Saturday, October 21, 2006

Latoyia Figueroa Revisted

Latoyia Figueroa Revisted
mumin_bey@yahoo.com

12:54 PM 10/21/2006

Earlier this week the Philly Metro newspaper reported that Stephen Poaches, the boyfriend and killer of Latoyia Figueroa, would be serving life in prison without the possibility of parole instead of getting the (much deserved!) death penalty in return for cooperating with prosecutors. With this sentence, the final chapter closes on an all-too short life of a young woman - with child, mind you - for the surviving members of her family.

Interested readers of my musings may recall my intensive following of the case back in Aug of last year; it came as a host of very interesting questions were being raised not just by myself, but also be varied voices in the media:

1. Why the so-called "Missing Woman" syndrome in America exists - with decided racial overtones (recall all the attention the Natalie Holloway case garnered, which eclipses that of Figueroa)

2. Why so many men were killing their pregnant wives/significant others (recall the case of Scott Peterson, and far too many others)

3. Why there continues to be few if any places where men who need help can get it

4. And whether the charge of "double homicide" (both Poaches and Peterson were convicted of double murder, as their wives/girlfriends were pregnant at the time of their deaths; Peterson's case resulted in a federal law being enacted, "The Connor & Laci Law") will harm the chances of Pro-Choice Movement in keeping Roe v Wade in place

Additionally, my articles tried to tease out the essentials of the case by drawing on a whole range of techniques - rectification, horary, natal and mundane astrology - in order to make sense of such a senseless affair.

I have to admit, it was the most saddest, painful thing I have ever written; and this comes from one who has seen enough pain to last two lifetimes.

In honor of Figueroa's life, and in the hopes of both assisting my colleagues in the aforementioned areas of astrology, as well as to foster discussion on the issues surrounding the Figueroa case, I present here excerpts from my articles on her life and death.

"An Astrological Requiem for Latoyia Figueroa" Aug 25 2005

In the backdrop of this Summer's Missing Person Drama - Natalie Holloway - here at home, an at least equally chilling, if not moreso, drama with a tragic, painful end, unfolded - that of the murder of Latoyia Figueroa. Young. Pretty. And 5 months pregnant.

Figueroa went missing on Jul 18, after spending the day with her boyfriend, Stephen Poaches, who, like Latoyia herself, resided out in Southwest Philly. Poaches took her to a doctor's appointment in in downtown Philly, they came back and ate lunch, she left - and was never seen again alive. That was the story as of a few days ago.

On Saturday morning, at 10AM (Aug 20, 2005 here in Philly, PA; EDT time zone), the Philadelphia Police Department, headed up by Commisioner Sylvester Johnson, gave a news conference regarding the Figueroa case: they had found her body. She was dead.

Figueroa was found about 8 miles outside the city limits, in Chester, PA, in a lot of tall weeds; allegedly she was to be dumped there by her boyfriend, Poaches. Poaches supposedly called a friend to assist him in disposing of the body; the friend then called the Philly Police for the 100K in reward money; they setup a sting, and caught Poaches cold busted. At the time of arrest, Poaches was wearing a bullet-proof vest and carrying a .45 pistol.

It was the end of an over month-long drama that gripped the city, even grabbing national headlines for a time, with many people demanding that the national media pay at least as much attention to non-White missing persons as they do White ones.

On Monday, Aug 22, the Philadelphia Daily News carried as its front page story, a full-page photograph of Figueroa and Poaches together in an embrace, with the caption "Call Cracks Case", referring to Poaches' buddy literally diming him out.

Today, Figueroa's viewing was held; tomorrow, will be her funeral. Poaches will be charged with double homicide. And the real story is just emerging.

Evidently, Figueroa, 24 years old, was part of a love triangle between Poaches, who is 25, and his high school sweetheart, who also seems to have been pregnant (and recent news reports have confirmed that she has given birth to a child in as many weeks). Under what circumstances Figueroa and Poaches came together is not entirely clear. But what is known, is that she had been pregnant by him before, and that she miscarried; she had ovarian cancer(!) and feared that if she didn't grab the chance at having another baby, she might not get another chance. Figueroa had another child, a 7 year old daughter, apparently from a previous relationship. Poaches frequently took both mom and daughter on shopping and dinner outings. Seen laughing and cutting up together often, in recent weeks loud arguments could be heard coming from Poaches' apartment. Poaches evidently felt lots of pressure with the prospect of having to deal with two pregnant women at the same time, neither of whom wanted to deal with abortion. The Heat was On.

Latoyia Figueroa News Conference Sat, Aug 20, 2005 10.16AM EDT, Philadelphia, PA. Placidus 14 Lib 15/Lahiri 20 Vir 19. Source: Covered live on KYW News Radio, 1060AM.

The "10.16AM" reference is for the moment that I tuned in to the radio broadcast; taking my cue from Horary astrology, I took that moment to be relevant in my casting the chart for the event.

OK, first off, note that this event just happens to take place on a Saturday - Saturn's day, long associated with Death; and 14 Libra rises in the Western chart, RIGHT in the Via Combustia; to make matters worse, the Asc ruler, Venus, is in the 12th House! I take both the Asc and Venus to represent Figueroa, and it doesn't look good at all.

Next, I note that the Moon is EXACTLY conjunct Uranus in Pisces in the 5th House of pregancy; Uranus rules the 5th; Venus rules the Asc. There is a "disconnect" in some way between Figueroa and this pregnancy, and this reflected the tension she was embroiled in with Poaches.

Because the Signs Libra and Pisces are so strong in this map, my astrological antennae hones in on the distinct possibility that Figueroa could indeed have one or both of them prominent in her own chart.

Mars rules the 7th, and is in Taurus in the 8th House of Death, Dishonor and Scandal; clearly, this represents Poaches. Lilly used to say that a criminal will often be seen in a horary chart by its significator (usually the ruler of the 7th) in a "foriegn sign" - a Sign that is of no dignity at all to that planet. In that I take the Outer planets into account in my horary work, I take Mars in Taurus to be Peregrine as per Lilly's rules, and so, it represents Poaches (who may have either Mars/Aries and/or Taurus prominent in his makeup; the newspaper article stated that he worked for F.C. Haab Oil Company. Classically, oil is represented by Mars, because oil needs fire in order to work). Note Mars is applying to square Neptune in the 4th, who in turn is retrograding backward to trine the Libra Asc again. Poaches' story kept changing with regard to the police, the press and one of the local urban radion stations, where he gave an interview; none of them lined up. That the Moon-Uranus conjunction also closely sextile Mars also points to him as well.

Keep in mind that she had ovarian cancer - Venus(!).

