Before this weekend's out results of another group of primaries/caucuses will be known:
On we go, all the while with mainstream media journalists, pundits and commentary trying to dampen the enthusiasm of Bernie Sanders' supporters by declaring already that, for us the "game" is already lost, Hillary Clinton will be the nominee for US Democrats. In fact, nothing is over, but it will be difficult for Bernie to completely overtake Hillary. The "race" could end in a virtual tie, with Hillary Clinton failing to obtain the necessary number of delegates for an all-out win, meaning that negotiations will have to take place. Delegates, delegates!
Bernie's campaign was always going to be difficult, running as he is against the Clinton's combined juggernaut: combination of Hillary, Bill, the partisan DNC, the bought and paid for corporate media. Anything that's worth a damn is always difficult.
Main-streamers, owned by corporations, have their list of instructions. Subtle manipulation of minds comes high on that list. No matter who a person supports in this election, or in respect of any matter at all, it's helpful to keep this in mind when reading, watching, listening to anything online, in newspapers, on TV or radio.
If a majority of people in the USA turn out to be not yet ready, for whatever reason, for a serious attempt at common sense reform of the rigged systems - electoral, financial and otherwise - then that's their choice. They will be ready sometime later, but perhaps too late to effect meaningful change.
An uplifting piece by Gaius Publius this morning at The Smirking Chimp:
http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/gaius-publius/66291/clinton-will-build-her-biggest-lead-on-march-15-sanders-will-erode-it-after-that
On a lighter note, but still relating to the primaries:
The character Donald Trump keeps bringing to my mind is one created by the brilliantly funny Douglas Adams in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy:
Zaphod Beeblebrox, once President of the Galaxy. Though minus one head, The Donald is a dead ringer for The Zaphod! ~
"One of the major difficulties Trillian experienced in her relationship with Zaphod was learning to distinguish between him pretending to be stupid just to get people off their guard, pretending to be stupid because he couldn't be bothered to think and wanted someone else to do it for him, pretending to be outrageously stupid to hide the fact that he actually didn’t understand what was going on, and really being genuinely stupid. He was renowned for being amazingly clever and quite clearly was so—but not all the time, which obviously worried him, hence, the act. He preferred people to be puzzled rather than contemptuous."
27 comments:
Hillary Concedes!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJhAvo3F5Ms
And Trump’s campaign song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGRMgGQkzwQ
Billy Flynn (LOL!) ~
Two very good videos - thank you!
"Razzle Dazzle 'Em" - Exactly! "It's all show business kid..."
What a weird election season! Too many peculiar candidates and voters. The old bugger boo of electorate turnout is evident this cycle, too, with over 8 million Republicans vs over 5 million Democratic & Independent voters casting ballots so far. This is a strong showing for a primary election, yet the Republicans vastly outnumber once again. Are potential Bernie supporters not voting in the primary? Did the Independent voters decide it wasn't worth it to vote the Green Party's Jill Stein?
Here's a cause-and-effect of 2010's low voter turnout:
Samantha Bee, "2010 Election"
https://youtu.be/fw41BDhI_K8
The rise of authoritarianism:
"According to Stenner's theory, there is a certain subset of people who hold latent authoritarian tendencies. These tendencies can be triggered or 'activated' by the perception of physical threats or by destabilizing social change, leading those individuals to desire policies and leaders that we might more colloquially call authoritarian.
It is as if, the NYU professor Jonathan Haidt has written, a button is pushed that says, 'In case of moral threat, lock down the borders, kick out those who are different, and punish those who are morally deviant.'
'Authoritarians are a real constituency that exists independently of Trump — and will persist as a force in American politics.'
Authoritarians prioritize social order and hierarchies, which bring a sense of control to a chaotic world. Challenges to that order — diversity, influx of outsiders, breakdown of the old order — are experienced as personally threatening because they risk upending the status quo order they equate with basic security.
http://www.vox.com/2016/3/1/11127424/trump-authoritarianism
And a Matt Taibbi essay about how we got to this point:
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/revenge-of-the-simple-how-george-w-bush-gave-rise-to-trump-20160301
mike ~ It's hard to say why Dem turnout isn't higher. Maybe numbers will improve as more primary results are known because people who "kinda like" Bernie don't have the confidence to give him their vote unless they see him heading for a definite win. This is really, really disappointing, if it's the reason (or one of them). Don't know, but I'm sure the pundits will come up with some reason soon enough.
