January 2024: Big Trouble at the NRA

On January 5, 2024, the NRA tweeted that Wayne LaPierre will resign from his top position in the organization as of January 31, 2024. His resignation comes amidst his current civil corruption trial in Manhattan, NY which opens this Monday (1/8/24), last I heard.

For reference, here's a previously published dual image with NRA November 17, 1871 and the group's current Jupiter Return Horoscope from 2014, still in effect until Summer 2026:

Significant planetary transits are now affecting the NRA Horoscope of November 17, 1871 and the most obviously connected to LaPierre's corruption trial and to the group's dwindling membership fees in recent years is transit Pluto opposing the organization's Jupiter (exalted in Cancer, and at Station Rx @29Can55: '30Cancer' = "A Daughter of the American Revolution" -- interesting, since the NRA is a Civil-War-era concoction). Note that 1871 Jupiter conjuncts the group's intense Venus-Pluto midpoint which suggests a picture of "Propagation of destructive impulses" and/or "intense feelings of pleasure from power or destruction" (M. Munkasey).

Of course, bankruptcy is a lurking potential when this planetary duo is involved, so hopefully a full-on search for hidden rubles has been done, perhaps offshore and in foreign bank accounts and super-secret vaults. What Mr. LaPierre hasn't frittered away, that is.

Perhaps you've seen this 3M26S video clip The NRA lies about its bankruptcy filing.

Because we know that the Venus-Pluto duo hints at "extremes of private wealth hidden in secret places" and to finances (as does Jupiter), and to "attracting elements of organized crime" (M.M.). Well, guns do that, don't they?

Anyway, the Pluto-Jupiter opposition, coming on for some time, reveals a period of legal battles with financial consequences. One example you may remember: NY AG Letitia James squashed the group's plan to transfer their assets from New York to Texas.

Simultaneously, other current transits include Uranus Rx @19Taurus conjunct 1871 Pluto (past control may be lost; abrupt changes), legal eagle planet Saturn square 1871 Mercury (opinions challenged, delays, blocked communications), and North Node conjunct 1871 Neptune (meetings about corruption and fraud).

Well, it's all karmic, isn't it? An established organization taken low by its own underhandedness and now legal eagle Saturn makes decisions for its future. Of course, Chapter 11 filing would mean the NRA could reorganize--so maybe they'll behave in a more upright fashion in the future. What do you think?

Uh-oh! Jupiter Stations Retrograde on November 7, 2013

On October 7, 2013, Robert Reich published Their Real Goal: To Make Us All So Cynical About Government, We Give Up in which the professor explains much better than I can do what this blog has been primarily about these last 8 years. (SO'W turns 8 on October 17th!)

Guess I can hang up my blogging spurs, right? But then how will I deal with my frustration with Washington DC, my favorite city of residence even though I relocated to Georgia years ago? Yes, I still miss its green parks and streets of stately embassies though I can't say much for what 'they've' done with the place lately--that 'Shining City on a Hill'. And yes, I know I've usually added "built on a swamp" to the glowing description that Ronald Reagan used so effectively but the District of Columbia was built on a swamp as selected by George Washington, wasn't it? And since Astrology teaches that the End is in the Beginning, well then...?

Anyway, the ongoing government shutdown and looming default on our debts (if Tea Party congress members are allowed to keep showing their patooties) is on the minds of many Americans, on tongue's tip for all TV and other pundits, in the news, wafting through the airwaves, and meanwhile, Moneybags Jupiter the Banker in Moon-ruled Cancer will soon prepare for a Retrograde Station on November 7, 2013, a mere 4 days after the Solar Eclipse of November 3, 2013 at 11Sco15.