"Some Astrological Thoughts on America's "Missing Woman" Syndrome - And An Epilogue for Latoyia Figueroa" Aug 31 2005

Latoyia Figueroa: Astrological Rectification
But before we do, let's tie up some loose ends first. Figueroa was born on Jan 26, 1981 in Philadelphia, according to Wikipedia. In a recent essay I wrote, "An Astrological Reqium for Latoyia Figueroa", I presented the chart for the moment I heard a live news conference held by the Philadelphia Police Dept; it announced that they had found Figueroa's body, and that her boyfriend, Stephen Poaches, was in custody and would be charged with double homicide. On the basis of that chart (Sat, Aug 20, 2005, 10.16AM EDT, Philadelphia, PA; Placidus 14 Lib 15) I suggested strongly that Figueroa herself could indeed have either or both the Signs Libra or Pisces strong in her chart. Her birthdate reveals a strong Moon-Pluto conjunction in Libra(!), along with a Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in Libra (both of which are Rx). This matches the Libra Asc in the news conference chart, and since the Moon and Uranus are in exact conjunction in the same chart, I thought that perhaps Figueroa *could* have Pisces rising. That would put us between 8 and 10AM.

The time I settled on was 8.36AM EST, which yields a 4 Pisces 16 Ascendant, using Placidus Houses. This specific degree on the Pisces Asc is based on only three reported events in Figueroa's life:

1. Her mother being shot and killed when Figueroa was still a "toddler" (I used the year 1985, which would have put Figueroa at about 4 years old; at the time, SA Uranus=Moon, SA Uranus=Asc, and SA Asc=Pluto, with Tr Uranus crossing the MC; please note that Uranus in the natus rules the 12th)

2. Birth of her first daughter, age 17, 1998 (SA Venus=Sun, a classic for childbirth; Tr Jupiter conjuncting the Asc, and Tr Pluto square the Asc)

3. Death by strangulation by her boyfriend, Jul 18, 2005 (SA Mars=MC, SA Neptune=Moon, SA Uranus=Neptune; Tr Pluto conjunct chart ruling Neptune, Tr Uranus retrograding back to conjunct the Pisces Asc, TR MARS EXACTLY OPPOSED HER NATAL PLUTO!)

Please note several strong features that focus in on her situation quite strongly, shown in the proposed rectification I give:

1. Packed 12th House - the Sun and Mercury-Mars conjunction: this suggests "creepin'", especially since Mercury rules the 7th. Its conjunction with Mars=potential for violence.

2. Packed 7th House - the Moon, Jupiter-Saturn all in Libra. This is a woman for whom being alone would not be an option, and, along with the Mercury-Mars conjunction, suggests a tendency toward bad choices when it comes to men. Note that the Moon rules the 5th and conjuncts Pluto, which itself is in the 8th.

3. Venus square Pluto - a driving sexual aspect, all the moreso if it occurs in a woman's chart; this aspect can also speak to her ovarian cancer (see below). Sun=Venus/Mars, Venus=Mars/MC, Pluto=Asc/MC!

4. Uranus in Scorpio is Peregrine - ruling the the 12th (secret affairs, etc.). This is a POWERFUL sexual indication here...breaking rules, taboos, that sort of thing. Also, the ovarian cancer can be seen here, since Uranus rules the 12th in the sexual regenerative organ sign.

5. Saturn is Rx in the 7th - a strong signal that the father, for good or ill, will play a DIRECT role in her later intimate life. In that he raised her, it is my guess that he was more passive than not, especially in light of the fact that she had her first child at such a young age.

6. Mars=Pluto/MC. In my research and study of abused women, I have found consistently, the coming together in some way of the planets Mars and Pluto, usually tied in some way to the 4th (a Parent, usually the Mother) 5th (sexual relationship), 7th ("the other" - spouse, partner, relationships in general), 8th (secondary sexual concerns, potential monies and/or other assets, etc.) or 10th (again, a Parent, usually the Father). In Natalie Holloway's natus, we find again, the relationship between Mars and Pluto, this time in square aspect (and thus no real need to resort to scanning the Midpoints). In Figueroa's case, Mars conjunct the ruler of the 7th, while Pluto conjunct the Moon which is in the 7th, just makes this midpoint contact all the more important.

In short, this is, with all due respect, a very sexually active chart, with strong "do my own thing no matter what" overtones, a sort of leaping before you look kind of vibe; it also portends protracted difficulty in relationships, particularly when young, which can lead to potentially drastic results.

Back to the "Requiem" piece...

Although we don't yet have data for either Figueroa or Poaches, we CAN infer something very, very important that lurks out in the background - Pluto. For those who have read my recent essay "On Pluto in Capricorn", you've seen my thoughts on Pluto and its role generationally, seen thru the Signs. Figueroa was 24; Poaches is 25. BOTH would have Pluto in Libra in their charts, a powerful signal generationally in this culture and climate. Depending on exactly when in those years they were born, Pluto would be anywhere from 18-24 degrees Libra, the lower end of which would be conjunct the "news conference" horary Asc (keep in mind, Libra, the Sign of Relationships, rising). They were born in the Roe v. Wade era, the No-Fault Divorce era, the era of The Pill, of what PA Senator Rick Santorum called "No-Fault Freedom" - the "going overboard" libertine values and climate that reflected the Pluto in Libra period, particularly as regards the "sexual revolution". But there was just one problem that no one apparently took any time to consider, so caught up in "doing one's own thing" they were - "what about the children?"-the kids who would be born with this combination in their makeup. Well, as we can see, more and more kids are being born out of wedlock - particularly in places like inner-city America - and marriages are going down in number in those places. And while economics always play a role, this case clearly showed that it wasn't a factor (or at least not as much of one, since Poaches was not only employed but a valued employee at that, AND the fact that Figueroa also worked). What *was* and largely remains a factor, is that of culture. And Pluto, astrologically, plays a role in all of that. We know that Figueroa had a daughter from a previous relationship; we know that Poaches had two women pregnant at the same time. Even if no one ended up dead, this was a disaster waiting to happen.

Enter The Astrologer
OK y'all, this is where the rubber hits the road; let's pretend that we have this couple coming to you, or at least one of them; there are kids involved; there are lives involved. What goes down now will forever change not only their own lives, but those around them, the kids included of course. How would YOU handle it? What would YOU say? Clearly, Figueroa has problems choosing men properly - what do you say to her? And most definitely, Poaches needed help in a big way - what do you say to him?

Allow me to submit the following rather uncomfortable - and sobering - observation: whether Figueroa would have been to an astrologer or not, had she lived, she would have had access to a whole array of services, medically, socially and otherwise; if she needed help with feeding the baby, she would get it; if she needed medical help insofar as visits and the like, she would get it; if she needed counseling of one sort or the other, she would get it. And rightly so. But for Poaches, there are no such "men's groups" that immediately comes to mind, certainly none of any consequence; nothing to help him cope with the decisions he had made, with coming to grips with the responsibilities of being a dad and by extension, a man; in our age of supposed "male enlightement" we guys still expect us to figure things out on our own. As we saw in Poaches' case, and in the cases of so many men, it just doesn't work that way. If at all.

