Photo by Brendan McDermid.
Dear Friend and Reader:
The one item I don’t remember including in any of my election coverage is that this is all happening in the midst of the Uranus-Eris conjunction, so anything is possible. Maybe I mentioned it somewhere. Uranus is the god of ‘expect the unexpected’: developments, revolutions, upsets, inventions, breakthroughs. We got one of those this week. There will be others. The most important ones are in your consciousness.
Uranus-Eris — the conjunction of our era, which last happened in 1928 — is the environmental ground and atmosphere we’re now standing on and breathing.
Trump supporters cheer before his acceptance speech in New York City on Wednesday morning. Photo by Mary Altaffer.
It represents transitions in every aspect of life. It’s not merely about an election; more than anything, it describes the effects of our technological environment, the first of which is to destabilize self-relationship and, therefore, culture.
By this I mean that the takeover of psyche and society by digital technology is, in a sense, making people forget who they are. Usually we remember who we are through conflict, and it would seem that we now have the perfect thing to inspire just that. What happened this week is the perfect motivation for a massive and sustained protest movement.
So yeah, barring some strange and unforeseen circumstances, we will have Pres. Donald Trump. Go figure. I’ve been reading all kinds of analyses about how this happened: how someone who pays no income taxes and won’t publish his tax returns and who wants to bring back stop-and-frisk and who said he could shoot someone on 5th Ave. and not lose any votes, got elected president. How someone who admitted to groping women, was accused of doing so, and was accused of rape, could become the nation’s top law enforcement official. He will appoint the next one or more Supreme Court justices in his image.
Remember that the election was close — much closer than the infamous Kennedy versus Nixon race in 1960, called razor-thin at a 500,000-vote difference. This week, what looks like a landslide victory in the Electoral College (the sea of red on that map) was really based on a popular vote difference of under 300,000 votes.
That’s one-third of a percentage point difference, since about 100 million votes were cast. That’s a statistical tie. It’s not a mandate, but will be taken as one.
 |
|
Meanwhile, anti-Trump protests took place in many cities last night, including Philadelphia. Photo by Elizabeth Robertson.
|
Did anyone mention that Hillary Clinton won the popular vote? Am I missing something, or should this be the headline? What kind of “democracy” is it where someone who gets the most votes loses — again? It’s called a representative democracy. Representative of who or what I’m not sure; obviously not the candidate the people want.
Yes, the people who were screaming about elitism (which means minority control) lost the majority of the actual vote, and will now control all three branches of government. The Supreme Court will likely be in conservative hands for yet another generation, and you can bet that the regressive agenda will start running the afternoon of Jan. 20, 2017.
“The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny,” James Madison wrote in Federalist Paper 47. That was a warning; our government is designed to stop that, but it cannot, if all three branches of government are under the control of the same party, which they will be starting in 2017.
So how did this happen? How did “unthinkable” Trump win?
There’s the “leaner” theory — the Trump supporters who, when asked who they were voting for, would lean into one another’s ears and say, because they didn’t want to be called out and condescended to by those liberal elitists who oppose misogyny and homophobia. They were sick of safe zones and trigger warnings.
As one writer claimed, Clinton voters “chose insulting the other side over trying to understand what motivated them.” In the current thin-skinned environment, I could see someone proposing that. Americans are in love with being offended, and at being offended with other people being offended. It’s double the fun, or quadruple.
The theory goes that Trump supporters, wanting a safe zone of their own, didn’t give honest responses when called by pollsters, or hung up. Since Clinton won by a third of a point, and the polls have an error margin of about three points, that’s a possibility.
 |
|
Protesters express anger that Clinton won the popular vote, that is, the actual vote, but lost the election anyway. Photo by Kena Betancur.
|
What’s so amazing is that the lead story the past 18 months has been the polls. Every last issue has been framed in the polls — and they were all wrong.
Naomi Wolf, a well-regarded feminist author and journalist, told a Dutch newspaper, “This defeat was not about gender in my view at all. I believe Americans are tired of globalization that guts the middle class and that hands over decision-making to a small group of global elites. Also the drive to dilute the nationstate in the interest of globalization backfired.”
Then there’s the “Obama betrayed the liberals” theory. Obama was elected in 2008 by a 10-million-vote margin, with record turnout of blacks and young people, and delivered very little. Banksters went free, existing wars escalated and new ones began, lots of people were deported and lots of pot growers busted. Liberals were so fed up they could not vote for Clinton.
