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Showing posts with label Hank Paulson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hank Paulson. Show all posts

Dec 4, 2008

Hank Paulson in China

US-China relations are on the boil over economic issues. Yuans and dollars are dropping all around us.

Treasury secretary and bailout czar Hank Paulson is there now to take meetings with America's main creditor, the Chinese government.

Is Paulson being called on the Chinese carpet?

Now either someone on Capitol Hill and Wall Street thought selling out America to China was a grand idea when it began years ago and the screws are now inconveniently being applied, or the one-world-government scheme's script is being followed word for word with much success for the fatcats of the world.

You may wish to visit Patrick Wood's The August Review which covers this topic and more.

Nov 27, 2008

Bunker mentality of the US consumer

The Obama "Dream Team": Rubin-clones And Other Fakers

By Mike Whitney

Does Paulson think he can "turn off" the public's pessimism like a lightswitch? Does Bernanke think he can get people to spend themselves further into debt by lowering interest rates? It can't be done. And the Obama camp is going to run into the same brick wall. The nation's confidence has been shaken and people are developing a bunker mentality.

~:~

Like most astrologers, it's of interest to me that with America's natal Neptune (planet of dreams, illusions, ideals, ideas, veils, confusions, and deceptions; 22Vir25) conjunct president-elect Barack Obama's natal Mars, the 'rock star' archetype isn't the only Neptunian factor now being triggered within the collective unconscious!

Now Neptune doesn't have to be a negative influence, but only with the highest of motives will actions result in long lasting, uplifting outcomes for the common good - also a Neptunian concept.

To make matters murkier and more difficult to navigate Neptune's waters, the US was founded with a problematic Mars-Neptune square (90 degrs) in her natal chart which holds its orb through the 24-hour period of that date.

Distributively speaking this gives the US Mars in Gemini squaring Obama's natal Mars in Virgo - good for spurring action but blind spots may cause problems. Both Gemini and Virgo are, however, ruled by Mercury; Gemini has a short attention span, Virgo is more determined and dedicated.

Since BHO's 'Dream Team' will be reporting back to him, my hope is that a President Obama doesn't engage in anything along the lines of the Chavez Model of control and intimidation, and happily I've noticed no intimations of such oppresive methods (as of yet.)

Our placing his pedestal too high will be more like it.

And so adjustments must be made and sights lowered especially as transiting Saturn's restriction nears a stomp upon our US Neptune; simultaneously, Saturn will bring focus and organization, or will inhibit Obama's natal Mars.

Action blocks Ideals:

With Mars SQ Neptune, turmoil follows assertion, and there is fluctuation between intense desire for action vs complete apathy. Obviously it is difficult to make direct progress with these tendencies swimming in our national psyche's unconscious pool, and we are easily scammed if we're not careful.

America's three natal planets in self-protective Cancer (Venus, Jupiter, and Sun) appreciate the energy of Mars SQ Neptune because Cancer the Crab doesn't mind scuttling sideways when necessary to circuitously reach its goal.

Guilt, dissatisfaction, restlessness, and misdirected energy and objectives accompany this square, and early repression of desires has made a permanent mark - our Puritan ethic unrecognized and unexamined festers into toxic morasses of mixed motives and free-floating anxieties.

Besides, you know what author H.L. Mencken said:

Puritanism - the haunting fear that someone, somewhere may be happy.

Then this reluctant astrologer must be short of puritan DNA...for I'd much prefer it if everyone in the whole wide world were happy!

Nov 24, 2008

Obama's Rubinomics folly

After reading Citigroup is dead and its round-up of authors on the subject, I know more about Robert E. Rubin (Clinton administration economic guru) than I wish I had to know.

And it seems Barack Obama, who named his economic team today and said that he had sought leaders with 'fresh thinking,' may be on the same old Rubinomics track, a financial formula that fueled the prosperity of the 1990s, but is not sufficient now with its misdirected focus on financial deregulation which has, turns out, helped fuel bankruptcies and bailouts in 2008 and beyond.

