Wendy Cicchetti's Commentary

The coming election on November 6th will likley be characterized by upsets, voting irregularities, delays, surprises and possible civil disobedience.  So, get ready for a chaotic and bumpy ride. There are several astrological aspects and influences that will prove to significantly impact this election.  It should be a great lesson in astrology, witnessing how it unfolds.

Time to vote again

Mercury Retrograde

Mercury stations retrograde on November 6, at 6:04 pm ET. Mercury Retrogrades are historically associated with delays, miscommunication, and uncertainty with computer mixups and breakdowns. But when it exactly coincides with a major election the implications can be much more important and far reaching than our quarterly retrograde experiences.

Past history shows that elections held during a Mercury retrograde are fraught with problems. The last time this occurred in this country was the Al Gore/George Bush election in November 2000 that ended up with an election night too close to call, voter fraud, and a supreme court decision favoring Bush 36 days after the election. What is most interesting about the Mercury retrograde during that election is that Mercury actually stationed direct on Election Day, ending around 9:30 p.m. ET, rather than stationing retrograde.

Most Astrologers concur that prior to and after the retrograde, Mercury appears to be moving too slowly to be comfortable. These time periods have been termed The Storm Phase, which extends the disruptive time period from typically the week prior to the retrograde and the week after.

Bush / Gore Election 2000

In this upcoming election, the retrograde will begin on Election Day. It does seem noteworthy too that the election will synchronize with what is usually regarded as a more problematic part of the retrograde period. Will it be possible that the 2012 election will be characterized by even more adverse circumstances than in 2000?

Prior to 2000, there were very few elections which occurred during a Mercury retrograde. In this century, the most notorious was in 1960, at the time of the Nixon/Kennedy election.  On November 8, 1960, Mercury was right in the middle of its retrograde period in Scorpio. This was the closest election in the 20th century according to popular vote, with Kennedy winning by only 1 percent. The difficulties on Election night itself were strikingly similar to 2000. Kennedy was projected to have won early on, but then later it became too close to call. Nixon delayed his official concession until noon the following day. Widespread issues of voter fraud were reported, which may have decided the outcome.

The 1960 Election

The unfortunate similarities of the 1960 and 2000 retrograde elections include, the closeness of  the vote, a suspenseful election night where the results were delayed, and that both elections had issues with voting irregularities,  voter fraud, and misplaced ballots.

Uranus square Pluto

Today, the world is reeling to the upheaval created by Uranus Square Pluto. We see the nightly news reports of unrest globally, and the current polarizing energies in our country are reaching a feverish pitch. The effects of this astrological combination will clear away the old and worn out structures people and governments have created over time.  Pluto is the principle of death and rebirth which is currently combined with the Uranian principle of sudden change. This combination forces change. This transit represents a time when unrest and frustration with the status quo has reached a critical point and must be released.  In 1960, the world was also feeling the chaotic forces of Uranus/Pluto in the form of a conjunction. These energies perpetuated the revolutionary tendencies that we saw play out widely through the 60’s.

Election day chart compared to the US Sibley chart

In this comparison, we see the transiting Moon in Libra will be transiting the Midheaven of the US Sibley chart and they are both squared by the transiting Sun. The Sun will be sitting right on the US Jupiter which indicates large voter turnout. Transiting Uranus is inconjunct the US progressed Sun which suggests an upset.

Even more telling is transiting Pluto tightly quincunx Uranus, in the US chart, which energies suggest radical change and an impatience (Uranus) that will necessitate total upheaval (Pluto). The polls may say one thing up until the day of the election, and there could be a reversal on election day.

Will the change be another resounding second term of the change Obama/Biden represent, moving away from the old traditional republican ways and structure? Or will the change or upset be moving back to the pro corporate patterns of the Bush administration and the old republican guard?  Many astrologers have predicted that Obama will win a second term.  I personally believe that the jury is still out and given the chaotic and uncertain energies, and the huge amount of money being spent to defeat Obama from corporate interests, nothing should be taken for granted. However, we all should look at the contrast in the philosophies of the candidates, check the facts, think for ourselves,  feel what better resonates with our own heart, and get out and vote.

After serving several years as an elected legislator for the State of Idaho, I have become keenly aware of the need for integrity to surround the legislative process for true progress to take place. One comes into contact with a variety of personality types in politics. There are the great Statesman variety like an Abraham Lincoln who have an agenda

Abraham Lincoln - My Hero

of true service to humanity, and the self-serving kind whose ego and its strokes are their priority. And unfortunately, there are those worse still who are guilty of demagoguery and narcissism who use politics as a means to collect power under the guise of public service. This is a leader who intentionally misleads the people.  A politician who foments discontent in the world and among the voters, promising all sorts of rewards if the people will help him gain power, though he actually plans to use this political power to further his fortune and personal agenda.  We have seen examples of these types in our country more notably in recent years due to an increase in press coverage.

DEMAGOGUERY

There have been many leaders throughout recorded history who could easily fall into the demagogue category.  It is an amazing phenomenon that people so quickly fall for their cunning traps and become supporters.  Not too long ago the world witnessed the regimes of Hitler and Mussolini and many others in a variety of countries since, where countless lives have been destroyed by gullible followers who did not question. Not all demagogues are guilty of the same degree of evil as those mentioned above, however many are guilty of the same type of agenda only to a lesser degree; trying to take over a small country rather than attempting to take over the world. The results are the same as many may die and cities, families and peace are destroyed.

GOOD VERSES EVIL – 2012

Throughout time, however, man has struggled with the classic battle for good and evil. The media is replete with examples of this age old struggle from Star Wars to Lord of the Rings.  It is curious to witness the contempt of the younger observers today as human rights violations in foreign countries become public, as if these were first time atrocities. The youth of today have not had to witness the horrors or the sacrifices for freedom that our parents

Gandalf - Stay Vigilant

did in the 30’s and 40’s.   And often it requires atrocities in close proximity for the intensity of emotion to fuel a rebellion. The possibility of rebellion may not be far away.

The question is, as we dwell in the energy of 2012  — a time prophesied by many cultures to be the end times — is humanity becoming anymore humane and conscious as a whole? Are the changes we are experiencing leading up to a mass shift in consciousness here and abroad? Are the breakdowns we are witnessing on a global scale opening the doors for this shift?  The consensus of many modern day visionaries suggest that 2012 will be the spiritual shift we have been waiting for, propelling the world into an enlightened era of peace and prosperity.

POLARIZATION OF THE PEOPLE

There could well be a growing polarization leading up to the shift, however.  There are still many who refuse to look forward and dwell in the traditions of the past with the belief that the old continues to be the best for this new generation.  The younger generation, when allowed to form their own opinions, thinking for themselves, easily see through the old structures that continue to hold humanity back. Making informed choices has never been more critical. Ushering in this enlightened age will require leaders of a statesman like integrity.

When making choices about which leaders you will support in the future,  follow your intuition and instincts. Learn to trust yourself.  Don’t be one of the sheep who follow blindly. Pull away from the roar of the crowd and think for yourself. Look for consistency and integrity.  Stay away from those who delight in name calling and character defamation.  A statesman is one who is not afraid to make public his agenda, will sacrifice himself for the betterment of the whole, and will accept responsibility for any mistakes made. The political demagogue will attempt to hide his true motives at all costs and through trickery and manipulation turn public attention elsewhere.