Monday, August 04, 2008

Parties & Waiting For the Dawn

Last week I sent off my voter registration application to the State authority, and await the return of a Voter Identification Card for use when I cast my first ever vote in the USA at the General Election in November.

I registered myself as "No Party", unable to conscientiously relate to what I've seen from either party during past months. "No Party" satisfies my Aquarian hankering for freedom and innate obtuseness in any case. Until the primary elections kicked off I always assumed that when I became eligible to vote there was absolutely no question but that I'd join the Democrats. It came as a surprise to me that when the opportunity at last arose, I felt quite unable to do so.

Although I've been here nigh on 4 years, I'm still obviously not translating British political labels into American accurately, or perhaps there is no precise translation. Back in England when US elections were reported on TV and radio I could often be heard asking for a reminder as to which equated to Labour - Republican (symbol the elephant) or Democrat (symbol the donkey). I just couldn't get my head around it, to me Republican sounded more revolutionary and therefore more like Britain's Labour party, the party of "ordinary people", as against the aristocracy and wealthy land owning classes (and those who aspire to, or have delusions of belonging to those groups). The Democrats are the nearest thing to Labour, I guess, but they aren't extreme enough and I can't really tell "who they are". I'm not sure they know themselves exactly who they are at present, come to that.

I used to describe myself as a European style socialist, but the word socialist here in the USA is almost a dirty word. I think many people equate it with communism. I've learned to keep my mouth shut and my keyboard clamped on that score!

Astrologer C.E.O. Carter said in his "Enclyclopedia of Psychological Astrology" (first published 1924 in Britian) that "Socialism is one of the manifestations of the Uranian Age, it being an attempt - whether or not a happy one is, of course, beside the point - to realise fraternity and justice. In this it is distinct from the Pisces methods which had been in vogue before, i.e. private philanthropy in the form of foundations, institutions, and alms."

Dear Mr Carter lived in a different era, of course. I wonder what he'd make of the corporatism which we see taking over now ? Private philanthropy may still exist in isolated local areas, but on the whole, philanthropy has gone out of fashion, in favour of greed. Never has there been more need for "fraternity and justice" - but when will The Uranian Age begin again? I think Mr Carter was referring to the time when Uranus transited its own sign of Aquarius in the early 20th century, from around 1912 to 1920. Uranus has visited Aquarius again since, a fact which I have engraved on my heart because of what went on then in my life - 1995 to 2003. There was no great uprising of socialism as far as I recall - the opposite infact, in the USA !

We may have to wait for the real Age of Aquarius to dawn, before things really start to change. According to the experts it may not dawn in the lifetime of anyone alive now, nor even in the lifetimes of their grandchildren. The start of the new Age could be as late as 2600 AD, according to Dr. Shepherd Simpson (HERE). Other astrologers have come up with variations on this, some expect a start as soon as 2012(not very persuasive). Respected astrologer Rob Hand has estimated 2060. 2160 has been mentioned and I'm sure there are other guesses around. So many imponderables are involved, that it's surprising anybody has dared to hazard a guess at all.

In the absence of fraternity and justice until the New Dawning, it would be nice if we could have a bit of philanthropy back.

8 comments:

Wisewebwoman said...

Not forgetting "liberal" T, another dirty word in the U.S, lexicon.
I also refused to be boxed in with any one political party.
And I also refuse to believe that if I vote Green I am 'wasting' my vote as so many like to tell me.
My mother and father voted opposite parties till the day they died and I would get a chuckle out of the 'negation' factor.
As to a new age, it is only forged through cataclysm and pain, there has been no incentive to change our ways governmentally. We can only make changes personally.

Anonymous said...

I think the Democrats equate reasonably well with the 'New Labour' created by Tony Blair - almost a 'only slightly right leaning' branch of the Tory party. I can understand your indecision, despite having fewer, or perhaps less strong, reservations on the Obama front. I can't help feeling that whoever wins the presidency, very little is going to change. How can it when the true rulers never get voted out?
Incidentally, I've just posted an article on Sparrow Chat that may seem at odds with your new citizenship. I would like to say that in no way is it a criticism of your decision. It was intended as no more than an illustration of my own, very singular, mindset.
And, yes, philanthropy is no longer fashionable.

Twilight said...

WWW ~~~ "liberal" - yes, I've yet to find an exact definition of that in the USA, it seems to depend a lot on "the eye of the beholder"!

I agree that the new age, whenever it comes, will be preceded by cataclysm - that seems to be the universe's modus operandi.

Twilight said...

RJ ~~~ I'd just read your latest posting before I saw this comment.
LOL! I couldn't decide whether to comment on it or not, I understand your feelings, yet I'm confident in my own. I'll chew on it a while!

New Labour never did appeal to me as much as Old Labour, but it was the best on offer the last time I voted in the UK. Not sure yet what the best offer on 4 Nov. 2008 will be. There's a long way to go yet, and there could still be some turns in the road.

anthonynorth said...

It's getting more and more difficult to accurately tag political parties nowadays, as there is a general move to a centre ground - at first, seemingly a good thing, but very good at stilting proper debate and policy (a thing that I think could be cured by popularising the idea of independents in parliament).
As for that centre ground, I'd say the US centre is much further to the right than in the UK, maing true comparisons almost impossible.

Twilight said...

Hi AN ~~~~ It IS difficult to compare UK and US political labels, the nearest it's possible to get is Democrat/Labour ="left-leaning"/ Conservative/Republican = "right-leaning".

Dozens of shades of each exist which can't be translated at all due to the vastly different histories and political systems of the two countries.

Centre ground does seem further to the right here, I agree. It could be due to the country's much shorter history. Perhaps US centre will move leftward in the next few hundred years. Maybe by then the UK will be moving in the opposite direction with centre cycling rightward. ;-)

Anonymous said...

Well, I knew it! The minute you got those citizenship papers signed it would turn out we've just let another socialist weenie into This Great Nation. So, what's next, comrade ... communes and collectives?? Nationalizing industries? Pictures of that Che weirdo hanging from that pinko "Environmentalist/One World" flag in front of your house?

I just knew you Limeys had a secret plan to steal this country back!!

Well ... you can have it!! I'm movin' off to somewhere people truly understand capitalism and sorta-kinda democracy. You know, somewhere like, oh, China!

Twilight said...

Heee-hee-heee (she chortled with an evil glint in her eye).

TNPOTUS, keep an eye on that flagpole Brother. When the flag flying is red, you'll know the revolution is at hand.

"It waved above our infant might,
When all ahead seemed dark as night;
It witnessed many a deed and vow,
We must not change its colour now.

Then raise the scarlet standard high.
Within its shade we'll live and die,
Though cowards flinch and traitors sneer,
We'll keep the red flag flying here.

It well recalls the triumphs past,
It gives the hope of peace at last;
The banner bright, the symbol plain,
Of human right and human gain.


(The anthem of the socialist party proper)

LOL!

We'll visit you in China, then.
;-)