When my other half was in the hospital having the baby, I asked the duty nurse where dads could go to get insight on being a dad. She suggested the YMCA - that's about it. And since I happen to know people who run such places, I know that it pales in comparison to what moms get, if there's even a program there at all. In the waiting room at the hospital, the only things a dad could do is sign the birth certificate to establish paternity. Although the literature tried to hype up all the "benefits" of this move, in reality anyone with half a brain knows what that is all about - child support. Which I do support, but is beside the point. Meanwhile, the walls of the place were literally covered with papers and forms and flyers and pamphlets for moms-to-be on services on everything from getting doctor appointments for yourself and baby, to getting help for domestic abuse, and everything in between.

The bottomline here, for me, is that until we - and since many of us astrologers liken ourselves to counselors by any other name - get SERIOUS about addressing men's problems before they get out of control, we will NEVER get a handle on any of these things. And if you think things like this will just straighten themselves out on their own when some or other planet hits a certain sign, you're delusional in a big way. If anything, those of us in the know have to be able to get ahead of the curve and lay the groundwork that is necessary toward turning Family Life around.

Before anyone out there thinks I'm going easy on Poaches, let me be clear right now - it is my firm personal, religious belief - that he is going STRAIGHT into the Hellfire, if indeed it is proven beyond a shadow of doubt that he killed his girlfriend and unborn child; no matter what the pressure, no matter what the situation, there is no excuse, no justification for his alleged acts of violence, evil even. And for that, he must be held accountable, to the fullest extent of the law.

But with that said, if it were possible for him to GET help, say, a month into Figueroa's pregnancy instead of 5; if he could have gotten counsel from a "daddy's group" like there are so many out there for women; if he could have gotten SOMETHING at that time; then maybe, just maybe, I'd be writing about a happy ending, instead of a tragic one, one in which there are no winners, only losers and survivors trying to pick up the pieces.

Over the past year, I've written much about Family Life and how Astrology plays a role in it, from a variety of angles (for the interested reader, contact me for essays such as "Who's Your Daddy", "Of Mars and Men" and more) - personal and political, micro and macro, Natal and Mundane. And, like any other position that strikes a nerve within the reading public, I've endured my share of slings and arrows, of mud and tomatos. Yet today I feel both vindicated and deeply saddened by the case of Latoyia Figueroa and Stephen Poaches. Because, knowing what I know, the reality we all know now concerning them, just didn't have to be.

Damn.

Salaam,
Mu

Saturday, October 14, 2006

Oprah: A Case Study Of Neptune In The 10th

Oprah: A Case Study Of Neptune In The 10th
mumin_bey@yahoo.com

12:19 PM 10/13/2006 Fri

The recent appearance of disgraced former New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey on "Oprah" only confirms what I have long suspected of the daytime TV diva - that she's been, as we say in the hood, perpretratin' a fraud on America - particularly Soccer Mom/Single Woman America.

I say that because McGreevey's appearance casts in stark relief Oprah's even earlier comments and dust-up, between herself and rappers Ludacris, 50 Cent and Icecube.

For those of you who may not recall, earlier this Summer, Ludacris made his unhappiness with O known when he went public with how Oprah had edited out what he deemed significant portions of his own appearance and interview on her show; he was there due to his role in the Oscar winning film "Crash" but made further comments about both his music and life, which he claims was edited out.

Not to be outdone, Icecube, himself a successful rapper and movie actor/producer, complained of Oprah's lack of interest in Hip Hoppers - he said that while fellow rapper and co-star Eve appeared on Oprah's show to promote 'Cube's film "Barbershop", Icecube himself could not get an appearance on the show. Cube went further by saying that if Oprah wants to hold up examples of success and achievement, why NOT put him, Luda and 50 on?

For her part, Oprah said, while appearing on Hip Hop fixture Ed Lover's program (and heard widely on the Internet) that she didn't want to give Hip Hop, which she considers largely anti-Women, a platform, and urged guys like Luda and Cube to clean Hip Hop up. Of course, she trotted out the favorite gripe with Hip Hop, that it (as if all of Hip Hop does this, or indeed, is the only form to do it at all) calls women "bitches and hoes", etc., and again she felt it was disrespectful toward women and blah, blah, blah.

So when McGreevey appears on O's show, I just sat sat back and said to myself: "Luda, Cube, 50 - baaaaaaad...McGreevey - good?"

McGreevey's appearance on "Oprah" highlights the rank hypocrisy of its host, to say nothing of her real problems with Black men - if the argument is that she wants to put on things that are positive for and about women and Black women in particular, than nothing could be more destructive than McGreevey's appearance. Here we have a man who, by his own "confession" has had numerous liasons with other men, most unlikely unprotected, in the alleys behind Synagogues; at restrooms along the side of the road in NJ; gone to gay bars, and "hooked up" with men, etc. - WHILE STILL MARRIED TO HIS WIFE. Everyone knows that one of the surefire ways to contract HIV/AIDS is to have the kinds of sex gay men have; in the Black community, the "downlow" lifestyle is the LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH TO WOMEN AGED 18-25.

But, obstensibly calling women "bitches and hoes" is far worse than anything men like McGreevey could do - right? And do we honestly think that Oprah would have had on McGreevey if it was some young chippie he was running around with, instead of another man? I don't think so, women of O's age don't take too kindly to that sort of thing. If you're Gay, it's OK, if your straight, take a step back.

Not only that, but I felt that had O in her wisdom would have had on Luda, 50 and Cube, there could have been a real, positive discussion as to *why* SOME rappers refer to women in this way. As someone who came of age in the Golden Age of Hip Hop (mid to late 80s-late 90s), I can tell Oprah that no rapper, be it NWA or Biggie, was referring to *all* women in that way, but rather a particular person or groups of people in their world. You're hardpressed to find me a rap record where the rapper is saying that all women everywhere, for all time, forever and ever amen, are bitches and hoes. Just ain't gonna happen.

They could have had an interesting discussion as to why the biggest buyers of "Gangsta Rap" are suburban White teenage and young adult males - AND YOUNG ADULT WOMEN. But, seeing as how the "Soccer Mom" demographic makes up much of O's bread and butter, it's understandable why she couldn't give the brothas no dap - it cuts to close to the bone.

Furthermore, and this is one reason why I love Hip Hop - it's so real, so raw, so in your face. Listen, we all knew of the gal in high school, for example, who had a reputation. Sure, all rumors ain't true - but some were. I remember well when I was in high school, some of the things that was said about certain girls WAS true - now, what do you call that? I know what we called such a gal - a ho. If the shoe fits...

Besides, Oprah should be able to understand, afterall, she has shows where women are taught how to "ride the pole", do stripteases and so on, and then has the nerve to be self-righteous about Hip Hop. What hypocrisy.

Oprah Winfrey was born on Jan 29 1954 Kosciusko MS 4.30AM CET; Placidus 29 Sag 41, Rodden. The birthtime is one of several options according to the Astrodatabank website, and the one which I feel most fits Oprah.