Add to that their perception that the primary was stolen by Clinton and her super-delegates. Many people feel Sanders could have beaten Trump, and a Sanders-Clinton ticket surely would have.
Others described Trump winning as a kind of Reddit Revolution in that extreme elements got in their pickup trucks and voted: Red Pill misogynists, homophobes and wannabe KKK members. Oh, and the real KKK, whose official newspaper endorsed Trump, borrowed his “Make America Great Again” slogan as its headline. Does anyone even remember what the KKK is, besides them? White robes, grand wizards, cross burnings, lynchings?
Another idea is that Trump is so gosh-darned terrific, everyone went for him: all those promises about waking up Wednesday morning in utopia. Or, he tapped into the deeper feelings of his base (meaning rage).
 |
|
Another photo from protests Wednesday.
|
He claimed to be a fresh face on the scene: the whole non-politician, I’m-not-like-them routine. And now a bunch of those elite Ivy League-type East Coaster lifelong career office-holders you thought you got rid of are about to control the government again.
I have a message for Southerners and Midwesterners: Donald Trump comes from my town. He’s a New Yorker. He’s been around for decades, and just about everyone here can see through his Tony Baloney. He may seem like an exciting new voice to you; around here, he’s a swaggering, blustery real estate developer who lost a lot of money, and whose casinos stand boarded with plywood.
In the actual Atlantic City, he’s not Park Place or the Boardwalk. He’s Baltic Avenue, rent $2.
Speaking of money, USA Today’s poll results described economic discontent as driving the vote for Trump. Many people feel worse off than they were eight years ago, and wanted a change.
With the margin of victory being under 300,000 votes, it could have been all of them; any of them; electronic votes stolen, tipping certain states; or any other factor we know about or don’t know about. What we do know is that it was close, and that a majority of people who voted chose someone other than the person who is set to take office, amidst great consternation. The past two days protests have erupted across the United States. (Mars moving into Aquarius Wednesday indicated public outrage with the outcome of the election.)
I guess this was only news 16 years ago, in the Bush v. Gore days; now it’s normal. The last time it happened, a Democrat won the vote tally and a Republican took office. Is this a coincidence or a pattern?
 |
|
Los Angeles protests. Photo by Keith Birmingham.
|
What’s more stunning to my sensibilities is that there’s no coalition or sharing of power. We are now in winner-take-all territory — and in keeping with the tenor of the campaign, there’s quite a bit of gloating going on.
I know someone in Tennessee who is the only person in her large office who voted for Clinton, and she’s regularly pushed to tears by her colleagues who think this is funny.
A Trump supporter I know got an email Wednesday about community forums being set up around the country, where women, abuse survivors, Muslims, immigrants, lesbian and gay people and so forth, could express their concerns about what had happened, given Trump’s various statements and commitments.
He called the email hateful. Intelligent person, no irony: concern about being discriminated against is supposedly hateful.
So now we’re trading trigger warnings and safe zones for open season on protected groups? Is it now OK to be intentionally offensive, and not acceptable to be offended? Does anyone at all consider this humane, or rational, or in any way useful?
In a twisted way, it is. Everything has a use, to someone. There is something called the pain body. It’s a term from healing. If the pain body is overactive or takes over the psyche, which it can from repeated unhealed traumas, the only thing that validates the person is the pain of others. All they think can help their own agony is inflicting it on someone else. This is how people become abusers.
 |
|
People take part in a protest near the Trump tower, against President-elect Donald Trump, in Chicago. Photo by Paul Beatty.
|
Here’s a few problems with that: for example, many of these people have guns and dream of using them. They also tend to control police and other law enforcement, which seem to be solidly in the Trump camp; why wouldn’t they be?
I’m wondering many things these days, some of them amusing, some not so much. For example, when is this supposed to get scary? What’s the appropriate response? How does this country, so divided, choose its destiny?
I’m friends with a fellow named C.T. Butler, author of Food Not Bombs, and a professional consensus trainer. He teaches people and companies how to use decision-by-agreement. He also does this with couples. Corporations are often led by a board of directors, which is subject to majority rule. In a couple there are two people, so you cannot have a majority. Decision-making between two parties must be by consensus; that is, by reaching an agreement.