All of Obama's economic gurus are Rubin associates and acolytes. And all are members of the Council on Foreign Relations, some are members of the Trilateral Commission, and a few are in the Bilderberg Group.

I bring this up once more because if they didn't know how derivatives and other squirrelly financial practices were going to play out for the US economy and the American people, then I must be a monkey's aunt.

Now you know that Robert Rubin, former secretary of the Treasury, is an influential executive and director of...wait for it...Citigroup. Rubin's m.o. is to be around when he wants to be, then conveniently disappear when feathers hit the fan.

And watching this morning's TV performance by Bush and Paulson on the steps of the Treasury building you could, with a mere smidge of imagination, see the feathers floating down around their tone deaf ears as the lame duck quacked about 'safeguarding' Citigroup - with taxpayer money. More corporate welfare!

Which reminds me of a quote from Justice Earl Warren:

Many people consider the things which government does for them to be social progress, but they consider the things government does for others as socialism.

Now you may tar and feather me with the that's you brush for mumbling 'corporate welfare', yet I think the truth within the quote refers more closely to Paulson's massive aid to Wall Street over Main Street. Helping we-the-people is 'socialism' say the Republicans...if it is in 2008, it's because it's social, not because the commies are coming.

(Considering the room at Skull & Bones headquarters with all its Nazi memorabilia, I'd say the commies are already among us and in control.)

So President-elect Obama announced his plan for a huge stimulus package to shock the country's financial system into life, but one must wonder if he's about to lay one huge egg.

Hope not. It's difficult to see how Obama's ideas and plans could be worse than Dubya's, but we'll see. The markets are up now, last I checked, since BHO's economic announcements at noon.

And now one more quote from Barry Goldwater...a cautionary comment for us all:

A government that is big enough to give you all you want is big enough to take it all away.

Don't look now, little pigeons, but that's just what they're up to.

Nov 17, 2008

Sen. Inhofe on TARP: critics were right

Conservative senator, Jim Inhofe, has sent a letter to his colleagues on the Hill concerning plans to call for a lame duck congressional debate on the $350 billion remaining from Paulson's blank check.

Unhappy with the Bailout czar's change of objectives and the possible squandering of the money so far, Inhofe may be on to something - a heist of massive proportions which he and his Hill colleagues authorized. (As if they didn't know!)

Inhofe was one of the unprevailing No votes, however, so perhaps his idea that the remaining funds not be added to the deficit will fly with his cohorts-in-crime. What a pleasant change that would be.

Or perhaps this is only their usual Political Theater, Dahlink...matinee at 2 pm.

Inhofe mentions in his letter that on Friday, Nov 14, Hank Paulson stated during a CNBC interview that, "the financial markets have stabilized."

One may assume this means that, extreme volatility aside, markets are no longer in danger of complete collapse, thanks to his handing banking and Wall Street pals the dough. Sounds more like a bribe to me, but what do blogging gnats know?

Well, some blogging gnats know enough to have a peek at astrology charts, especially when senators provide exact times and dates:

Friday, November 14, 2008, 2:00 pm, using Capitol Building...Hank Paulson's natal South Node is conjunct transiting Midheaven which indicates career issues involving separation and neurotic or past behaviors...both in Sagittarius, ruled by Jupiter, planet of gurus and Republicans.

He's at the pinnacle of the world, blank check and all, so what about Paulson could be a problem?, I asked myself.

Could it be his natal Venus-Jupiter opposition? Solar Fire software gives this for Venus opposite Jupiter:

You are a social climber who grapples with extravagance, wastefulness, and a child-like expectancy that someone will come to your rescue. The lesson is moderation.

That the president and Congress listened to Paulson's plea and did come to his, Goldman Sachs, and Wall Street's rescue is known but if Congress is serious about taking back some of the excessive bailout money now benefiting his banking friends, Paulson may become highly miffed considering his natal Mars-Venus square (easily irritated with others), and his Mars-Chiron square (short fuse.)