Oprah has Neptune in the 10th House, a position that is a mixed bag by all accounts. In its best light, it can operate in the ways that Oprah has demonstrated, thru the transformation of her show being just one of the daytime TV talk pack to one that "transforms lives" (Angel Network, philanthropic efforts, etc.) - in other words, Neptunian themes of charity, "service to humankind" and so on can be and often is part of the career profile. It was in the mid to late 90s, that Oprah changed the format of her show to the current one, as transit Uranus and Neptune was square her natal Neptune in the 10th (Neptune natally at 26 Libra). We have to also say that Neptune is a Female Planet, and thus is no accident that Oprah would be so very successful with women (additionally, in her chart, the Moon is ExDek and sextile Venus; Venus conjunct the Sun) and would be such a staunch advocate for women in this regard.

We have to also point out that Neptune represents the movie and TV mediums; Oprah has had varying degrees of success in both fields. Notice too the "touches" Neptune makes to vital points in the chart: Neptune sextile the Asc, is disposed by Venus, itself conjunct the Sun, is square the Nodal Axis (North Node rising in the Asc), widely square Uranus and finally, sextile Pluto (strong metaphysical focus).

However, Neptune has its downsides, and the most common is misrepresenting oneself, not being completely "upfront" about things, deception, even out and out lies, hypocrisy, and deceit. Neptune in the 10th can cause damage to one's reputation and standing in the world due to such acts, and in any event, as is the case with O, such a placement can be one where others diefy the person (you might have seen or heard about the many articles and the like talking about how O's show is a form of religion for many women; do a Google search), i.e., idolize them to the point of pseudo-religious proportions. At the time of the dust-up between herself and Luda (Summer 06), O had transit Neptune conjunct her Mercury for the 2nd time (the final pass to come in Jan 07, just as transit Saturn conjuncts Pluto & squares Mars - and SOLAR ARC PLUTO=MC!!! Look for headlines then). We astrologers know well how it's so easy to "get jiggy" with the facts when Neptune creeps into Mercury's neighborhood.

Now, how does all of this tie-itself into men and my argument that she has a serious problem with Black men in particular? Note how Mercury is ruler of the 7th, opposes Pluto and squares Mars! There is LOTS of anger, rage even, O has with regard to Black men, no doubt linked to her horrific treatment as a girl (it is well known that O had been molested/raped as a girl by male relatives; she had a child as a teenager, but the baby died shortly thereafter. Note the occurance of Mars-Pluto here; Mars rules the 4th!-and the 7th is tied into all this). Even though she has done much work in this regard, and puts up a good Neptunian front, folks like myself know better - that Fixed t-square of hers is a tough nut to crack.

I have to say that I've always suspected something hinky about Oprah; I remember well having a very heated exchange between myself and my onetime mentor, Basil Fearrington over this very same issue, years ago. I didn't know it then, but it all makes sense to me now, why I would have strong feelings about O, and that comes from the fact that I myself have a pretty strong Neptune - Neptune is in my 10th in Scorpio and at my Sun/Moon midpoint. So I guess you could say that I have a nose for sniffing out Neptunian types.

At any rate, the reason why I make such a big deal about this whole thing is because O is such a powerful cultural force - for nearly a quarter of a century she has influenced an entire generation of women thru her show and other projects (she chrages bookoo bucks at those "empowerment" seminars of hers, too) - she has had a hand in what I call the Feminization of our Society. And while no doubt she has done many good things, it ain't all good if you know what I mean.

In the meantime, the very disrespect to women O hoped to avoid by snubbing Luda and Co. ended up being a huge dis to the erstwhile rappers and to brothas like myself - whether you like it or not, Luda, Cube, 50, even Jay-Z, are the living, 21st Century American embodiment of the Horatio Alger story - down and out kids who pulled themselves up by their bootsraps and made it, against all odds. If ever there could be a story told about success and achievement, theirs would be it. O's dis to the Rappers was yet another in the long line of disses, of signals, that young Black men simply do not matter in this Society, that we're better not seen or heard.

But in true Oprahtonian fashion, I offer a solution to Luda, Cube and 50 - maybe it's time that we had our own show? I suggest to them that they take a page outta Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzengger and Sylvester Stallone's book - the three actors who formed the "Planet Hollywood" chain - and form their own company - a media company. They could develop a show for and about young adult Black men and market the idea to outlets like ESPN - it could incorporate sports, Hip Hop, and so on, and talk about Life and so on from our unique perspective. And if ESPN and so on don't take the bait, cool-maybe we need our own network, too.

Let's see Oprah try to dis that one...

Salaam,
Mu

Midterm 06: Grudge Match In The Garden State

Midterm 06: Grudge Match In The Garden State
mumin_bey@yahoo.com

10:38 AM 10/14/2006 Sat

Having assessed a few of the key races in Pennsylvania we now turn to the Garden State, where what can only be called a grudge match is taking place - a battle for US Senate supremacy between Party faithful and Corzine appointed Bob Menendez, and scion of the much beloved former Governor, Tom Kean Jr.

As is well known, the Democrats are poised to take back one or both Houses of Congress with key wins in next month's elections; they need only 6 seats to win back the Senate, 15 seats to take back the House of Representatives. Most pundits say that if it happens at all, the House is where the Dems will make the most traction. For them to take the Senate however, they'll NEED New Jersey - if Kean wins, it would mean that the Dems would have to win 6 Senate races in a row around the country, a tough feat for any political party in a midterm election, let alone the lowly Dems.

However, New Jersey is a State that has always been friendly to the Democratic Party - rarely if ever, do Republicans make any major headway in the Garden State. Those who do are referred to as "RHINOS" - Republicans In Name Only - due to the fact that they so very often, side with Democrats on keys issues such as Abortion, Gay Marriage and Taxes. The elder Kean, as well as Christie Todd-Whitman, are Republicans, but pale in comparison to the more strident voices in the Party, such as Pennsylvania's Rick Santorum, or Utah's Orrin Hatch. With the state firmly in Democratic hands, with Corzine at the helm, and with Menendez getting help in recent days from Democratic "big guns" like Sen. Barack Obama, it seems all but a lock for the Dems to hang on to New Jersey come Nov 7.