I know a dominatrix who proposes that in any couple, someone must be the boss. There must be a leader and a follower, which makes the master-slave relationship common in this genre seem organic and functional. Among willing parties, it might well be.
But I don’t think that half the United States should, or needs to, enslave the other half, ideologically or otherwise.
C.T. explained to me the basic principle of consensus, which is agreeing on values first. Once two parties agree on the values, that is, on what’s important and what the goal is, the way of getting to that goal is a much simpler conversation. You can always refer back to your underlying understanding.
 |
|
Protesters march through downtown along Spring Street during a protest against President-elect Donald Trump. Photo by Keith Birmingham.
|
It would seem like between the two alleged political camps as they’re divided now, there is no possible agreement on values. Given that, it seems that one side is in a position to enslave the other.
Here’s one of the more amusing bits I’m noticing. It would seem the Trump supporters are against things like globalization: the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), NAFTA and other trade agreements. That’s funny — all the freaky left-wing, liberal people they supposedly disagree with were out in the streets protesting that very issue starting in 1999. You have more in common with your adversaries than you may think.
But we live in an age not only where compromise is taboo, but where it’s considered acceptable to use people’s flexibility against them. The tendency to be kind or fair is being weaponized against people.
We need to remember that most voters did not vote for Trump. Indeed, most voters did not vote at all, and therefore a lot of our conversation is with them. This takes building relationships and cultivating involvement. That will take time, patience, growth and learning. It will require a long-term approach to many issues.
People trying to educate others will quickly run into two problems: one is that context is gone. I’ve written about this before, though in the mentality cultivated by Twitter, it’s difficult to get facts to relate to one another. If you want a real idea, you have to rub two facts together.
 |
|
Protesters hold signs Thursday comparing presidential candidate Donald Trump’s image to the Confederate flag and the Ku Klux Klan near the site of Trump’s new hotel in downtown Washington. Photo by Nadia Dreid.
|
Does, “Your adversary believes the same thing as you do, on that issue,” mean anything? Or is the position going to be: “If you disagree with me on any one of these 20 issues, you’re unacceptable”?
One thing it would help to understand is the false, hyperbolic polarization created by filtering everything through the media. Everything seems more extreme, louder and simpler than it really is as viewed through TV, or on the internet.
No one side can complain about elitists in bubbles. We live in the age of listen to viewpoints that support what you believe and never question those viewpoints, either. This is also known in psychology as “confirmation bias.” In order to get beyond the place where we are, many more people will need to be open to other viewpoints, and learn how to read, and listen, and respond thoughtfully.
One last thought. There’s a difference between “winning” an election and being right. There’s also a difference between being right and someone else being wrong.
This is going to take a lot of willingness — and a lot of therapy.
Lovingly,
Planet Waves (ISSN 1933-9135) is published each Tuesday and Thursday evening in Kingston, New York, by Planet Waves, Inc. Core community membership: $197/year. Editor and Publisher: Eric Francis Coppolino. Web Developer: Anatoly Ryzhenko. Special Project Designer: Lizanne Webb. Finance: Jonathan McCarthy. Astrology Editor: Amanda Painter. Astrology Fact Checker: Len Wallick. Copy Editor and Fact Checker: Jessica Keet. Eric’s Assistant: Gale Jazylo. Client Services: Amy Elliott. Media Consultant: Andrew Ellis Marshall McLuhan. Music Director: Daniel Sternstein. Additional Research, Writing and Opinions: Amy Jacobs, Cindy Ragusa and Carol van Strum.
Introducing Fetus Funeral Guy
When I was a kid I heard someone say that you should vote for president based on who the vice presidential candidate is. We now have Vice President-elect Mike Pence, who is likely to be the next president of the United States.
Donald Trump is vulnerable for many reasons. He’s succeed in winning the electoral vote, but he comes into office with plenty of baggage: pending lawsuits, conflicts of interest, mafia ties, a dodgy campaign tied to the Russians and so forth.
 |
|
Noon chart for Mike Pence, who was recently the 50th governor of Indiana.
|
We know next to nothing about Pence, but after he was selected as Trump’s running mate, I took a guess: I started calling him “fetus funeral guy.”
