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Showing posts with label social safety net. Show all posts
Showing posts with label social safety net. Show all posts

Feb 8, 2023

Biden SOTU 2023 and the first SOTU 1790

America's very First State of the Union Address was delivered by President George Washington on January 8, 1790 at Federal Hall, NYC. Follow the link to read the transcript in which he focused on topics such as defense, foeign policy, economics, education, and immigration.

For the sake of comparison, here's the transcript of President Biden's SOTU Address 2023 in which the multitude of accomplishments of the Biden administration were mentioned, even through the rude catcalls and shouts by maga far-righters such as the Greene woman. During his Address to Congress, Mr. Biden brilliantly finagled Republicans in the chamber to stand up and applaud for social programs that several of their party have threatened to decrease or delete, despite the misery and suffering such actions would cause within our society, and the resulting damage to the US economy. For as everyone with a brain knows, the majority of Social Security benefits are spent right back into the US economy!

Yet grabbing benefits away from the people who paid into the programs has been the plan of Republican royalists ever since a bee called FDR's New Deal got under their entitled bonnets. If GOP plans were transparent, they'd openly declare, "raid the funds and hand them over to Wall Street"! Which is curious since that's the location where George Washington delivered the first SOTU (1790 horoscope shown with astro-notes), plus, Wall Street is where Washington was Inaugurated in 1789 (horoscope shown) as he created the presidential archetype for future 'commanders-in-chief' to follow.

So! Above you see a bi-wheel of SOTU 1790 (center; no exact time located, set for 12:00 pm LMT) surrounded by the 2023 SOTU Horoscope set for 9:00 pm est, the official time of last night's SOTU, very ably delivered by President "Finish the Job!" Biden.

The most prominent planetary link from 1790 to 2023 (aka, a cosmic time link) is circled in orange and blue and that's the 'formidable' Sun-Pluto connection, which we saw demonstrated and utilized by President Joe Biden last evening as the power of the presidency, long ago modeled by President George Washington. And this, after a 4-year deviation from the archetypal model of decency and competence.

Now also noted on the image is a dynamic T-Square between last evening's Moon-Venus opposition (frustrated MAGA malcontents who just couldn't contain their strong 'sore-loser' emotions - especially with TV cameras trained on them) with testy Mars in duplicitous, mouthy Gemini at apex - transit Mars still strong, hot, and brash at perigee until March 16th, if memory serves.

A Cosmic Link Note: Washington's SOTU Address 1790 fell within the 8 North Saros Series (25Sco16) of 'prophetic dreams, visions, hunches' (Brady), and an 8 North eclipse will repeat on April 8, 2024 as another Great American Eclipse, the third of three. Here's a previous post concerning all three eclipses, with each falling within a different Saros Series, Great American Eclipses of 1878, 2017, 2024 (6 South, 1 North, 8 North).

Nov 20, 2020

DC Horoscope: Spring Equinox 2021

DC Horoscope: Spring Equinox 2021 (aka, Aries Ingress 2021)

by Jude Cowell

Below is my version of the Spring Equinox 2021 Horoscope set for Washington DC, March 20th 5:37:25 am edt with Ascendant @21AQ02 and Jupiter in Aquarius rising which inspired the chart's (and season's) title, "A Sense of Social Justice".

This particular entry to SO'W is sort of an 'early bird' post with only basic study notes penned upon the chart for those who may wish to enlarge the image and view them; this cosmic event falls into the 4 South Saros Series which manifests on December 14, 2020 @23Sag08 (this chart in 10th house), the Series or family of solr eclipses in effect until the next Solar Eclipse @20Gemini in the 5 North Series on June 10, 2021 (or up until about two weeks prior so its effects may begin to be felt in late May 2021):

