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The Ship of Fools

We have to laugh. Because laughter, we already know, is the first evidence of freedom.
(Rosario Castellanos, “If Not Poetry, Then What?” 1973)

Where there is laughter there is always more health than sickness. (Phillis Bottome, “Survival” 1943)

I’m not sure what it is; maybe it’s Jupiter in Leo. Maybe it’s because my personal Jupiter is retrograde in the 10th house and I can’t help but laugh at the farce we are watching. Maybe it’s because I just watched the Bob Hope 100 Years of Humor. Maybe it’s because we’ve slipped from the sublime to the ridiculous in this country. Whatever it is I can hardly stop giggling at the heights of the preposterous levels we have climbed in this country, and the solemn way in which we’ve accepted the preposterous.

I must share with you, if you haven’t already seen the article, the US and UK is offering a mansion with servants and guards to Mr. Aziz (Saddam’s right hand man) at the expense of the UK for information. It seems that the more money you steal and the more people you kill the more you are rewarded. Am I the only one who sees irony in that? In reading history this is business as usual and the question remains whether the masses will find an avenue or a voice to make inroads into stopping the theft of their heritage for the purpose of supporting the few in grand style.

Are their any voices to stop this ridiculous march toward world domination? The peace activists have thus far failed to articulate new ideas or directions and so have the people running for office, including those in office. Iraq has plainly brought to the fore the realization that this administration doesn’t have any plans. All they can do or know how to do is drop bombs. Bombs on countries, bombs on education, social programs, “bombs” on the states, but they haven’t any clean up plans beyond a narrow focused single thought - “the rich get richer.”

Their main concern was not in rebuilding Iraq, they didn’t even try to stop the looting, their main concern is the oil and securing those rights. They can’t even get enough water or electricity to the cities and towns, not to mention the hospitals and schools. And the inability or incompetence to clean up or grasp the unintended consequences of their “bombs” is their Achilles heel.
The good news for the Democrats is the reality of GWB’s domestic programs are beginning to hit home. I don’t think the Republicans realized there are Republicans out here in the States. Those same states who are grasping for air, Maine has flat out stated they could trace 25 percent of their budget short fall to the first Bush tax-cut. By the time Saturn hits the US Venus and Jupiter this June, cold hard reality will hit home. There are moderate Republicans, lots of them who use a great many social programs such as education, Medicaid, Social Security, parks, Zoos, Libraries, Museums, PBS, and the list goes on. All those social programs will be eliminated or severly cut back. If we want them we will have to pay for them, and this country has enjoyed free access or at least could see their tax dollars being spent on something they wanted, now those tax dollars are being spend on bombs.

We must look for candidates that can articulate the issues and outline some solutions. Let’s take a brief look at the candidates in the batter’s cage right now.

Edwards: (06.12.1953 – Charlotte, NC)

Edwards has the feel of elbowing himself into the pack and with all the Gemini in his chart he wants to be careful about seeming to say one thing and then another. Fortunately his Mercury is resting in Cancer and he might be able to mitigate some of the Gemini switching back and forth. Pluto is in an exact opposition to his Sun right now, but it sets off his Sun/Saturn trine. His Moon/Jupiter at 7/8 degrees Gemini will be hit by the Solar Eclipse on May 31st, plus progressed Jupiter is very close to a conjunct to his Sun. Even though his progressed Sun has passed the opposition to his North Node, his Mars is coming close to the same opposition (something owed him perhaps) The energy could create the “star quality” he needs to be noticed above the crowd, however you never know with an Eclipse, it could also be the star that was shot down.

Hart (11.28.1936 – Ottawa, KS.)