He just seemed like the type: so rabidly into controlling women’s bodies that he would be in favor of a fetus funeral law; you know, just like in A Handmaid’s Tale. Well, little did I know that he had signed just such a law in May. Little did I know that these things existed outside of fiction. Here’s an article from The Atlantic.
So who is Mike Pence? We don’t know his rising sign. But we know his Sun, some important planets and plenty else. There’s a lot in this chart; what I offer today will be a preview (I’ll cover it on Planet Waves FM on Tuesday).
First of all, he has the Sun and Mercury in Gemini. He gleams and has a clever tongue that forks like that of a snake. He reminds me of a rattlesnake, actually: that’s how much respect I have for him. There’s a 50/50 chance he has his Moon in Gemini as well; if he’s a morning birth it will be Gemini. Anyway this describes a clever speaker and fast thinker. He’s also flawless at being a Gemini; that is, there being two, four or six of him, which he can shape-shift while you’re watching, but you don’t notice.
He has Eris on the South Node. He’s coming in with a lot of Eris, which looks like psychic chaos from other factors in the chart. He may have an old beef with the matriarchy, whatever that may be. Eris is met by Juno and Pallas on the North Node. You might call that the politicization of domestic matters. This guy is on a mission, and he has karma to burn.
 |
|
Man, god or movie star? It’s Mike Pence.
|
When I’m looking at a chart for the first time, one of the first things I check is Neptune. If Neptune is under stress, that can be a serious situation. He has Mars square Neptune, which can bestow an addictive-type personality. Part of the addiction can be to self-destructive conduct. This can happen with alcohol, meds or power.
Mars, proud and assertive in Leo, describes someone who is driven. Mars in any case needs to be well-regulated. Under the influence of Neptune, that’s difficult, as anyone with the aspect knows, because Neptune can make anything — even Saturn — slip and slide.
Pence has Venus and Mars in a conjunction in Leo, so both are square Neptune. This is just brilliantly delusional. He should be a director of bad porno films rather than a politician — but he didn’t ask me. With Venus and Mars square Neptune, one would likely be obsessed by a fantasy version of sex, and in denial of that fact at the same time. In his fantasy, sex is intriguing, extremely dangerous and of course subject to religious views.
Pence has Saturn retrograde in Capricorn. That’s about as much of a reference to the past as you can put into one chart. But I think Pence is someone of the future. I reckon that within eight to fourteen months, he will be our next president.
— Eric Francis Coppolino
What That Was, and What Happens Next
By Amanda Painter
What just happened in this country? In a phrase: Uranus conjunct Eris in Aries. The key phrase for Uranus is, “Expect the unexpected.” And Eris? Well, she is known for taking feelings of being ‘cast off’ and using them to incite competition and chaos.
 |
|
Detail of Movement II by Peter Bremers at Chesterwood, Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Photo by Amanda Painter.
|
We have more of that on our plates than we’d like right now. Personally, I am in shock. I knew that Donald Trump could win, but I never thought that he would actually win.
Expect the unexpected. Uranus conjunct Eris.
We’ve experienced two exact contacts between Uranus and Eris so far this year. Before those two planets are done with their tete-a-tete, they’ll conjoin once more in Aries, on March 17, 2017. So, the surprises are not done — though with any luck, the next batch will swing things in a more creative, productive, humane direction to counter what’s been happening in this election year. I’m not making any predictions; just holding space for the idea that even the worst upsets can inspire and engender a wave of energy and action to rebalance what has gone askew.
After all, with each new day we get new opportunities and new astrology to help us make sense of things and move forward. And this week, we get three of the so-called personal planets changing sign.
On one level, this indicates shifts in thinking, in how we receive and relate, and in how we take action toward what we want. Here’s what’s going on astrologically:
Glenn Greenwald on Democracy Now!
Today on Planet Waves’ Pacifica Radio-affiliate program Democracy Now!, hosts Amy Goodman and Nermeen Shaikh spend a significant portion of the program speaking with former Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald about Donald Trump’s election win. Among the topics Greenwald addresses are the failed policies of the Democratic party; the possibility that Sen. Bernie Sanders would have been a stronger candidate; and the possibility that Sarah Palin, Rudy Giuliani and Newt Gingrich could all be part of Trump’s Cabinet.
 |
|
Glenn Greenwald on today’s Democracy Now! program.
|
Greenwald also analyzes the similar paths leading to the UK’s Brexit vote and a Trump presidency in the US. He states, in part: “You had the Liberals and the Labour centrists and the sort of more establishment Conservatives united in opposition to Brexit.”
