NewsScope for March 3, 2008
By Wolfstar
The Death of Conservatism?
Is the Conservative movement dead? For the first time in many elections, conservatives don't have a popular horse to ride to victory. Then, as if ceremoniously ending the conservative movement, the iconic William F. Buckley passed away last Wednesday. He is largely credited for the foundation of the modern conservative movement, which began with the first issue of the National Review in 1955.
Conservative political ideology has an actual astrological signature. As described in Cosmos and Psyche, Richard Tarnas associates conservative politics with the Saturn-Pluto cycle. In the U.S., the conservative movement empowered itself right after World War II, when Saturn and Pluto were conjunct on the U.S. Midheaven. That era witnessed the establishment of all-powerful military and intelligence agencies designed to contain communism, including the DoD, the CIA, and the NSC.
The next Saturn-Pluto conjunction took place in 1982 when arch-conservative Ronald Reagan was elected. He presided over the collapse of the Soviet Union, which conservatives tout as their greatest accomplishment. William F. Buckley, a widely-respected manifestation of conservatism (November 24, 1925; 5:45 pm; New York, NY), was born and died when Saturn and Pluto were trine, or 124º apart in each case.
The current election season is dominated by the Saturn-Uranus cycle, with these two planets reaching opposition on election day. Saturn in Virgo can be seen as the remnant of the conservative movement, while Uranus represents liberation from the past. But with Pluto in Saturn's sign now, conservative politics have taken deep roots in the U.S. psyche, which should sprout a new branch by the time Saturn squares Pluto in 2010.
Danger Signals for the Economy
A flurry of negative economic reports sent the Dow down over 300 points last Friday, evoking grudging admissions from previously upbeat forecasters that the recession scenario is looking more credible. However, an ordinary recession would be a best-case scenario considering that transiting Pluto is heading into an opposition to the U.S. Venus and Jupiter, which are located in the 8th house of credit and banking.
As described recently in NewsScope*, Pluto's transit through the U.S. second house while opposing natal Venus and Jupiter carries a high probability of a major recession. A number of economists are already comparing the current credit crunch and market formations with the 1973-74 collapse, which unfolded the last time transiting Pluto made a hard aspect to the U.S. Venus and Jupiter.
Pluto was prominently conjunct the U.S. Scorpio Ascendant during the October 1987 market crash. During the Panic of 1907 (set for October 24), transiting Pluto was in the U.S. 8th house and exactly opposite the progressed U.S. Midheaven. In the Crash of '29, Pluto's role was more subtle, as it squared natal Juno in the 12th house of self-undoing. Curiously, this little asteroid can trigger market crashes.
During the 1907 crash, transiting and progressed Juno were conjunct each other at 25º Scorpio. In the '29 crash, transiting and progressed Juno were once again conjunct at 3º Sagittarius. This astro-event only happens once every four years, and if Pluto and other outer planets suggest financial collapse, then this combination could activate it. Pluto is probably not yet a critical factor, but the next time transiting and progressed Juno will be conjunct is March 20.
* For more on the precarious state of the economy, see
Eric Clapton At the Crossroads
Somewhere between the wistful, hopeful tune "Change the World" and the ear-splitting, dysfunctional chords from Cream, "like some storm-making, earth-moving denizen of the underworld", lies a body of musical genius that has united blues artists across the generations. Eric Clapton was already hailed in the 1970s as the greatest guitarist in rock history. Since then he's cycled through some down times, but now he's back bigger than ever.
Clapton was born an independent Aries with the partnership sign of Libra on his Ascendant (March 30, 1945; 8:45 pm; Ripley, England), a paradoxical combination that personally excels when collaborating with others. Clapton is an Outer Planet Person (OPP), which is the individual whose Sun aspects all three of the outer planets, and which bestows a certain genius for moving humanity along – if he can get his act together.
The Pluto element dominates with his Sun trine Pluto at the Midheaven, giving Clapton a shamanistic stage presence that transforms ordinary music into a ritualistic, tribal experience. His Scorpio Moon rising in the first house squares Pluto, adding the depth of feeling that emerges from his soul. His Sun opposes Neptune, giving him a soft side, one that understands and channels the blues because he's lived it.
Clapton's Sun forms an exact sextile to Uranus, which in turn, squares Mars. Here we find the rebellious, anxious, counter-cultural instincts that ignited the rock and roll world. Last week Clapton was invited to play in North Korea, leaving political observers scratching their heads. Clapton's chart relocate to Pyongyang puts radical Uranus at the foundation of his horoscope, marking North Korea as the cultural crossroads from where he could "Change the World".
Reader feedback is welcome. Email wolfstar3@aol.com
Copyright © 2001-2007 HeartCore Corporation | Massage Therapy Schools
HeartCore Corporation
26828 Maple Valley Hwy, PMB 278
Maple Valley, Washington 98038, USA
Phone & Fax: 206-374-2483
Contact Us | Article Submission Guidelines | Receive Your Free HeartCore Ezine