Today's Mercury @11Sco38 (thinking, communicating) conjoins what will be the November eclipse degree (11:15) and the position of austere conservative Saturn conjoined it in the Jupiter Direct Station chart of January 30, 2013 which denotes acceptance of responsibilities, or accountability if not. You'll note that several indicators of an improving economy have been apparent during 2013--until lately with shutdown-default fever hitting the overly excited Tea Party-Republican House. Now that Jupiter is about to Rx, money sources and investment may dry up or at least be stalled or delayed; this planetary about-face bodes ill for the staged "of course the US won't default" assurances being touted by many of the hostage takers on Capitol Hill (when there are cameras around.) Of course, a review of ideology may also be on Jupiter's menu which would perhaps be a good thing if it's hostage-takers doing the review of their success-at-any-cost tactics.

These upstarts (Uranus in Aries) seem to imagine that they'll have control of the situation once they put in motion their plan to undermine President Obama's agenda. How wrong they are for things will spiral and ripple out from their foolishness into what, after all, they may actually want--global meltdown, or at least circumstances where they can establish their Austerity Flag over our republic. Have Republicans accepted President Obama's victory in November 2012? Obviously not. And saying things over and over don't make them so.

Today, POTUS nominates Janet Yellen as head of the Fed and transit Jupiter will Station Rx @ 20Can30:39 on November 7, 2013 at 12:03:06 am est and in a horoscope set for the Capitol Building, falls into the 11th house of Groups, Associations, Hopes, and Wishes. This Rx period of The Banker may even affect Yellen's confirmation hearing in a negative way or simply indicate a nominee who's already been (Rx) working at the Fed.

Then, adding tension to the stalemates in Washington over budgets and fiscal responsibility, '20Can/Cap' are critical degrees, and since Jupiter increases or expands whatever he contacts, we may expect some of the themes of a certain Fixed Star @20Can to be potentially influential within current events...Castor: mental illness, sudden loss or fame, crippling of limbs (or of governmental branches?), murder. (A. Louis.)

Of course, a bright side may be the November 2013 Solar Eclipse itself with its Uranus-Neptune 'bright idea-break through-solutions' content along with the fact that as Jupiter seemingly moves backward through the Zodiac, Mr. Moneybags will again contact US natal Sun (13Can19) around January 20, 2014, then the Great Benefic will Station Direct @10Can26 on March 6, 2014. Direct Jupiter to US natal Sun (the leader) occurred during the last week of August 2013 and denotes a culmination of something begun 12 years prior (war?)--things must move to the next stage or level, or be discontinued. It also may bring recognition or some kind of honor or reward though ego inflation, over-promising, or over-expansion are possibilities.

As for the theatrical antics of the Teas and Republicans, perhaps you remember a discussion we had here some time ago concerning the Secondary Progressions of the Republican Party (July 6, 1854 5:00 pm LMT Jackson, MI) which, beginning in May 2010, showed a worrisome YOD pattern (crisis; turning point) formed between their SP 6th house Mercury @27Sco01 (conjunct Mr. Obama's natal MC) sextile SP 8th house Jupiter @28Cap01 (conjunct US natal Pluto). The sextile pointed toward the SP Ascendant, the Party itself, at '28Gemini', a degree of Bankruptcy in Sabian Symbols--and the GOP idea to bankrupt our nation was apparently sanctioned by the international banking syndicate (Pluto.) Plus, they had worked hard at it through the 8 years of Bush-Cheney!

So now we find that Republicans have arranged everything skillfully (Mercury-Jupiter = ASC) and because of this planetary condition in the Party's evolutionary progress, I expressed deep concern then since the above-mentioned plan to undermine the US government (and shrink it till it can be 'drowned in a bathtub'--presumably along with a majority of the American people) seemed to be trotting right along for them and now, in 2013, even the most apathetic among us can plainly see evidence of their plan of attack as Ted Cruz & pals jerk around the US Congress in order to paralyze governmental functions while shouting "bankruptcy!"

Sadly, the fact that the rest of the world thinks America has gone mad doesn't begin to describe the problems the corporate infestation of our capital is causing and will cause to us and to global markets. And the coup is happening right under our noses.

So I ask you: are We the People so paralyzed into stupidity that we will allow the few to ruin the many?

