edge to the President, but it is my sense that Romney could emerge the eventual winner of this 2012 presidential election.
Not everyone will be happy with the election results, no matter which way it goes. There can be a strident contentiousness during the three-week Mercury retrograde and beyond during its ‘shadow’ movement.
As the great baseball philosopher, Yogi Berra, is known to say; “It ain’t over ’til it’s over.”
In regard to the US presidential elections in 2012, it may not be over on November 7th.
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