But this is no regular race. Tom Kean Jr. has proven himself a formidable candidate for the US Senate, opening a blistering barrage of attack ads aimed at firmly questioning Menendez's eithics (keep in mind, that Menendez could be indicted for his role in a shady nonprofit/land property deal; a current investigation is underway) and partyline support for the Democrats (Menendez a classic tax and spend Liberal - note how taxes in NJ have risen under Corzine; NJ has the HIGHEST property taxes in the country; additionally, Menendez among only a handful of US Senators to vote against the Iraq War). Not only this, but New Jersey has been awash in scandal and corruption for at least the past year, beginning in earnest with the resignation in disgrace of former Democratic Governor Jim "I Am A Gay American" McGreevey, and at present, centering on South Jersey State Senator Wayne Bryant's involvement with the UMDNJ (University of Medicine & Denistry of New Jersey), to say nothing of rampant corruption obtaining in Camden & Newark, etc. Much if not all of this has occured on the Democrats' watch (talk about a "Culture of Corruption" - heh!). On top of this, Kean Jr., a State legislator, is seen by his peers, Democrat and Republican alike, as a competent, likable politician that is willing to work with both sides of the aisle to get things done. Indeed, his "attack" stance in the race is something that was seen as a surprise by his peers, for the younger Kean was always seen as a somewhat laidback person.

And it appears that the attack ads and strategy has worked to great effect - though Menendez has taken a slight lead (about 4 points, well within the margin of error), Kean was in the lead only a week or so ago, and has kept the race close all year; most pundits and writers say that it's too close to call at this point. Can astrology help us determine who is to ultimately prevail on Nov 7?

Bob Menendez Jan 17 1954 New York NY; Tom Kean Jr Sep 5 1968; Source: Wikipedia

Menendez has a three planet cluster in Capricorn, of the Sun, Mercury and Venus, with the dispositor Saturn in Scorpio, a combination you want to see in the chart of a politician; this tallies well with his "up from immigrants" story, being the son of Cuban immigrants fleeling the fledging Castro regime, and being the first in his family to attend college. Additionally, he has Mars in Scorpio, always an indice of considerable drive, motivation and initiative albiet shrewd, even secretive, hiding or withholding true motives until one is sure that "the battle has been won" so to speak. Menendez was born at a time when many people would go on to play a significant role on the world stage, and his birthdate is no different - note that he has Jupiter, Uranus and Pluto all in triple declinational aspect!!! On top of all this, he has the Sun opposed Uranus with Uranus=Jupiter/Pluto, a series of combinations that all points to great luck, opportunity and popularity.

But Menendez has a very strong, potentially disasterous weakness - Neptune exactly squares his Sun, and closely squares his Mercury! THIS is the "ethically challenged" issues that Kean Jr. was talking about. I recently heard Menendez on an extended interview here on local NPR radio, and he evaded and dodged just about every question thrown at him, and unfortunately, the host didn't press him to answer those questions - typical Neptunian stuff. My own gut tells me that Menendez has got stuff to hide about all this, and as we in astrological cirlces know well, Neptune isn't a planet that is completely friendly with politicians. As the race gets closer down to the wire, we can be sure that more and more questions about Menendez's dealings will be asked; New Jerseyians have just about had their fill of corrupt politicians.

For Kean Jr.'s part, the 4 planet stellium of the Sun-Jupiter, Uranus-Pluto in Virgo accounts for his somewhat studious, laidback ways; the aforementioned conjunctions aid him considerably in elected office as well, along with Uranus=Venus/Pluto. The Sun in Virgo and Moon in Aquarius almost always makes for a very, very intelligent person, heightened in Kean's case with Uranus=Mercury/Pluto, and Mercury=Jupiter/Saturn. If Kean can keep hammering away at Menendez's ethics challenges, simply laying the facts out to the public and asking questions, his chances of winning New Jersey's Senate seat is good. In light of the fact that Kean declined to debate Menendez locally, in favor of debating him on "Meet The Press" and the whole thing falling through altogether, he will have to really pound the pavement, knocking on as many doors, kissing as many babies, shaking as many hands as possible and talking to anyone who'll listen, making his case about corruption in New Jersey politics and the need for higher ethical standards. With Mercury conjunct Venus in Libra, and the Moon probably opposed Mars in Leo, he should be able to make headway with the Garden State electorate. It doesn't hurt that his dad was Governor and part of the 911 Commission, either.

On the basis of the natal astrology alone, I'd have to grudgingly give the nod to Menendez, all things being equal, and taking the incumbant Senator's Neptunian ethical lapses out of the picture. However, with those Neptunian elements in the mix, and with Kean's paternal ties and not too shabby natal astrology, it accounts for the neck-and-neck race we all see now.

At present, Menendez has no exact Solar Arcs obtaining, but he does have transit Jupiter moving to square, and transit Saturn moving to conjunct, his natal Pluto; in light of the fact that Pluto is the planet par excellence of bigtime politics in our age, these transits will tell the tale as to whether Menendez can hang on to his slim lead and pullout a victory for the Dems. In early Nov, transit Jupiter will have just moved past square to his Pluto, while transit Saturn will be sitting EXACTLY on his Pluto!-suggesting a defeat for Menendez after a very, very close race that goes down to the wire.

For Kean Jr., transit Uranus opposes his Sun while transit Jupiter probably squares his Moon, with SA PLUTO=JUPITER exact this month. This suggests to me that he could emerge victorious. However, it must also be said that transit Saturn will square EXACTLY Kean's Neptune in early Nov, and, depending on exactly where Kean's Aquarian Moon is, opposed it as well. These are not welcome signs when you're vying for public office; they tend to signal a failed effort.

New Jersey has been and is at present a Democratic stronghold. Kean is the son of a much liked moderate/liberal Republican Governor. Menendez has a history of questionable dealings, was appointed to his Senate seat by another politician who at best is part and parcel of the Liberal partyline of the Democrats, and has no real name recognition outside of Union County. And both have tough Saturn transits on Election Day. It looks to be a fight to the finish.

I'm gonna go with my astrological gut and say that Kean Jr. wins - he has both transit Uranus opposed the Sun and SA Pluto=Jupiter in the run up to the elections. It'll be a nail-biter, but he'll pull it out.

Mu's Prediction: Kean Jr. wins

Salaam,
Mu

"You're In The Army Now"...I Think?

"You're In The Army Now"...I Think?
mumin_bey@yahoo.com

9:10 AM 10/14/2006 Sat

You might have heard the news story eariler this week about how the US Army will now go about dealing with new recruits - there is to be no yelling, no screaming, no cursing and so on on the part of DIs. Instead, they are to act as "counselors" to the greenhorns - a kindler, gentler Military. Gone are DIs seen in films like "Full Metal Jacket" - heck, a DI more akin to a Dr. Phil won't do either - what we need is Sargent Winnie The Pooh!

Deep.

This, at a time when the world faces a malevolent force known as Terrorism, emanating from the Islamic World; this, at a time when the US military will face fighters like the Taliban and Hezbollah, guys who, according to writers like Ahmad Rashid (author of the book "Taliban", the authoritative account of that group's rise to power, etc.) have at least a decade's worth of combat experience (they tend to start off around 14 years of age or so) in the most inhospitable of locales (pretty cold in Afghanistan this time of year, pretty hot in Iraq) - and we're talking about the need not to upset recruits???