Sagittarius Sun, Mercury, North Node and Jupiter (29 degrees) His Sun opposes his Moon at 7 Gemini. Not only will the Eclipse set this opposition off but Mars (the closest it’s been to earth in 73,000 years) will set up a T-square to the opposition. This was the man who dared the media to “follow” him and when they did they found him with another woman. Although that was many years ago and could easily be dismissed as a mid-life crises, the Republicans will crucify him with the information. People who never heard of Gary Hart will be confusing him with Bill Clinton way before the elections. Pluto will be close to his North Node but not quite, not close enough to bring him the power he needs to move forward. There is certainly a lot of activity going on in his chart and thus his life, I don’t see anything that can catapult him into the Presidency.

Liberman (02.24.1942 – Stamford, CT)

The biggest help Senator Liberman has is his Solar Arc planets have progressed in exact sextiles to his natal planets (happens to nearly everyone when you are about 60) this would indicated some new opportunities for him and that super powerful Mars conjoins his Sun on August 27th, and inconjuncts his Pluto, he won’t know how to take advantage, he’s too unsure. Unless he buys the nomination, I don’t see Liberman getting the nod and I don’t see him winning the election. I rather think he will back down before the convention. The only caution I have to that prediction is Neptune conjuncting his Mercury, he may actually believe he will be President. His Moon and progressed Jupiter are conjunct Mars and it will all be under the glare of Pluto. He tries hard to be liked and accepted, too hard and the Gemini Jupiter shows that face to the world.

Nadar (2.27.1934 Winsted, CT)

I once read a book entitled “That Man is You,” one of the questions asked was “do you believe in God or do you believe in the people who have told you about God.” It went on to state that “if you truly believe in God you must break with all you’ve been told and find the answer for yourself.” So this is my question “do you believe in Ralph Nadar” or do you believe in what you think he stands for?” Nadar has his Sun, Mars and Mercury in Pisces, (a fighting visionary) and he will be fighting for his political life the closer we get to the election. Or, better yet, he has joined forces with the Democrats to form a stronger stand against the present administration. I have some concerns for Mr. Nadar with Pluto squaring his Mercury/Mars conjunction in Pisces for most of 2003 and 2004 and Saturn conjuncting his Pluto and squaring Jupiter. He had a chance in 2000 and if the media had not blocked out his message he might have taken the whole ballgame, but I believe his chance and come and gone as with Gary Hart and Liberman.

Dean (11.17.1948, New York, New York)

I want to say that Howard Dean is a strong candidate going into this “racing” season of politics, he really isn’t, however if he can gain strength and make inroads to the “we’re too scared of shaking the boat” Democrats, he might make it, but he is a real long shot right now, little money, no covering by the party right now, lukewarm media (not that this means anything, the media is lukewarm about all the candidates.) If he gets to election day the aspects look good, but he could be “eclipsed” before the summer is over. One bad sign is his wife doesn’t seem to be behind him at all. Our “family first” folks could make something of that. Saturn squaring his Neptune and Venus in Libra during 2003 and 2004 could make him throw in the towel. His Neptune is right on the US Saturn and the people might not be able to connect with him as a solid candidate, however with Saturn/Neptune aspects between charts could also indicate a grounding in reality, bringing dreams down to earth. His Solar Arc Pluto is close to 12 degrees Libra within orb of the US Saturn and squaring the US Sun, will they see him as a viable candidate when the US becomes disillusioned with Bush. Dean has his natal Mercury at 11 degrees Scorpio so he is really a “bottom line” guy, Neptune is in a square to his Mercury he could be receiving some bad advice right now. His natal Moon at 6 degrees Gemini (depending on birth time) squares his natal Saturn at 5 degrees Virgo. He’s another one who will be affected this summer by the “super-Mars.

I will be posting Kerry, Clark, Kuchinch, Graham, Gephardt, Sharpton and Mosley- Braun before the week is out. In the meantime, look for Mosley-Braun to get an unexpected boost. Carol has six planets in Leo with the Sun and Moon sextile Uranus. She is about to have a nodal return at 28 Taurus. Do not count her out or marginalize her. It wouldn’t be wise to underestimate anyone with 6 planets in Leo with a transiting trine from Pluto and transiting Jupiter, now direct, and about to hit her first Leo planet and transiting Saturn is now conjunct her Uranus and sextile the Leo.