LOL at Samantha Bee's video! At least comedians are having a good time this season - easy pickings - low hanging fruit-cakes - whatever.
The Vox piece is mentioned in my post scheduled for Monday or Tuesday (it was prepared originally for today, then I decided to do another primary-related one instead). :-)
mike ~ Thanks for the Matt Taibbi link - will read later, have bookmarked it.
I've been scooting around a few astrology blogs/message boards this morning. I hadn't come across Peter Stockinger's blog before (traditional astrology). Interesting post there using traditional method for mundane astrology:
https://starsandstones.wordpress.com/2016/03/03/solar-ingress-and-us-presidential-elections/
Fair and impartialy setting the laws of the land guiding the people.?!
Justice Scalia's Greatest Failure
by Geoffrey R. Stone
Edward H. Levi Distinguished Service Professor of Law, University of Chicago
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/geoffrey-r-stone/justice-scalias-greatest_b_9385216.html
Quote from the link.
"In an analysis of Justice Scalia's votes in twenty of the Court's most important constitutional decisions between 2000 and 2013, which dealt with such diverse issues as the 2000 presidential election, gun control, voter disenfranchisement, affirmative action, search and seizure, abortion, due process for persons suspected of terrorism, takings of private property, the death penalty, campaign finance regulations, the freedom of religion, and the rights of gays and lesbians, every one of Justice Scalia's votes in these cases tracked perfectly the conservative political position. Despite all the talk of originalism as a principled mode of constitutional interpretation, Justice Scalia's votes make clear that originalism had little, if anything, to do with his actual decision-making."
"Mundane Interpretations: An interpretation of Astrology in terms of world trends, the destinies of nations and large groups of individuals, based on an analysis of the effects of Equinoxes, Solstices, New Moons, Eclipses, planetary conjunctions, and similar celestial phenomenon; as distinguished from Natal astrology, specifically applicable to an individual birth horoscope. Definition is from De Vore’s Encyclopedia of Astrology."
http://www.moonvalleyastrologer.com/mundane-astrology/
Here's Jamie Partridge's explanation for not using mundane astrology:
"Mundane astrology is the study of how the changing positions of the Sun, Moon and planets impact on world events. This is best done using the horoscopes of nations. Many mundane astrologers still persist with using ingress or lunation charts set for capital cities, or focus on the horoscopes of world leaders. These methods have failed miserably in the past, more can be gained by using national horoscopes.
As Nick Campion points out in his Book of World Horoscopes, p.1, the leaders in mundane astrology of the time failed to predict the outbreak of WWII using the old methods. In fact they even stated Hitler was a man of peace, just weeks before the invasion of Poland.
The fixed stars are also of importance when studying mundane astrology, especially when involved in a planetary aspect pattern. Even a single conjunction of a planet to a fixed star can have dramatic affects on world events. For example, Mars retrograde on the fixed star Algorab on 22 April 2014, coincided with an escalation in violence and terrorism around the globe.
Apart from the national horoscopes and other event charts listed above, I also add mundane astrological interpretations to the moon phases, retrograde planets, and major planetary aspects, for example Uranus square Pluto from 2012 to 2015. All of these posts, the national horoscopes, fixed stars and planetary aspects, have comments where you can add any current events which appear to be significant in mundane astrology."
http://astrologyking.com/mundane/
I'm not a fan of mundane astrology, per se. I'm more in line with Jamie Partridge's application of several astrological inputs. I do think it's important to consider the candidate's natal chart, but it needs to be remembered that the candidate mirrors that portion of the population voting for that candidate, much as The Donald is attracting his followers. There's an astrological effect on the collective that I can only identify as planetary transits...what sets the mood for the populace.
cont'd next comment...
cont'd...
Raymond Merriman's comment:
"... As stated repeatedly in this column and in the Forecast 2016 Book: under Saturn square Neptune in mutable signs, you cannot believe anything you hear or read. No one honors the truth or the facts. No one is responsible, and someone else is to blame for … everything that ails us. It is a spectacle, something to be witnessed because this is unlikely to ever happen again in American politics. The next election in 2020 will find Jupiter, Saturn, and Pluto in Capricorn, a much more serious combination than Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune in mutable signs.