Also see: Boehner Wants America to File for Bankruptcy.

Political Astrology of G8 Summit 2013 in Belfast Ireland

G8 Summit 2013 Has a "Broad Agenda"

by Jude Cowell

The US Embassy website provides much information concerning President Obama's journey to Belfast, Northern Ireland for the G8 Summit of 2013.

The usual propaganda is detailed about what the purposes of the 2013 G8 agenda and includes discussions of: the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (another trade pact that will decimate jobs in the US, lower wages, and fatten the bank accounts of the ruling class), illegal and legal tax evasion by corporations who secretly hide profits from the IRS (does the NSA's surveillance programs such as PRISM track them?), and a "wide range of security issues" like the peace process in Northern Ireland (!), Iran's nuclear weapons development program, the 'security mission' in Afghanistan, and the civil conflict in Syria.

(My translation: How's that forceful implementation of Global Government goin'? And, What 'peace process'??)

As President Obama leaves Washington DC late tonight to fly to Belfast, the Moon will have entered Libra, sign of war and diplomacy, at 9:19 pm edt which means that Luna conjoins US natal Midheaven @00Lib+ in our 'Sibly' chart of July 4, 1776 5:10 pm LMT. This gives us a starting point for a brief consideration of the cosmic weather during G8 2013. Sun is in Gemini, sign of flight and meetings, for the duration until the Summer Solstice on June 21, 2013 at 1:04 am edt--click to view its horoscope with details, set for Washington DC.)

Sun Gem-Moon Lib is a double Air combo, good for travel, meetings, discussions, surveillance issues, and the speeches President Obama will deliver while abroad.

This blend denotes wandering spirits (the president does love to get out of Washington town), tact and cleverness, and breezy charm. Relationships are very important and idealism may be noted.

A desire for new vistas and a smoothing over of differences are prime motivators since it's typical of this blend to neglect facing harsh realities (such as the NSA's blown cover thanks to Edward Snowden, journalists Barton Gellman, and Glenn Greenwald--with more revelations to come of a stunning nature.)

Perhaps quotes from three people who were born with the Sun Gem-Moon Lib combo may be of interest to our topic, the first relating to emperors who--oops!--are wearing no clothes though they assume they are...

"I wasn't really naked, I simply didn't have any clothes on." Josephine Baker

"Read my lips, no new taxes." Former President George H. W. Bush

"Henceforth the adequacy of any military establishment will be judged by its ability to keep the peace." Henry Kissinger.

Really? Puh!

Now here are the Images for Integration (of Sun/consciousness, Moon/unconsciousness) for Sun Gem-Moon Lib as given by Charles & Suzi Harvey in their book, Sun Sign-Moon Sign--the first of which is obviously inspired by Henry Kissinger's days of diplomatic service (war criminal though he may be):

A shuttle diplomat brings together warring factions...An elegant hostess puts on a party and exhibition to help a worthy cause...Elgar's Enigma Variations--'to my friends depicted within.'

(Note: at the G8 in Belfast, the hostess/host is the UK's 'elegant' PM David Cameron. But somehow I doubt their 'worthy cause' will bolster the prospects of ordinary folk overmuch. Plus, the American side of the global surveillance system has had its frilly underpants pulled down a tad so Mr. Obama may be called on the carpet, imho, with secret underpinnings of the 'new world order' now displayed to the spied-upon rabble!)

Now during G8 Summit 2013, the Moon enters Scorpio on Wednesday June 19 thus shifting the cosmic weather to Sun Gem-Moon Sco, an ethereal Air-Water combo of energies. This shift occurs while the president is in Germany with Angela Merkel.

Plus, the Sun (leader) conjoins banker/politician/guru Jupiter on June 19 @28Gem31 (at 12:11 pm edt, and 4:50 pm BST) and as you know, '28Gemini' is the degree of BANKRUPTCY in Sabian Symbols. During major summits and other meetings, planetary conjunctions are always a great spot to look for clues about what's up. Is Jupiter the president's favorite guru or mentor? His 1st house natal Chiron in Pisces says he has them. Is Merkel the Jupiterian banker? I suspect so.)