In the US, “You had leading neocon intellectuals and establishment Republicans and then the sort of establishment liberal pundits all in agreement that Trump was this grave evil, constantly praising each other and citing each other in this endless echo feedback chamber. And so, the people who were supporting Brexit and the people who were supporting Trump weren’t really ever heard from; they were just talked about in very contemptuous tones.”
Greenwald continues, “And what you have as a result are these decades of trends that we began by talking about, that Senator Sanders described, in which tens of millions of people have been trampled on by these policies of Western institutions of authority, who are essentially invisible and ignored. And the more you ignore them and the more you scorn them and the more you tell them that their grievances are invalid, the more they’re going to be susceptible to scapegoating, the more their bigotry will be inflamed, and the more they’ll want to destroy the systems and the institutions that they believe are responsible for their suffering.”
Greenwald therefore describes another important lesson of the Uranus-Eris conjunction: to notice what and who is cast-off, pushed to the shadows, not invited to the party. Without the willingness to notice our own exclusionary tendencies and to hear those who feel excluded early on, we set ourselves up to have our eyes opened in extreme ways in this environment. Yet, that can also include empowering actions like Native American tribes from all over protecting water and sacred land from an oil pipeline. It’s time to envision other positive ways to manifest this astrology.
Meow Mixes
By Amanda Painter
Feeling a little traumatized or just plain exhausted from the stress of this week? Two things the internet is great at (besides misinformation and echo chambers), is sharing music and cat videos.
The Kitty Critic project has brought those elements together in what one person described as combining “the earnest intimacy of NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts with the satirical wit of The Daily Show… plus cats.” It’s a web series in which musicians local to the Portland, Maine, area perform in their fans’ homes for their fans’ cats.
A profile last year in DownEast Magazine described the obliviousness of the cats to the musicians as part of the show’s “genius”:
“The show is in part a commentary on the complex relationship between performers and audiences. James, who’s been playing professionally for almost a decade, recalls one bar gig where most of the patrons sat with their backs facing him, watching a Patriots game on the far side of the room. Kitty Critic asks whether music still retains its power when it’s performed for a ostile or indifferent listener.”
“And what could be more indifferent than a cat?” James asks.
Philosophizing aside, the music is good, the cats are sweet, and the series was created for more than just a laugh by director and accomplished blues musician Samuel James, cameraman Jon Reece and tongue-in-cheek host Jim LeJames. Kitty Critic is also a proud sponsor of the Homeless Animal Rescue Team, an adoption center and shelter for cats.
This Week on Planet Waves FM
Your Election Special Edition of Planet Waves FM
Dear Friend and Reader:
As promised, this week I have a special extended edition of Planet Waves FM. I included an extra hour in case you need that much more relief from cable or network news the next day or so.
 |
In this week’s program [play episode here], I have lots of music for you, a look ahead at the astrology of Election Day and up to mid-January, a look at the USA Sibly chart, a review of this wild ride we’ve been on, and much more.
In the last hour of the program, I hang out with Jon McCarthy, CFO and artist in residence here at Planet Waves [the advertising segment is included with the program and also has its own player, right below the regular show].
Starting from the idea of social narratives, we contemplate how advertising impacts culture, and how it’s used politically.
I play two segments of a talk by Amherst College Prof. Sut Jhally, founder of the Media Education Foundation.
His theory is that advertising drives all of the most important narratives of our society, and that by driving consumerism, it’s also driving environmental destruction.
The documentary these segments come from is called Advertising and the End of the World. We will be back soon with more from Jhally.
Then Jon and I listen to a series of political ads, some local, others national, and one of the most famous in history, and assess them using the ‘cultural narrative’ approach. Thanks to Amy Elliott and Lizanne Webb for selecting ads, and Amy for choosing the segments from Advertising and the End of the World.
Thank you to our customers, subscribers and members and my clients, who make this program possible.
As mentioned elsewhere, I’ll be available much of tomorrow into the evening on my personal Facebook page. We’re also hosting a discussion on the Planet Waves main page.
Vote early and often!