This story follows a string of similiar stories over this past year, where announcements concerning changes in the military have been made - earlier this year, a report came out about the concerns the military had regarding the fattening of America, too many recruits unfit to serve because they were too fat. Another story came out talking about how too many recruits had tatoos and body piercings - and how the US Army was now relaxing regulations standards in this regard so as to keep their recruitment levels up!

A regiment of out of shape, bloated, tatooed, holes in the face and body soldiers that prefer "couseling" to drilling is just what the doctor ordered to handle the likes of Al-Qaeda - to say nothing of the prospect of going toe to toe with a million man standing army in North Korea. What an impressive sight they are!

This turn of events for the American Military is in my view, easily seen in the Mundane movements of the Planets; in fact, I discussed this in part in a piece I wrote last year, called "Mars Retrograde & The Incredible Disappearing Man":

"Astrologically, we can see this shift occurring with respect to men, in two "waves" if you will - the Uranus-Pluto conjunction of 1965, and the Uranus-Neptune conjunction of 1993. As we all know, these conjunctions had massive social, legal and economic implications for all concerned. One of the most sweeping - and far reaching - was with regard to Women. The Women's Movement gained monumental steam during the 60s, and by the time the early 90s rolled around, more women were in every sphere of public life than ever before in American history. On the micro level, more women had choice in nearly every aspect of their lives than ever before, ranging from career choice to reproductive options. While we astrologers were caught up in assessing these conjunctions themselves, I posit that we might have overlooked their impact on the "inner planets", in this case, Mars; at the time of the Uranus-Pluto partile, Mars was conjunct Venus and trine the Moon (both female planets); and, perhaps even more ominous, at the time of the Uranus-Neptune conjunction, Mars was sitting opposed it in Cancer and RETROGRADE. Classically its sign of Fall, Mars in Cancer shows a much-weakened male population, made all the moreso by its retrogradation. The Uranus-Neptune conjunction, portended a protracted period of confusion, befuddlement, literally being in a fog, about what it means to "be a man" (and please note, that Faludi's book centers on this period!), as all of the "male" institutions - schools, colleges, corporations, industries, even the military (think VMI and The Citadel) - underwent massive and rapid change. Today, most men don't know whether to hold the door open for a woman or not; many men are chided for having "base" desires, such as the liking for buxom women; and we all have either heard about and/or read about the dangers of "patriarchy". Men have truly lost their "male compass" and it's my view that this Mars in Taurus Rx transit is pointing us in the proper direction to go - if we but would listen."

- Mars Retrograde & The Incredible Disappearing Man, 3:03 AM 10/3/05 Mon

Without question, Mars represents any country's military - how it's formed, how it's armed, how it's deployed (used) how it expresses itself. The Uranus-Neptune Conjunction of 1993 occured during the Clinton Era, which, as we all know, was a time of significant change for the military. It was during this time that, among a great many other things, the "don't ask, don't tell" policy was introduced, regarding gay military personnell; women were being admitted to institutions such as The Citadel and VMI; the Tailhook Scandal occured; and the beginnings of what could be called the Air Force Academy Sex Scandal began in earnest here as well. The Mars-in-Cancer placement at the time of the Uranus-Neptune Conjunction could only spell trouble for the US military in the times to come. And think about it - doesn't the news stories mentioned above fit the Mars in Cancer symbolism?

At present Mars is transiting Libra, classically, not particularly a strong placement for Mars. Yet, as mentioned earlier, we as a civilization are in the struggle of our Times, against people who know little about, indeed have contempt for, the very things the kindler, more gentler drill sargent is to do with the US Army. As the battle against Terrorism wears on, I'm hopeful that someone in the military and/or political hierarchy will have the guts to call a spade a spade -

That we've weakened - neutered - our military.

And that we'll pay a huge price for it.

Salaam,
Mu

Sunday, October 08, 2006

Midterm '06: Pennsylvania Battleground

Midterm '06: Pennsylvania Battleground
mumin_bey@yahoo.com

1:30 PM 10/08/2006 Sun

The stakes are high for both US Political Parties this Midterm election season; Pennsylvania has been staked out by both Democrats and Republicans alike as one of the "battleground states" up for grabs on Nov 7. A win here by either side could tip the balance of power in either House of Congress, most spefically the House of Representatives, which, according to pundits on the Hill, is within the Dems' reach.

Two races in particular being watched very closely are the House 7th Congressional contest between longtime Republican Congressman Curt "Able Danger" Weldon, and Joe "The Admiral" Sestak, dubbed as such due to his over 3 decade long career as a Vice Admiral in the US Navy, serving with distinction. The other race is with regard to the PA's US Senate seat - the GOP's No. 3 man, Rick Santorum, vs. Bob Casey, Jr., scion of the late PA Governor Bob Casey Sr.

Who will win? You humble Astrological Correspondent has been watching closely all of the key races around the country, and I intend to offer my analysis, commentary and predictions as to outcomes of these races. So let's get right to the ones obtaining in my homestate:

Curt Weldon Jul 22 1947 Marcus Hook PA; Joe Sestak Dec 12 1951 Springfield PA

Sources for all data: Wikipedia

Weldon has the astro-markers of both a Conservative and a longtime politician, with a Saturn-Pluto conjunction in Leo, Sun=Jupiter/Neptune=Venus/Pluto and a triple declinational aspect of Venus, Uranus and Pluto. His probable Moon in Virgo square to Uranus in Gemini makes him a shrewd player on the political scene, much more meticulous and precise than his public, somewhat boisterous persona would make him out to be. For his part, Sestak was born with an array of considerable astro-markers for success in politics, most notably his Sun trine Pluto and sextile Neptune; Sun in triple declinational aspect with Uranus and Pluto; and the midpoint pictures Neptune=Sun/Pluto, and Pluto=Sun/Neptune. Keep in mind, that Sestak, his first time ever running for political office, has raised campaign funds comparable to Weldon, who has been in the Congress since the late 1980s, and has received official Democrat Party support in the form of former President Bill Clinton coming to campaign for him.

The race is said to be very, very close, and with the astrology operative with both men bears witness to this. However, upon closer inspection and consideration, we find the following...

Weldon also has, in addition to the above, AP=Jupiter/Pluto, a powerful signal of success, luck, wealth and privilege; although he's under his 2nd Saturn Return, this need not be "the end" for him. Afterall, President George W. Bush was reelected for a 2nd term under *his* 2nd Saturn Return. Also, note at present that Sestak has, at present, transit Saturn sitting right on his Pluto(!), a signal that hardly confers victory, indeed, it almost always infers defeat, falling short of the mark, humiliation.

Checking the overall year of astrological measurements for both men, for Weldon, we see that he had, back in Jul of this year, SA Venus=Sun and SA Sun=Saturn, popularity with the public and goals being set and worked toward; while transit Pluto opposes Uranus, Aug-Oct, transit Neptune square Jupiter all year long, and transit Jupiter returns to its natal position (Weldon born with Jupiter in Scorpio).