Take comfort, America. You cannot change this dynamic. Everything is changing all around us. The rules (Saturn) do not apply anymore, which is not all that bad, unless your reality depends on the rules always working (like an extreme fixed sign personality). It is what you really wanted all along, America. The people are finally getting the power, as the ineffective political establishment is losing its power to the will of the people, just as the Uranus/Pluto square of 2012—2015 promised. And in typical Pluto fashion, the angst that was incubated during that period is now coming to the surface, It cannot be stopped. It will change every previously accepted notion that we thought worked in politics. The rules do not work this year, at least not until after early September. That is when we get serious again.
The political world has been upended. Just sit back and enjoy it until the November elections. Worry then. After all, Geminis can be the funniest and most entertaining sign of the zodiac. They can also be rude and crude. But can they really lead? Can they really deliver on their promises? We have until November to decide. By then, the mutable T-square will be lifted, and in its place, Jupiter will move into the peace-loving and agreeable sign of Libra, sextile to Saturn. Sanity is apt to return. In the meantime, let us enjoy this unique political entertainment while it lasts."
http://new.mmacycles.com/index.php?route=blog/article&category_id=1&article_id=66
Misguided and Realist Bobs ~ Thanks for link and excerpt. Justice Scalia must have had his own definition of the word "principled" - it certainly isn't mine! To my mind he was a disgrace to the legal profession. :-/
om the same link:
"Under this approach, for example, it would be appropriate for a court to invoke the Equal Protection Clause to invalidate a law that denied African Americans the right to serve on juries, but not to invalidate a law that denied that same right to women, because those who adopted the Equal Protection Clause were not thinking of women at the time."
Continuing in the same paragraph - (bolding by me)
"The idea, in short, is to have the best of both worlds - a general presumption of judicial restraint, but the authority and, indeed, responsibility to override that presumption in order to carry out the specific intentions and understandings of those who drafted and ratified any particular provision of the Constitution."
mike (again) ~ I've not delved very far into proper traditional astrology, it didn't "feel right". I hadn't been aware that there was a traditional mundane method that is different from the usual modern method as described by the other astrologers you've quoted. In all mundane scenarios, I'd say there are way too many ingredients, human and non-human to be considered for there to be any reasonably accurate method for prediction, especially as, even the most skilled among astrologers don't actually know what it is they are dealing with in astrology. (I guess I should wash my mouth out, but that is truth). So they all do the best they can, throw in new ideas from time to time, to see what might stick.
Merriman's piece is good, though I'm not keen on "After all Geminis can be the........"
There's no such thing as "a Gemini". One's as much like another as a cat is like a kangaroo. "Can they really lead?" The one to whom he refers can, with Regulus on his ascendant -the trouble being the direction in which he would lead? ;-/
Astrology in recent years currently, and upcoming regarding the Sibly chart.
The transit of Pluto to Sibly Sun and Saturn and the Grand Square of 2014 affecting same have been and will be followed by transit Saturn and Neptune to Sibly secondary progressed Sun. The location of Lebanon, KS, is of no consequence. It is just nearly the geographic center of the 48 contiguous states that I use for some work.
SIBLY - 48 - Sec.Prog. Q2 Mean Quotidian
Mar 5 2016, 2:26 pm, CST +6:00
Lebanon Kansas, 39°N48'35'', 098°W33'19''
Neptune conjunct Sibly progressed Sun - Apr 25, 2016 - 11°Pi23'
Neptune stations (holds virtualy the same spatial relationship to Sibly progressed Sun - Jun 13, 2016 - 12°Pi02'
Saturn square progressed Sun Jun 27, 2016 - 11°Sg23'
Neptune conjunct progressed Sun Aug 4, 2016 - 11°Pi23'
Saturn square progressed Sun Sep 27, 2016 - 11°Sg23'
On-a-roll Bob ~ The First, Second and Third reasons why originalism ain't a good idea, in the linked article, are interesting - and made me think of traditional astrology versus modern astrology - in a round-about way. :-) Ancient astrologers had no idea of what kind of world we'd be living in in 2016, of the discoveries and inventions arrived at through many centuries - even more so than the time span between the US Constitution Framers and today's SCOTUS.