Plus, transiting Uranus, which is rising in the Nov 14 2:00 pm chart (thus bringing the Saturn-Uranus opposition with it) is in a square aspect to natal Uranus, a time when disruptive circumstances occur and generations clash as one blames the other.

Saturn-Uranus = Mc: breaking away from the old; recognition of one's thrust for individuality or loss of self to the grip of controls.

Uh-oh!

My suspicion is that Paulson's statement was meant to soothe financial markets but also to attempt to avoid controls which Congress might wish to place upon him as he spreads wealth (to his banking friends or to whomever he's gifting with taxpayer money. One thing we know - it isn't us.)

Jupiter, Mr. Moneybags:

November 14's Jupiter 19Cap06 in 11th house, opposes Paulson's natal Mars-Saturn conjunction in Cancer...

Mars-Saturn = Jupiter: complete concentration on a particular goal; ability to destroy or eliminate something thoroughly; weighing all matters and making a pronouncement.

Well, he did. "Financial markets have stabilized," he pronounced.

Whether Paulson has thoroughly destroyed or eliminated anything, I leave up to you to decide, lone reader, as Congress' lame duck session practices its quackery all the week long.

Oct 17, 2008

Bush regime transfers wealth: Bailout Bill

Additional Thoughts on the Bailout

"We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office" - Aesop

By Paul Craig Roberts

Just as the Bush regime's wars have been used to pour billions of dollars into the pockets of its military-security donor base, the Paulson bailout looks like a Bush regime scheme to incur $700 billion in new public debt in order to transfer the money into the coffers of its financial donor base. #

~:~

See, that's what I've been trying to say! Congress - the enablers.

Oct 15, 2008

Obama-McCain debate ends 10.15.08

Well, tonight's presidential debate between Senators Obama and McCain was the final one of the trio and was held about 5 hours after orator Mercury turned Direct.

If you're interested, I've made some comments and added a bit of the dialogue from the Tavis Smiley Program which went on air just after the debate ended at 10:31 pm edt. You'll find a reference to my previous post on tongiht's debate which has more astrological comments to it so when you arrive, just scroll down a smidge if you like.

Then there's the political excitement tomorrow night - will John McCain show up to be on Dave Letterman's Show as promised after blowing Dave off two weeks ago for Katie Couric? Dave's discussing it as I type so the excitement is palpable, and you know I'll be watching.

"He'll be here tomorrow and he's got a lot of explaining to do," quips Dave. But now Dave's not expecting McCain to bring Sarah Palin. Dave doesn't think Miss Alaska will be there.

Yes, the road to the White House goes right through Dave, as he's fond of saying, since McCain announced his candidacy (this one) on Dave's show.

Oh funny Dave! He just had a split screen between himself and Hank Paulson to "ask questions" of Secretary Paulson...who keeps blinking in that trance-like way he has. Of course, they're looping the tape - and Hank isn't "answering" any of Dave's "questions" as if he doesn't hear him.

But Paulson's droopy frown stays perfectly in place, so there is that. Even when he's unlooped he looks to be in some kind of trance. Perhaps he should get looped more often.

Sep 29, 2008

Paulson's silver canoe

Black Monday? Global Investors vote "No" on Paulson's
Bailout

By Mike Whitney

The bill is just Paulson's way of carving a silver canoe
for he and his brandy-drooling investor buddies so they
can paddle away to some island paradise while the rest
of us drown in a bottomless ocean of debt.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article20900.htm

~:~

"Brandy-drooling"! How deftly said. And I was thinking
either a Paraguayan paradise or a Dubai high rise for
them - security guarded to keep out the rabble, of
course.

Sep 23, 2008

Paulson and Capitol Hill Theater 9.23.08

Have you watched or heard the performances on Capitol Hill today?

The financial wizards are playing their woeful parts, with congressional actors as the slow-downers but the results will tell whether this is a crime of theatrics or whether Congress holds onto what's left of its oversight responsibilities.

Without oversight, American tax payers (apparently the lenders of last resort) will have no confidence that a fair price is being paid. We were vulnerable to Wall Street fraud before and now we're supposed to trust them to solve their own pickle by using our money!