Note: For this post your "pre-comments and observations" are welcome, or, perhaps wait until closer to the event when I'll add more text here or in a new post. However, note that NO Comments from "Anonymous" and/or "Unknown" (aka, trolls) will be published. This means Zero. Zilch. Nada. I had hoped by now not to have to add such a caution but mysterious commenters proud of their drive-by insults keep turning up for moderation by yours truly. All such bad-tempered gripes do is tell me which posts have hit a Trumper's nerve which is really rather amusing when you think about it. Or, alternate fact: they're on someone's pay-roll! ;)

Jan 22, 2018

Karmic Saturn in Capricorn until Dec 2020

Transit Saturn's Three Major Aspects to Outer Planets 2018--2020

by Jude Cowell

If you've wondered what old man Saturn, the lesson bringer and task master, has in store for society while traversing his own sign of Capricorn you're not alone. It's been approximately 26 years since the 'old devil' visited his natural domain of the Zodiac, agent of change that he is, and a few rules may be in order. Not my rules or yours, but rules of the Saturnian kind. After all, no one evades the universal law of karma and reaping what was sown must be dealt with by us all. So for those who have followed dutiful, dignified Saturn's directives and demands in the past (also his domain!), long lasting rewards are on the way for long hours of hard work. Or at least, that's one of the the more positive potentials on the 2018--2020 horizon.

Of course, in a natal horoscope planet Saturn's sign reveals our 'fatal flaw' and also describes something about our deepest fear. Saturn's house placement is important as well when assessing how a general transit will affect our lives but since I primarily write about mundane topics here let's consider Saturn in Capricorn, sign of government, law, and business and what its transit may portend. Perhaps a peek at outer planets in angular relationship to Saturn as his Capricorn visit plods on can provide a few clues on what to expect with Saturn's societal influences. Naturally, the planet's rule of structure, systems, form, reality, and time will be affected in various ways, or will be 'on the schedule' so to speak.

Transpersonal Planets Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto with Saturn 2018--2020

During his stay in Capricorn, Saturn makes three quite easy aspects to the three outer planets. By sign, Saturn will trine Uranus, and the pair representing the past and the future will get along in general and support creative activities with Uranian ideas, ideals, and inventions fitting well into Saturnian form and are therefore more likely to become reality. This works best when transit Uranus is in Taurus, sign of the builder and the preserver. As you know, status quo Saturn, planet of The Establishment, likes to preserve and conserve so it would be wonderful if the current GOP push toward damaging the environment for the sake of exploiting natural resources was placed back under control in spite of the current Trump administration's dismantling of regulations that protect us.

And although Saturn in Capricorn can be dampening or restrictive to markets and commerce via Saturn's aversion to risk and tendency toward austerity measures, the Saturn-Uranus influence when in effect may benefit business and finance particularly in relation to group and organizational matters. Yes, the economy may continue its upward direction, for a while at least, though some of its more bubbly aspects have been concerning of late due to past transgressions and crimes committed by that gambling casino they call 'Wall Street' ('wall' being a Saturnian word, Uranus = technology) so another crash prior to 2020 cannot be completely ruled out for bubbles always burst, after all. But maybe that's just me, a rather typical fretting Capricorn!

Of course in personal finances benefits will depend upon Saturn and Uranus placements and aspects in natal charts which is beyond the scope of this post, as noted.

During this time frame, transit Saturn will also form an opportunistic sextile with nebulous, dreamy Neptune, planet of fraud, falsehood, and idealism. A Saturn-Neptune sextile period is great for creative projects including music and visionary imaginations may soar under its influence. Charitable organizations may be more in focus along with addiction issues (much needed!) and spiritual quests and interests--also needed in our society. Practicing discrimination between fantasy and reality will continue to be an issue as fakery (Neptune) vs truth (Saturn) gets in the way of progress and 'getting to the bottom of things' remains difficult as preferred by some propagandists who use such tactics against society.

A general interest in Mythology may flourish as it did in a bygone era and those with a talent for long-range planning are in their element under this sextile though following through with decisions may be somewhat difficult since concentration can ebb and flow like the waves of a Neptunian sea. Plus, priorities may be continually revised which adds to the follow-through problem and some folk may paint rosy pictures in order to cover up real problems and avoid or procrastinate about dealing with them.