Tellingly, messenger Mercury, planet of air travel, speeches, plans, and negotiations, is conjoined now by asteroid Apollo, which I regularly linked to President Obama during Campaign 2008--a 'hero's journey' kind of solar archetype which I thought was appropriate since many voters seemed to worship him as a 'god', or at least, a 'rock star' (modern society's 'gods' as in, 'rock god'.)

Thing is, Mercury is now in Cancer and within range of Pollux, a star with astrological themes that include potentials for: danger of disgrace, cruelty, rape, murder, danger from women (German Chancellor Angel Merkel again? Mercury and Lady Venus are conjunct), poisons, or large animals, the occult, Astrology (Horary Plain & Simple, A. Louis.)

So the Sun Gem-Moon Sco blend denotes communication skills yet with a tendency toward secrecy, provocation and paradox, magnetic intensity and a gift for selling. Dedicated to convictions, this combo describes investigators, stoics, and tempers with scathing tongues. Mmm-hmm.

The blend's Images for Integration may be curiously appropriate:

Father Brown solves a murder...A kaleidoscope reveals ever-changing images of people and passions...A string quartet plays with lightness and dark intensity...A long-distance runner.

Well, there is a brief astro-portrait of G8 Summit 2013. Leave a comment and let me know what you think of such topics, for if you have a mind to, I would muchly appreciate it.

Bill Maher on the American Empire: video link

Here's a link to a video of Bill Maher concerning America as empire - yes, removing US troops from Iraq would only be the tip of the iceberg.

Is America "stuck" with an empire? Some elements of our government purposefully built it, but let Mr. Bill tell you his quirky yet truth-telling ideas.

The US has military bases in 150 countries. And Chalmers Johnson, in his NYT bestseller, The Sorrows of Empire (2005) provides a list of 'sorrows' the last one of which we seem to be in process of experiencing since 2008...bankruptcy. This a permanent war economy has wrought - with corporate greed and political corruption as the sauce ladled on top.

And so the current financial crisis is intricately linked with Pres. Obama's plans to escalate the war in Afghanistan (which I have previously stated is 'a very bad idea') and will only make matters worse as it ramps up jihad recruiting against the west and, if you care about personal and national finances, negates the possibility of ever knowing fiscal responsibility or prosperity again.

George Bush and Dick Cheney tossed our economy into the dustbin with their upping of hawkish imperialism and I hope and pray that Barack Obama is as smart as he's said to be. It simply cannot make sense to continue our nation's global dream of running the world while being the most hated nation on the globe - and retain a sovereign nation with any resemblance to a United States of America that any sane, free person would like to live in.

To quote Chalmers Johnson:

"The economic consequences of imperialism and militarism are also transforming our value system by degrading "free enterprise," which many Americans cherish and identify with liberty. Our military is by far the largest bureaucracy in our government. Militarism removes capital and resources from the free market and allocates them arbitrarily, in accordance with bureaucratic decisions uninfluenced by market forces but often quite responsive to insider influence and crony capitalism."

He then goes on to detail how on March 10, 2003, the US government invited 5 engineering companies to submit bids for post-war building in Iraq. You know the main offenders: KBR, Cheney's old company as a subsidiary of Halliburton, and Bechtel, which Mr. Johnson says has "half-century-old connections to the CIA and to high-ranking Republican politicians."

No wonder Congress and the Republicans in charge were so gung ho for invading Iraq. One may imagine that several Democrats in Congress held portfolios full of Bechtel and KBR shares as well. And I had thought the Bush-Cheney war was illegally perpetrated in part to interrupt Hussein's oil black market that France and Germany had been profiting by. Two birds, one stone, and topple Poppy's old nemesis, too?

As Chalmers Johnson continues, "Virtually all contracts coming from the military reflect insider trading."