Well, at 9:30 am edt this morning on Capitol Hill, the rising degree was 00Sco44 bringing the natal Sun of the New World Order into the House.

(The great Conjunction of Uranus and Neptune marks the official NWO chart I use - all through 1993 they met...I use the third and final conj of Oct 24, 1993, 1:11 pm EDT, Wash DC, as the entity's natal chart.)

In the NWO's natal chart, Asc = 12Cap52, so right away we see that the current position of Jupiter 12Cap55, sits fortuitously upon NWO's natal Asc. In fact, the weekend of Sept 7, when moneybags Jupiter performed his Direct Station 12Cap32, he held round-the-clock meetings as the bailout charade began.

Today's Libra stellium of Mercury, Mars, and a 29 degr Venus (which had just arisen at 9:30 am) is nestled near NWO's natal Jupiter 26Lib25, which is, of course, near n Sun 1Sco19. In its natal chart, Midheaven is at 6Sco08.

With the NWO's Uran/Neptune conj rising in its natal chart at 18Cap33, we know that tr Jupiter will be triggering the conj mightily in mid-November...

Ura/Nep = Jupiter: relying on others; joy of hope or of expectations; a strange luck or good fortune; accepting gifts without thinking about it; gaining new courage to face life again; good luck coming out of nowhere; rejuvenation of the spirit.

How jolly for them.

At 9:30 am in Washington today, the Sun 00Lib53 conjs US natal Mc in the Sibly chart and transiting asteroid Hebe is there, too. Hebe = how one enables the egocentricity and emotional immaturity of others; co-dependency; serving. Hebe does have a 'Hebrew' connotation as well.

At 2:22 pm today, Mars leaves Venus' degree behind and reaches 23Lib+ (about to cross George Bush's natal Ic) and culminates at Mc over DC - so Mars' Sabian Symbol changes to: "A third wing on the left side of a butterfly." I believe the "third wing" relates to Paulson's overly expansive new powers. We're going to be sorry about this.

There's a lot more to say but my time grows short. However, I think it's important to re-type here the Symbol for the NWO's signature degree of the Ura/Nep conj, esp since Britain's finances are also intricately involved in this charade...using a mixture of Rudhyar's details with Marc Edmund Jones' negative/shadow side factor...

"18Cap"..."The Union Jack Flies from a British Warship"...

POLITICAL POWER...keynote: The protection afforded to individuals and groups by powerful institutions in charge of maintaining order.

"Justice and compassion must balance social power, and especially the power of privileged groups. Where this symbol appears, the need for protection may be in evidence - or it may be a warning against using power for selfish advantage." (Rudhyar.)

neg: smug or strong-armed paternalism. (Jones.)

So what do you think?

Will Congress provide protection against this naked power grab on behalf of the American people?

~:~

Update Oct 7: No surprise - it didn't.

Here's the natal solar (sunrise) chart of Hank Paulson if you'd care to nab a view.

Sep 22, 2008

America in the Soupline

Plopped into the stew by the Bush-Cheney regime, my fellow Americans are trading - not futures on Wall Street (Wall Street took care of the common folks' futures) - but trading soup recipes with the scruffy bum on the corner who once was a neighbor or colleague. He really has a way with Ramen.

Yes, it's Souplines Across America, she wrote, and many scoffed. All three readers of this blog said, wahhhh? She's lost it now.

But in 2008 more is lost in this country than my few marbles, and the programs of Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal are simultaneously the neocons' target yet are the sort of thing we'll be craving more of in a little while thanks to the wrong-headed policies and big plans of George Bush and his fellow bandits.

Why, this blog was dedicated from its start to those who infest Washington, varmints, bandits, and all!

Scandalously, the US Congress will soon pass its shredded authority and oversight duties over to the dustbin of history, perhaps by Friday, but at least your Aunt Granny Fanny has a cauldron of Fishbone Soup bubbling on the stove for your dinner.