An example of the mundane technique I use in concert with my technique for progressing lunar returns.
It begins with a chart done for the Moon's entry into Sidereal Capricorn (Caplunar) or Cancer (Canlunar). I do them in the Tropical zodiac. That chart is then progressed to the desired time using the Moon's arc in right ascension between inception and targeted point in time. Tested for years using natural events, mostly earthquakes with recorded times and epicenters.
Caplunar (Tropical rendition) progressed to the time a plane hit the north tower of the World Trade Center on Sep 11, 2001.
http://i.imgur.com/MDeRCjY.gif
Twilight ~ Just wanted you to know I read your last response on yesterday's post and understand. For whatever reason, I think we agree our disagreements have become unproductive and, for me at least, also terribly confusing!
This is your space after all. In the future, I'll respect it by keeping any thoughts or opinions to myself, most likely agreeing on some things and disagreeing on others. Silently.:)
As of tonight, Kansas, Nebraska, and Maine are also DN Bernie states! I didn't think the Midwest was that progressive, but things have changed. Hoooooooray to Bernie!
mike (again) ~ Love it! I'm so pleased. 3 cheers for Bernie! :-)
I'm not sure why the site (The Guardian, Live) I obtained Bernie's wins included Maine...today is the Democratic caucus for Maine...must be pre-caucus polling. At least two cheers for Bernie and one more today, I hope.
mike (again) ~ It's not surprising things go askew at times, this primary list is so complex, with each party doing their own thing, not necessarily voting on the same day in the same state. While preparing the map for this post - colouring in the states for weekend primaries, I had coloured one too many orange at first, so had to amend and update.
Bernie has a reasonable chance of winning Maine, from what I've read.
Clinton fanciers are now trying to depress enthusiasm among Sanders' fanciers. Well, they would, wouldn't they! I saw one very nasty comment from someone calling himself "Gay Married Guy" - scoffing that the states Bernie won last night are full of hicks and farmers. So...? I wanted to respond, but my BP shoots up while typing, so I didn't - but thankfully someone else did.
Do GOP leaders tell little Marco to drop out and then urge his followers to get behind Cruz. Cruz catches unca donald on the Ides of March. OK with the donald because it ties him to Julius Caesar - one of the few (maybe the only one) he deems worthy of the association.
the hick from stick crick (LOL!) ~ We're all hicks from various cricks, some just find it hard to admit as much. ;-)
Yes, the [T]Ides of March will likely wash away the weakest swimmer in these churning waters, and a mini-tsunami could leave The Donald, at best, embarrassed, having lost his swim trunks. Bernie's still far too strong a swimmer to think of giving up.
Twilight, Thank you for your kind and generous offer to guest post on your blog. At present, I don't feel confident enough to contribute - certainly not about astrology! - and also am aware that my natal Mars/NN square Merc/Pallas reflects a certain intensity in my opinions which can take people aback sometimes ;P I shall, however, keep it in mind, should I find a topic I can address without pedantry or a display of my ignorance.
mike, Thanks to you, too, for your informative remarks about house systems - a bugaboo of astro interpretation, that's for sure. And, yes, when I spoke of planets on the angles, I did mean without regard to houses.
One fellow I read for mundane astrology is this chap:
http://javed22.blogspot.ca/
And, I always enjoy the Sunday political history columns of Aussie Ed Tamplin:
http://edtamplin.com/weekly%20horoscopes.htm
I've been reading far and wide about the runup to the US election and it is certainly a highly entertaining topic replete with thrills, chills and spills! The only astro result forecast I've so far seen is:
http://astrotabletalk.blogspot.ca/2016/01/why-donald-trump-will-be-next-us.html
Boinee's a Maine man!
Sabina ~ I understand - if you think of any topic at all you feel comfortable about writing a paragraph or two on, just let me know in comments sometime. :-)
Thank you for the links, which I shall read tomorrow. :-)
Mugsy ~ Hi there! Sure is - showed 'em how to do it today! :-)
Sabina ~ Thanks again for the links you included. Ed Tamplin's and Astrotabletalk's are especially good, I thought. Hadn't seen Ed Tamplin's blog for ages, and when Astrotabletalk closed I deleted it from my links, and somehow missed the US election prediction there. :-)
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