At best this is a really brief overview of these candidates and not all of the information can be expressed, you would go to sleep before I finished with Edwards, you may be asleep now. I believe there is a surprise awaiting us, either among these candidates or someone new. On November 1, 1938 Seabiscuit, an unlikely win by an unlikely horse outpaced War Admiral by four lengths. It can happen in horse races and politics.

I cannot end this without a comment on Rummy Rumsfield. (July 9th, 1932, 5:40pm, Chicago, ILL.) The poor guy has progressed Jupiter and Neptune conjunct, at 8 degrees Virgo and transiting Pluto squaring his NN. Progressed Venus conjunct natal Mercury, opposed by transiting Neptune and conjunct by transiting Jupiter. His natal, progressed, pre-natal and Draconic Chart is a mess. Let me just boil it down, the guy needs some meds.

Did anyone hear of “Baghdad Bob?” He’s the Minister of Information for Iraq (he has since sadly killed himself) The comedians and the rest of the US were getting quite a chuckle over his pronouncements that all was well in Iraq, the Iraqi’s were winning, beating back the infidels, the US would be turned to dust. He was saying these things even as the US was overrunning the country.

We don’t need to look to Baghdad to find our funny man. We have our own in Rummy Rumsfield. His comments over the looting of the Museum and Library indicate that he slept through his history classes, perhaps this is why these people don’t learn from history.

Rummy said, “the looting was nothing, just an expression of freedom, you saw some Iraqi carrying out vases over and over again, at least 20 times, there couldn’t be that many vases in Iraq.” Jon Stewart’s response, “let’s see, the museum covered 7,000 years….seven thousand years. Yes, it is possible Iraq has 20 vases.” Poor Rummy must have spent all his youth playing with G.I. Joe and eyes lit up with the big bombs going boom. For Rummy the movies always ended with music swelling, John Wayne striding into town, people cheering, who knew there was something that had to be done after the bombs dropped, poor thing, he never learned the difference between a “battle” and a “war.”

Rummy’s on an excited roll here, in spite of continued looting, revenge killings, MASS demonstrations by the Iraqi’ telling the USA to GET OUT, no sign of WMD or Saddam, the Clerics up in arms, the entire Middle East signing a letter telling us we are guilty of War Crimes if we steal the Iraqi’s oil, and back at the ranch, Rumsfield tells us the “war is over, it’s been a great success, the people love us and all is well.” Baghdad Bob, we have our own Baghdad Bob. Rummy is standing knee deep in cow pies. Make us laugh Rummy, at least until Saturn conjuncts your Venus and squares your Moon. I’ve had Saturn square Moon, it wasn’t funny for me, but Rummy has his humor to sustain him.

Looking at the Iraqi July 14, 1958, 4:00am, Baghdad chart, their power struggle with the US (Natal Mars and NN squaring US Pluto) could take some really thigh slapping twists because transiting Jupiter is conjunct their Natal Uranus. They might even get back something they value as Uranus is in the 2nd house at 10 degrees Leo. In fact their Uranus conjuncts GWB’s Pluto, now if some of those thousand year old artifacts show up in Crawford, Texas.

As our leaders are the mirror to what we are experiencing, we are their mirror and with all that going on out here, you can bet there is a crumbling mess inside the White House.

There is more much more, in fact they are now providing us with a laugh every hour on the hour. Mercury has gone retrograde, this Administration doesn’t do well under Mercury retrogrades, take the next three weeks and enjoy the comedy of their shocks, scandals, and errors and take nothing serious.

We have the Keystone Cops, Moe, Larry and Curley, Abbot and Costello running things, let’s use Jupiter in Leo this summer and laugh at their antics, we’ll feel better and they’ll feel worse.