Sestak has, in addition to the aforementioned transit of Saturn to his Pluto, SA Mars=Sun/Pluto in Apr, SA Pluto=Uranus/Neptune in Jul, SA Pluto=Saturn/Neptune in Oct and finally, SA Neptune=Uranus/Pluto in Nov; transit Jupiter squares Sestak's Pluto in late Oct.

Although the earliest arc involving Mars in the Spring looked good for Sestak getting his campaign off the ground, the remaining arcs, combined with the Saturn to Pluto transit, overwhelm whatever good the Jupiter to Pluto transit can provide. If the strengths of these Solarscopes hold (no birthtimes available for either candidate), the astrology favors Weldon for winning the 7th Congressional District race, and retaining his seat in the US Congress.

Mu's Prediction: Weldon wins

The race between Rick Santorum and Bob Casey Jr. has reached what only could be called mythic proportions; Hardcore Left Democrats see this as their chance to dislodge what they consider to be a Conservative thorn in their side in Santorum, clearly the US Senate's most outspoken Social Conservative, particularly where issues surrounding Abortion and Gay/Lesbian Issues are concerned. In addition, he has been a staunch ally of the President on the War On Terror, giving countless speeches around the country in defense of the President's policies in this area. His recent book, "It Takes a Family" - a clear response to Senator Hillary Clinton's "It Takes A Village" - enraged further the Left, due to the book's views on Social Issues.

Bob Casey Jr., son of Governor Bob Casey Sr., is currently a State Treasurer and like his father before him, is much more Conservative than most of his fellow Democrats. Like the father, the son is also adamantly pro-life and opposes most gun control laws. However, he differs from Santorum in that he does not support the war effort in Iraq and his position regarding the larger War On Terror has not been made clear as well, although one could infer that he differs with Santorum/Bush on this front as well. In his campaign ads, Casey is careful to point out that Santorum has voted with the President a majority of the time, but - and this is important to point out - while he has enjoyed a comfortable lead in the polls over Santorum, he is still not fully embraced by the Democratic Party machine, due to his stances regarding Abortion, in the main. This could play a role as to the final outcome of the elections next month.

Rick Santorum May 10 1958 Winchester VA; Bob Casey Jr. Apr 13 1960 Scranton PA

Source for both sets of data: Wikipedia (no time known)

Santorum was born with a formidable Sun/Moon blend in Taurus/Aquarius, and one known for producing political talent (Niccolo Machiavelli, who happens to share Italian lineage with Santorum, also was born with this combination); put this together with his Peregrine (Tyl) Mars, and one can see why Santorum is known to be a tough, tireless fighter for his causes. His Conservatism can be seen in his Jupiter-Saturn and Saturn-Pluto aspects, (along with, of course, his Sun in Taurus; Saturn and Pluto also in declinational aspect), while the sextile between his Jupiter and Pluto account at least in part for his good fortune in retaining public office up to this point. The Sun and Uranus in declinational aspect is another form of assistance to him politically, as is the powerful Sun=Uranus/Pluto. Santorum is a tough man to beat.

For his part, Casey Jr. has the Sun in Aries and the Moon most likely in Scorpio - a combination of a tough hombre in its own right - with the Sun also square Saturn in Capricorn. This accounts for his Conservative "fish out of water" views among his Party peers. Additionally, Casey also has a "hyped up" Mars (and also shares the same Mars in Sign placement with Santorum, Mars in Pisces. Hmm...) in that in this case, Mars is opposed Pluto - Casey is no pushover, that's for sure. He was born with Jupiter trine and in declinational aspect to Pluto, a formidable combination (what I like to call a "Double Whammy" aspect) for success overall, with Venus square Jupiter thrown in for good measure. Like Santorum, he too shares the declinational aspect of Saturn and Pluto, Conservative values and views. HOWEVER, Casey's chart contains no combinations that overcome Santorum's powerful Sun, Uranus and Pluto alignments, indeed, if anything, his Midpoints reveal a key weakness on Casey's part: Mercury=Uranus/Neptune, a combination that suggests fuzzy thinking, not being "on message", being misunderstood, not being clear and saying what you mean/meaning what you say, etc. Recall earlier comments by me regarding this longstanding problem the Democrats have, their Party Mercury position Rx, etc. Hmm. No wonder Casey's been avoiding Santorum's invitations to debate (and the nationwide debate between the two, on "Meet The Press", Santorum mopped the floor with Casey).

Still, with all that said, Santorum's bid for a third term in the US Senate is in danger; note that his Saturn position, at 24 Sagittarius, falls right in the line of fire from Pluto, right now at 24 SAGITTARIUS. All this Summer, if you've been following along my writings, we've seen again and again, what this combination means, and it rarely, if ever, means a favorable outcome of things. It is a combination of defeat, failure, loss. If Santorum is to retain his seat, he will need powerful astrological measurements to offset this transit.

Checking his Solar Arcs, earlier this Summer he had SA Venus=Sun (Jul), usually a signal of popularity, a highpoint for him for what I see here; from there, things look to go downhill, with SA Saturn=Sun/Neptune in Oct, a possible "bump" in the polls with SA Node=Venus/Pluto in the same month, but with SA Pluto=Saturn/Uranus in Nov, I have to say, it doesn't look good for Santorum. Transit Pluto will just be moving away from his Saturn in early Nov. Hmm.

For Casey, his Solar Arcs show that he got off to a rocky start earlier in the year, with SA Pluto=Saturn and SA Mercury=Saturn/Pluto in Mar, but recovered enough to be very competitive in the polls against Santorum by late Summer with SA Mars=Sun in Aug. Right now, as we speak, Casey is undergoing his Solar Arc Semi Square, all planets in his chart advancing by Solar Arc approximately 45 degrees, a major time of conspicuous change, be it for good or bad. This is Casey's bid for "bigger things" indeed, the only potential fly in the ointment being transit Neptune squaring his Uranus in time for the elections. Neptune rules the Solar 12th in Casey's Solar chart - "self undoing" in some way? Not a fargone possibility, given Casey's Mercurial deficits (we can also note, that Casey has Mercury in Pisces, ALWAYS a weakened state for the Winged Planet). In Nov, Casey has SA Sun=Mars, a signal of "get up and go" for sure.

The astrology, based on the Solarscopes of both men, says to me that Casey is likely to win. However, Pennsylvania has a very long history of favoring incumbants, which is in Santorum's favor. That said, Casey is no average candidate - he bears the name of a popular Governor, and in Politics, name recognition is as important as anything else. Bottomline, it's almost too close to call - Santorum has the stronger natal astrology, Casey, the stronger astrological measurements - and in fairness, I'm pulling for Santorum. But I wouldn't be honest if I didn't say that the astrology doesn't look good for him at present.

Mu's Prediction: Casey wins

Next up: A look at the Garden State's Senatorial Race...