And since the Saturn-Neptune pair relates to the ill, weak, elderly, and/or suffering among us, we can expect such discussions to continue but perhaps with more compassion than the usual political hard-heartedness for Neptune is softening and likes to merge with others while Saturn can be hard, cold, isolating, frugal, calculating, and just plain mean. As you know, our already tattered social safety net is under siege now in Washington and the reality of Americans hungry in the streets due to cutbacks for the sake of wealthy corporate types is an outrageous possibility. How many times must the old guns vs butter concept be debated in America?

For more info, see Social Security: What Millennials Need to Know, a Thom Hartmann video segment.

On the societal level, another negative potential of a Saturn-Neptune sextile is invasion (Neptune) of boundaries (Saturn) which is somehow made more possible due to the opportunities a sextile (60) aspect creates. This applies on a personal level as well (ex: personal space) but also to refugees, and to those who invade countries (militarily or otherwise), or who infiltrate them and/or their governments. Spies and secret agents are implied and of course cyber crimes may be involved for secretive, insinuating Neptune rules nets and networks of all sorts and Saturn has his blocking function and a demand for control. Yet limits must still apply for even moderation must be moderated.

Then when transit Saturn and Pluto sextile one another, those in the legal professions, journalism, and research and development are favored. Control and the grasping and holding of power are issues on the table which sounds more negative than positive to me although you may disagree. During this period, sticking to budgets will be very important though too much austerity delays progress. Also important will be more intense levels of advocacy of causes such as defending the rights of those who are oppressed, exploited, and victimized (for they will be). And if we can avoid obsessing over piddly details we'll fare better under this sextile for necessary adjustments are more difficult to achieve when rules are too rigid or inflexible.

For a more personal view check out AstroButterfly's article How Saturn in Capricorn Will Affect You--Big Changes Are Ahead.

And if you feel daring, why not look ahead to a brand new Saturn-Pluto cycle (of appr 33 years) beginning January 12, 2020 when the hardship and cruelty pair meet (at same degree same minute same second as calculated by Solar Fire Gold v9) in the Cosmos @22Cap46. And with both planets considered 'karmic' we may wish to consider the Conjunction horoscope and thus the Vertex, a point of fated encounters.

Also, on my no-politics Astrology blog, you may wish to check out today's posting of a round-up of three videos by astrologers predicting what's to come in 2018...Nostradamus included!


May 22, 2017

Social Program Cuts? Republicans Can't Shoot Butter

Republicans to Slash Needed Domestic Programs to Fund More War and Conquest

by Jude Cowell

Since Mr. Trump and the Republicans have their knives out intending to gut social programs for the weak, ill, and aging among us while massive tax cuts are put in place for the wealthy class, a review of the History of Medicare and Medicaid seems timely. And as you know, in 1972 (under Nixon) an expansion of the social safety net was enacted to include coverage for the disabled, end-stage renal disease patients needing dialysis or a kidney transplant, and citizens age 65 and older.

But waging perpetual war for the sake of Empire is a very costly endeavor and it isn't as if the disabled, ill, and aging can or would enlist in the military, right? So did the GOP finally accept Trump as their 'outsider' president because they knew that an unprincipled man would agree to cut whatever programs they targeted? And that, after spouting campaign rhetoric that he would not cut the very programs now under the GOP knife! Not that I believed him, of course. Did you?

By Ricard Canals (1876--1931) {Sick Child, Octavi, the artist's son} circa 1903; Barcelona. Details of artist on Google Art Project [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Always the Tiresome Trade-Off: Guns vs Butter

Photo: Paul Ryan: "We've Been Dreaming of Slashing Medicaid Since My Kegger Days"...a drunken dream? Now he's drunk with power.

