Rick Perry, Jon Huntsman and the rest...."the race is not to the swift...."

In a couple of GOP debates Rick Perry has revealed his unpreparedness for high office outside (and maybe even inside) Texas. My fears that he might be "The Chosen One" for 2012 by The Powers That Be were unfounded. That's a relief!

He is a rather charismatic guy though, in spite of his whacky political stances. But, as my husband commented: "Perry's is not finger you'd want to have on that dreaded red button". I could like him, in certain environments: a TV presenter with no connection to politics or religion perhaps. That's the way I felt about Mike Huckabee in 2008. He now has a regular TV show, but sadly it soon became politically slanted and increasingly "Fox-ified"; I stopped watching it early on. Rick Perry does have the "X-Factor", personality-wise, that's a rather uncommon phenomenon these days, and likely what has kept him Texas Governor for 10 years. I'll be interested to note what becomes of him after 2012.

So, will Perry's slide into ignominy leave more space for the guy who, by rights, ought to be getting far more publicity: Jon Huntsman?

Huntsman is this year's conservative equivalent of Dennis Kucinich in the last go-around. Kucinich was routinely ignored, ridiculed and placed at the far end of the row of candidates during TV presentations of Dem debates. He was allocated less air time, less column space, less everything. Yet what he proposed was what the 99% NOW say they want! Where were they back in 2007 and 2008? The corporate owned media is at fault. They fear any candidate who is not completely bought and paid for, and they will make sure that any candidate, unlikely to dance to their prescribed tune, will be sidelined.

Although Huntsman is Republican, I get the feeling that he's not one to dance to any tune discordant with his own ideas, which seem to embrace fairness, social justice, empathy and, best of all: the common sense so lacking among his fellow-candidates. Apart from all of that, he is the most experienced, by far, of all his fellows in the field of foreign policy.

I've posted on Jon Huntsman's natal chart already in post here
An excerpt from it:

Sun and Moon in Aries = a pioneer, an initiator, a leader, in both heart and head. He'll have energy to spare, and would not be afraid of "taking the gloves off" faced with aggressive opposition.

Venus and Mercury in gentle intuitive Pisces bring a fine balance to his "harder" Aries side - I like that!

Mars in Aquarius should represent a fighter for social reform. Whereas Republicans generally are not known for true social reform, in his case I suspect he's drawn, at least somewhat, in this direction.

Jupiter and Saturn in Capricorn clearly mark his conservatism and air of authority. Saturn in its sign of rulership is particularly clear on this.

What I especially like in this chart is a Yod (Finger of Fate) with Uranus in Leo (planet of change and the avant garde) at its apex. The Yod links sextiled planets Mercury/Venus and Saturn to Uranus via two quincunx (150 degree) aspects. Characteristics of the planet at apex are said to "flavour" blended attributes of the sextiled planets. In this case planet of change and new ideas is the channel through which are blended Huntsman's conservative/authoritative/communicative/emotional/intuitive characteristics. For those of us who long for change, here's someone to watch!

Transiting Uranus is passing through Aries at present, and already passed his natal Moon once in March, (possibly around the time he decided to make a change in his lifestyle and run as candidate?) Uranus will retrograde back over his Moon later this year and will transit his natal Sun next year and on into 2013. Evidence of change, of some kind. His campaign will be a change of lifestyle in itself, of course. Though the presence of Uranus doesn't indicate success, it does seem significant that its transit will be so close to his natal Sun (self).

So... now that Rick Perry has proved less competent than originally expected; Herman Cain has been accused by four women of sexual harassment, thus impeding his progress in the race for nomination; Mitt Romney, though competent, has a boring "old news" smell about him, and remains a tad lack-lustre.

Newt Gingrich is reported to be "surging" in some recent polls - surging still a wee bit early though. There are some tricky hurdles coming up for him, once in the spotlight.

Jon Huntsman might be next to catch public imagination and come up for the "surge" at last. Could he, originally on the outside of the outsiders, be the one who'll go striding ahead rapidly, in spite of corporate meddlings, as others trip or fall from exhaustion or lack of staying power? He has been consistently proving himself the most sane and reasonable of all the GOP candidates. In fact, if Huntsman were to be the nominee, I'd feel tempted to give him my vote. I'd trust him much further than I trust President Obama - that's how screwy this peculiar political climate has turned me. I'm so glad I registered as Independent; my gut-feeling about the Democrats has proved correct!

Until the Occupy movement gets itself some legs - and a political wing - we'll need a purveyor of common sense in the White House - one we can trust not to stab us in the back. I'm under no illusion that Huntsman is anything like Kucinich though, nor would he right all the wrongs of Wall Street and Washington. But, as an intermediate place-holder until Mr or Ms Right comes along, he'd be my choice.

Screwy? Maybe. Maybe not.

I'm going to use a Bible quote this time ~~ one that fits the situation:

Ecclesiastes 9:11
King James Version

I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.