He then quotes Robert Higgs, a senior fellow in political economy at the Independent Institute, summarizing the military-industrial complex as: "a vast cesspool of mismanagement, waste, and transgressions not only bordering on but often entering deeply into criminal conduct...The great arms firms have managed to slough off much of the normal risks of doing business in a genuine market, passing on many of their excessive costs to the taxpayers while realizing extraordinary rates of return on investment."

Well, there we go! And if the military-industrial complex (as wielded by the one-world-government acolytes who have coup'd our nation) isn't reformed, or better yet stopped in its hoof-tracks, any tactics, legislation, and bailouts attempting to 'repair' our broken economy will be but a drop in the militarily-siphoned bucket.

So I want to sign off with two quotes on the subject from past presidents who warned us best they could in 1796 and again in 1961. But as it turns out, the power-hungry ones with black-hearts can read, too:

"Overgrown military establishments are under any form of government inauspicious to liberty, and are to be regarded as particularly hostile to Republican liberty."

President George Washington, Farewell Address, Sept 17, 1796


And here's the ignored advice you've read many times over:

"This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience...In the councils of government, we must guard against the unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic process. We should take nothing for granted."

President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Farewell Address, Jan 17, 1961


Misplaced power was sought. Disaster has risen. And unless the madness is curtailed, bankruptcy is on America's menu.

Congress 2.13.07 1:00 pm

Seems the big debate on the Bush-Cheney war escalation is 'in the House' as of appr 1:00 pm est today...and what Sabian Symbol is rising? you ask.

"28Gem": "A man declared bankrupt" = DELIVERANCE...

pos: an effective and overall resourcefulness in even the worst of situations;

neg/shadow side: a willingness to dodge every responsibility and betray the very core of self.

And Bush continues to bankrupt the nation with the enabling of Congress who yap non-bindingly.

Images for today's Sun AQ-Moon Capricorn blend seem particularly enlightening yet familiar:

A revolutionary is elected president...An alien civilization comes to Earth to rescue man from imminent destruction. (Sun Sign-Moon Sign, Chas. and Suzy Harvey.)

I'm not a UFO kinda gal, but I'll flag them in myself if they'll show up for the task.

And yes, the YOD from Monday is still in effect...still pointing at lonely Saturn, our learless feader--and with Mars at critical degree, "20Cap": "A hidden choir singing" (celestial or global puppeteers?)...WORSHIP:

pos: a unique gift for establishing a common interest and making it a power for the good of all (my ideal of America);

neg: personal aloofness and lukewarm loyalties.

Ha ha....lukewarm loyalties...does this describe any politicians YOU know? Lukewarm about the American people's interests, that's for sure.


Personally I appreciate the aptly-named Bill Press' take on the recent shutting down of war debate by Senate Republicans (the Senate--our "deliberative" body!): http://pundits.thehill.com/2007/02/08/mcconnell-and-lott-should-be-sued-for-malpractice/ from the punditry section of The Hill..."The newspaper for and about the U.S. Congress."

Let's sue them ALL, Mr. Press. Okay, I always except 1% of the varmints in case there might be one or two newbies who haven't been spoiled or scarred yet. Call me a 1%-er of the other kind.

So would al-Qaeda think ill of the US is she left Iraq? Yes, say some...al-Q would say we didn't have the stomach for the fight.

Or...would they be disappointed that we'd wised up to their long-range plan to bankrupt America in every way--a plan which is succeeding perfectly, thanks to Bush and the war profiteers?

In Jan 2006, I posted http://starsoverwashington.blogspot.com/2006/01/fdr-test-of-our-progress-1937-vs-2006.html on FDR and Bush's...attitudes.

So whether you like corn chowder, tomato, or sole-of-shoe, you may wish to read it concerning our nation's fiscal situation and the office-of-the-president's relationship to it.

And be sure to sign up with www.augustreview.com (if you haven't) where Patrick Wood has his finger on the pulse of the fiscal beast and his knee on the Trilateral Commission's throat.

Great work, Patrick, keep it up!