Yes, FDR is trembling in his grave, and a new light-emitting species of comb jellies has been discovered near the Great Barrier Reef. Cheney must not have heard about them yet or he'd be having jellies for din din with his moose burger.

Remembering Reagan

Ronald Reagan wrote in his diary about his first days in office and how his budget was to meant "undo LBJ's Great Society"...just like our current crop of "all through your life you made choices" bunch that set about doing same in order to rent the social fabric of this nation and hoard more wealth and power for themselves.

And that's what Congress should say to the Paulson bailout charade brigade and to Wall Street wheeler-dealers: all through your life you made choices...now you're on your own, dog.

Homelessness Rising: Bush vs FDR is a rant from 2007 along these same lines...souplines.

Across America.

Still I hope and pray that Congress doesn't let the American people down. But what are the odds? Wall Street donations to their campaign coffers ('kickbacks') will be flowing like water along with the cheap liquidity the Fed is further undermining the US dollar with...washing it and the nation down the drain.

But crazily enough, everyone sees what they're up to. It's all over the web and elsewhere, too. But I suppose our only recourse is to make our "representatives" miserable if they dare set hooves in their constituents' vicinity as the beltway denizens flock to their districts like a gaggle of chickens on vacation.

Now normally chickens don't travel in gaggles, I know. But these particular chickens may need safety in numbers to keep their patooties out of your Aunt Granny Fanny's cauldron. Fishbone Soup doesn't stick to your ribs for long, but poultry might.

More Memories:

Reaganomics led the nation into serious economic trouble, big deficits, homelessness - and even 'true believers' were wavering over Reagan's trickle down/supply side crap as the 80s souplines formed in every city.

Poppy Bush called it 'voo doo economics' in order to get elected to the presidency (he resorted to telling the truth.)

That the American people have such short memories was the sad part in 2000 and 2004...you'd think they could've thought of this downturn tendency when Bush knocked on their doors with his Ownership Society leaflets which preceeded the eviction notices by a couple of years - just long enough for the kids to get settled in school before finding themselves out on the curb.

Well, I'll hush for now. The microwave just beeped me that my Campbells is heated through.

~:~

If you wish, read my notes on the Reaganomics Eclipse of 1981 where you'll see that this Eclipse's degree is conjunct none other than George W. Bush's natal Ascendant, his nibs himself, making him a perfect conduit for the continuation of ruinous economic policies of the so-called free market.

Dubya was 35 years old when the Reaganomics Eclipse occurred but was probably too high to notice at the time. I'm imagining his daffy response though..."who turned out the lights?"

With Solar Eclipses occurring in an 18.6-year cycle, the 1981 Eclipse is from the same Series as the Mother of All Eclipses of Aug 11, 1999 which ushered in the New Millennium and was predicted by Nostradamus many moons ago...it's his famous 'King of Terror' Eclipse, in fact. Or 'King of Alarm' if you prefer.

Either name you label it, innocents are in the crosshairs with the devil taking the hindmost.

And the current Eclipse season (Solar Ecl August 1, 2008; 9Leo32) is in Leo like 1999's Eclipse; plus, this is the Pre-natal Ecl Series of John McCain - and of the NYSE.

A Page is dedicated to this momentous Eclipse so follow the link and you'll see the August 11,1999 Eclipse at the top of my Pages List in the sidebar at Jude's Threshold.

Sep 21, 2008

Low marks for Paulson's bail out plan

Everywhere I look today, Hank Paulson's power grab, er...I mean 'bail out plan' is getting low marks.

Even his performances this morning on Meet the Press, Face the Nation (how could he? oh but he did!), and This Week with George Stephanopoulos, haven't swayed the doubters or calmed the "bail out foreign investors?!!" crowd. Confidence is showing itself to be hard to come by as taxpayers are expected to rescue Wall Street gentry who made "bad choices."

Yep, that's what compassionate conservatives once loved to say to anyone down on their luck: all through life, you made choices. Now the biggest of bad choices are nestled on the secret ledgers locked in the hidden drawers of bank executives' desks.