Yes, with dreamy Neptune rising in his natal chart, Speaker Paul Ryan is quite a big dreamer. But do the current GOP austerity measures against the American people put you in mind of Republican President Eisenhower's famous Chance for Peace speech of 1953? Here's an excerpt:

"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children." Theft. He said theft. To give the wealthy more tax cuts while harming little children.

Now Eisenhower's words contain way too vast a concept for a subjective man like Mr. Trump to grasp although certainly some Republican congress members have the mental and emotional capacity to understand that such theft from We the People will result in millions of Americans ill and starving on the streets and infecting everyone else. Plus, the US economy will suffer from the additional financial burden placed upon our families. (No, churches cannot do it all). But that's where lack of conscience and principles come in--when politicians plainly show that no, they are not their brother's keepers.

Now I don't mean that the US isn't worse off economically than we've been led to believe these last decades and my suspicion is that this is very much the case. 'White collar' theft abounds, as you know, and as noted, waging global war and acting as World Cop takes a whole lot of filthy lucre.

However, the austerity path of heartlessness the GOP demands for America is not the only path to take. Even if it's the global bankers' * 'big picture commands a certain course of action, little option to do otherwise' offer-they-can't-refuse situation that our compromised, bribed, and threatened 'representatives' on Capitol Hill are following because the 'otherwise' involves too much risk for their own hides to take. Apparently the extra added 'benefit' of population control (a la Ayn Rand) seems to suit the Republicans (and their enablers) just fine--as long as they and their loved ones remain unaffected. (They hope!)

Well, thanks for letting me vent. The current news on Medicaid and other financial cuts enrages me on behalf of the common good and for the sake of my native country (which I'm very partial to!) I must vehemently dissent against the Republican austerity agenda and sorry-a**ed war economy which are suggested by the cruelty and hardship potentials of year 2020.

~:~

Here's an audio excerpt (under 3 mins) of Eisenhower himself delivering his Chance for Peace speech on April 16, 1953. Now that soup lines across America will come into vogue again, it's obvious that someone didn't listen to Ike's counsel and preferred to sell out our nation to the highest bidder.

* the oh-so-rational 'new world order' planets of The Enlightenment, Uranus and Neptune, met three times in Great Conjunction all through 1993 at or near '18 Capricorn' so that a current midpoint picture has formed via transiting Pluto: the big picture commands a certain course of action, very little option to do otherwise.' (Noel Tyl, Solar Arcs). And that's no matter who must pay the price--saboteur Pluto of the Underworld doesn't care.


Nov 13, 2015

Bernie Sanders Has Winning Strategy: Democratic Socialism Works - video (plus, FDR)

The Nation's John Nichols and Ring of Fire's Farron Cousins discuss Democratic Socialism, candidate Bernie Sanders and how he needs to talk more about it, and the 4th Republican debate and the ideas that were espoused for the American people:

Here's another video interview conducted by Thom Hartmann in case you missed Social Democracy Is 100% American. After all, FDR's implementation of our social safety net programs was actually a major sign of progress on America's march toward a 'new world order' and you may wish to check out an assessment of FDR's abilities as noted by Fabian Socialist H.G. Wells.

And since these forms of government are quite a bit more complex than the above interviews suggest, I recommend for background on Fabian Socialism (Communism, Bolshevikism, Marxism, etc) if you need it: Keynes at Harvard which is where Fabian Socialism was initially introduced into American academia and was thereby able to infiltrate the US government, even influencing Wilson's Fourteen Points, an alleged "blueprint for peace". After campaigning with a "peace platform," Woodrow Wilson touted his 'points' in an address to the US Congress on January 8, 1918 while deceptive Neptune @6Leo conjoined US natal North Node (encounter, public contact, and future direction.)

As a pair, Neptune-NN describes such potentials as: anti-social elements, a lack of communal spirit, ideals as an excuse for neglecting the needs of the populace, scandals involving foreign concerns, an inadequate health care system (especially during and after a war), drug policies that avoid important concerns, and/or spies or terrorists that enter for villainous purposes.

(Neptune-NN potentials: Ebertin; Munkasy.)