Salaam,
Mu

Saturday, October 07, 2006

Midterm '06 Foley Fallout: Much Ado About Nothing

Midterm '06 Foley Fallout: Much Ado About Nothing
mumin_bey@yahoo.com

6:33 AM 10/07/2006 Sat

Man, talk about an October Surprise - the recent revelation of disgraced US Congressman Mark Foley's online activities involving potentially underage male Congressional pages has put the GOP on the defensive, with calls from both Democrats and Republican supporters for Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert to resign. The past week has been dominated with this scandal, and while Hastert initially appeared to be slow on the mark, his press conference Thursday, where he both apologized for the mess and took full responsibility for it, seems to have put the GOP back on course for the elections. Not only has President Bush and his Cabinet thrown their support behind Hastert, but so too has other major players in the Republican Party, which solidifies Hastert's refusal to step down as Speaker.

But the damage might have been done - with roughly a month to go before elections, the GOP really faces a tough challenge from the Democrats in the many races taking place accross the country. In my last installment, I asked whether the Dems could take back one or both Houses of Congress - this week, in light of the past week's events, the question has to be - can the GOP keep control, lose one, or indeed, lose both Houses of Congress?

Additionally, my analysis and predictions for the Midterm elections were based on the foundation dates for both political parties; the data in both cases were untimed, and in keeping with standard Mundane astrological practice, I set the charts for Noon. Since then, however, it has been pointed out to me by several colleagues, that my data for the GOP needed to be adjusted. According to Mundane astrological specialist JohnTWB in particular, he suggests that not only was the GOP founded in Jackson, MI (NOT MS, as earlier stated in my article) but that its "birth" took place at approximately 4PM LMT. This "new" data - Jul 6 1854, Jackson MI 4PM LMT - yields an Asc of 27 Sco 50, placing the Scorpionic Moon on the Asc from the 12th House, also at 27 degrees.

This new chart for the Republican Party is striking - Mars in Virgo, which in my view accounts for much of the GOP's success in recent years (targeted polling techniques, get out the vote efforts among "the base") - is placed in the 10th House and rules the 5th, holding Pluto, itself ruling the Asc and is Peregrine (Tyl)! Both of these astrological indicators, I think, accounts also for the marriage and fertility gap between the Parties (Republicans much more likely to be married and have kids than Democrats nationwide; note also the Venus-Saturn conjunction in the 7th), and, note the Moon - its final aspect is to Mars in the 10th. This to my mind accounts for the GOP's energetic campaign methods, goal setting, and promotion efforts.

Of course, one cannot help but notice the very obvious Neptune at the bottom of the chart, in the 4th, and opposed the MC, IN PISCES; this is a super-strong signal of idealism, patriotism, "family values", religiousity.

It must also be said that I overlooked two key Solar Arc measurements for the GOP that should've alerted me to the possibility of the scandal that occured recently: SA Saturn=Uranus/Pluto and SA Mars=Saturn/Uranus, both exact this month! These are destabilizing arcs to be sure; for the former arc, Tyl states: " toppled from position"; for the latter picture, he says: "tremendous upheaval possible in rebellion, through calamity, overexertion, or anxiety about how things will get on; challenges leading to a fight".

Wow. One for me to grow on.

Additionally, the measurement I mentioned in my previous piece on the GOP's victory, SA Sun=Jupiter/Pluto, has also been adjusted in light of the new data provided by JohnTWB; instead of occuring in Nov, this arc took place in Sep, a few months BEFORE ELECTIONS. This tightens the race considerably between the two Parties.

But before the clapping starts from my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, they should keep in mind several very important things:

1. The GOP, based on the new data, still has a rabbit to pull out of its hat - SA Asc=Sun/Moon, also exact this month (and, according to the computer, the date would be Oct 9 - I write these words on Oct 7)

2. The Dems have, in the last week of Oct, transit Saturn both square its Sun and opposed its Pluto (ouch!-exact Oct 25) - something that, I think my colleagues would agree, are not auguries for victory

3. The Foley Scandal's just about out of gas - the investigation headed up by the FBI, etc., won't be completed in time for the elections; the Dems still have to figure out a way to actually win the war of ideas

4. The GOP is still in the driver's seat, with a proven track record of getting out the vote, energizing their base, and making inroads into the last reliable Democratic voting bloc - African Americans. Witness the situation in both Maryland and Ohio; on the other hand, the Dems have lost more and more "market share" in terms of its base, in particular, the once-reliable votes from the Trade & Labor Unions (and if you check the Democratic Party chart, you'll see that this occured in the main, as the Uranus-Neptune transits of Capricorn square the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction in the Dems chart; Uranus rules the 6th, trade unions, in the noontime chart), along with the Saturn-Pluto square of 1993-94

These are important, highly valuable points of consideration for my colleauges on the Astrological Left to mull over - carefully.

That said, there can be no doubt that the GOP has really taken a beating over the past year - the Jack Abramoff Scandal, the situations obtaining in both Iraq and Afghanistan, the Dubai Ports Debacle, corruption on the parts of various Congressmen, the Valerie Plame (non)issue, and now, the Foley Page Scandal - all while in the Republican Party's chart, there was a transit square of Saturn to Pluto, SA Uranus=Sun, SA Sun=Saturn/Neptune, SA Mars=Asc, transit Uranus oppose the MC and square Saturn! But the GOP has proven itself to take a lickin' and keep on tickin'; not only that, but the fact that it has both the declinational aspect of Moon-Venus (great popularity with the public) AND MC=Jupiter/Pluto (doesn't get more successful than that!) really goes a long way toward helping them retain both Houses of Congress this Fall.

Despite the Sound and Fury, in the end, the Democrats have no plan of action, neither here or abroad; as President Bush stated last week at a fundraiser, the Dems' plan is to "cut and run" - first out of Iraq, and not soon after, out of Afghanistan too. On the homefront, the choice is simple - Nancy Pelosi as House Speaker; John Conyers heading up the House Judiciary Commitee; and Charlie Rangle as the leader of the Ways and Means Commitee would be at best problematic, if not out and out disasterous for the country. The GOP needs to change the subject from what is now clearly a nonissue (as Foley AND his onetime Chief of Staff has resigned) to the real issues obtaining for this country. They can start by simply citing the fact that, while everyone was focused on Foley, the Dow Jones is at AN ALL TIME HIGH; unemployment figures have reached NEW LOWS; and hourly wages ARE UP. Not only that, but gas prices continue to fall - all of which, only makes our economy stronger, a key consideration as we prepare for the Holdiay Season. There have been NO attacks from Terrorists on American soil since Sep 11, and for all the bluster and blather from the other side, there is no hard and fast evidence of any US citizen's rights being abridged or taken away outright, either.

The GOP has to make the case that it's not about the sex, the corruption, or some cockeyed C-O-Nspiracy, but that "it's about the economy & the terrorism, stupid"! And simply ask if the Dems can do better - or even, just as good.

Mu's prediction for the Midterm elections? The GOP *narrowly* wins - in BOTH Houses...

Salaam,
Mu