Then there's columnist Paul Krugman who says no deal to the Fed's massive bail out of Wall Street culprits.

Little Did I Know

You know back on Aug 26, 2006, when I was looking at Paulson's natal chart and publishing it here, I wrote that given Mr. Paulson's genius, he could probably run the White House himself.

Seems now he's making a power play for the opportunity to run the country.

Experts in finance and government once told us ad nauseum that if government "got out of the way," life would be peachy and all boats would rise.

It should be quite a while before we listen to those crocks again.

~:~ a further note on Paulson's chart:

the current Solar Eclipse Series (10 South) which manifested on August 1 (9Leo32) conjuncts/triggers Hank Paulson's natal Pluto, planet of power, transformation, and coping ability. And 9Leo+ is also conj the natal Mercuries of George Bush and the Republican Party.

Keyphrases for 10 South:

breaking out of a very negative situation where no hope can be seen for more options; a worry will suddenly clear - the cosmos shows the solution which must be taken up without too much delay. (Brady's Predictive Astrology.)

Annnnd...this is the Pre-natal Eclipse Series of candidate John McCain.

Aug 26, 2006

Hank Paulson



Henry "Hank" Paulson, CEO of Goldman Sachs, and now US Secretary of the Treasury was born in Palm Beach, Florida on March 28, 1946 (same year as the President.)

With his birth time unknown, I have set this chart for Sunrise and in looking at the 24-hour period on this date, the Moon remained in Aquarius...so we have a Sun Aries-Moon Aquarius blend for Secretary Paulson.

As the anarchist with elitist tendencies, we find that the Sun Aries-Moon AQ personality is a sharp analyst with a self-centeredness that can still have a deep capacity for true friendship and an interest in others' needs...a fair amount of social concern may be evident, and relationships and intellectual companionship are considered very important.

Having the gift of gab is one of the many strengths of this combo, as is a razor-sharp mind with broad interests which underscores an ability to see the big picture. With a high opinion of its own genius, this blend is correct in its self-assessment, and its inspirational ability is...well...inspirational.

Secretary Paulson has a deep desire to make his mark upon the world and his natural enthusiasm will aid him in his quest along with a large measure of personal charisma. Why, he's plum congenial when he wants to be!

This is a progressive fellow, and a "great improver" who works well with others as long as he's the one in charge. Original, inventive, and non-conformist, we see here "the maverick"--emphasized by mavericky Jupiter Rx, conjunct mavericky Chiron Rx. He's quite the revolutionary, in fact.

Greatest Weaknesses: over-rational approach to life and to people; impatience with details and dull routines; selfish altruism that will sacrifice others for a social vision.

Image for Integration: A gallant crusader turns his sword into a computer chip and broadcasts New Age philosophy. ('Sun Sign-Moon Sign' by Chas & Suzy Harvey.)

(That last sounds worrisome--just what we don't need more of, imho...New Age, New Order, or whatever. But we know the world banking system is the key, don't we? I'm looking at YOU, August Review !)


Why would Hank Paulson lower himself from the heights of G-Sachs to being a mere head of the US Treasury? they asked at this nomination (May 30, 2006.)

With his reformist tendencies, this maverick is right up Bush and Cheney's alley, my friend, with the possible exception of his reputed 'devout' Christian Science beliefs--and really, hasn't 'devout' become these days a euphemism for 'fanatic' of all stripes and sects?

And since anarchist tendencies rule the day in this White House--in spite of all common sense--Mr. Paulson probably fits right in with the 1% crowd infesting the Oval Office. He could probably run it without them from the sound of this blend's genius and talents.

So if his quirkiness can be held in check well enough to keep him from enthusiastically jumping on sofas like a monkey, perhaps his financial expertise will accrue to the common good while simultaneously lining the pockets of the friends he holds so dear. Or perhaps the Super Brain in Brussels is calling his master's name.

8.27.06 12:27 am

"I hope we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations, which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength and bid defiance to the laws of our country." : Thomas Jefferson

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