With love,
Your Monthly Horoscopes — and our Publishing Schedule Notes
Your extended monthly horoscope for November was published on Thursday, Oct. 27. We published your extended monthly horoscope for October on Thursday, Sept. 22. We published the Moonshine horoscope for the Libra New Moon, by Len Wallick, on Thursday, Sept. 29. Your Moonshine horoscope for the Aries Full Moon was published Thursday, Oct. 13. Please note: we normally publish the extended monthly horoscope on the first Friday after the Sun has entered a new sign.
Aries (March 20-April 19) — Progress means change. Sometimes progress happens quickly, and that can be unsettling. Yet given your potential, it would seem that ‘settling’ is the last thing you want, in any sense of the word. You’re in the perfect position to take advantage of this restless, unpredictable moment. Circumstances that might work against other people are opportunities and resources for you. You have the ability to respond to new circumstances quickly, though you must keep an open mind and be willing to take the opinions of others on board. The keys to success are listening and conscious collaboration. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.
Taurus (April 19-May 20) — You must keep the lines of communication open in your relationships. It’s easy to pass this off or think that someone else should be responsible. Being intimidated is not an option. Claiming lack of experience does not help you, when experience is the very thing you’re seeking. Put any differences in age or maturity to work for you as an asset. You’re being called to serve as a facilitator of human connections, both in your personal life and your professional affairs. This is not something that just happens; it will take focus and mindfulness — and will be worth the effort. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.
Gemini (May 20-June 21) — All work is creative work. If for some reason you’re feeling bored or overwhelmed, bring more passion and soul into what you’re doing. You might be saving that for some perfect future scenario, yet it’s your own life-force energy that will get you from here to there. Your talent, vision and love are needed where you are, right now, even if you don’t always feel appreciated. Rise to the occasion of every circumstance in your life. Then take the chance to rise above and get some perspective. From there you will see that each seemingly small, loving gesture contributes to much greater progress. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) — When you look at a brilliant three-minute music video or clever one-page ad, remember that it took months of effort, and the talent of many people, to pull it together. Then consider your own development in the same light. To get the result you want, you will need to focus your resources, and blend artistic talent and passion with patience, persistence and elbow grease. The good news is that this combination of factors is especially potent now. Maintain your focus and you will actually accomplish something unusual. You’re most of the way there already. Keep going — nice and steady. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.
Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — Only you can allow yourself to be free. You don’t need anyone’s permission, nor will it be helpful. Your inner consent is on the emotional level, rather than as some idea or concept. For you, the line between free and un-free involves trusting yourself. You have no more important task or personal mission at this time in your life. You don’t need to be fearless, but rather know how to keep making decisions, and taking action, despite any anxiety you might feel. Hope is one thing, though you might remind yourself that there no guarantees. Life is far more exciting without them. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — You’ll feel better if you let your feelings out, rather than bottle them up. Recent months have come with one inner revelation after the next, and you’re learning to take a positive approach to who you are. You’re not the sum total of your self-critiques. You are, rather, someone on a mission, with many skills and talents, who must be willing to make mistakes to get anything done. Therefore, count any errors as a sign of progress. You can and must put everything to work for you, and be bold about asking for any help you need. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.
Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — You have many advantages going for you, and you may as well use them. Upcoming developments in your life will more than compensate for any struggles you’ve been through lately. If there is such a thing as luck, you have it on your side. Yet you need more than that. You must be the master of your own motivation, and take action based on what you know to be true. When you put your abundant knowledge and insight to work, you get solid results. You can trust what you’re feeling now, and what you feel inspired to do. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.
2016-17 Scorpio Birthday Reading
Illuminate the Year with Your Scorpio Reading
In less than a week, on Nov. 14, the Moon in Taurus will oppose the Sun in late Scorpio for a Full Moon. What will it show you?
That remains to be seen. But what you don’t have to wait for is the first two segments of your 2016-17 Scorpio Birthday Reading. Eric recorded the two audio segments last weekend — which means those portions are ready for instant access when you order the full reading for $24.97.
That price also includes a forthcoming video tarot reading for this next solar year. When the tarot reading publishes, the price will increase again, so don’t wait too long.
If you’re on the fence (or you’re new to Eric’s audio-video readings), you can listen to a short, complimentary audio preview here.
Note: Eric designs these readings to work for anyone with a Scorpio Sun, Moon or rising sign — and they make a beautiful, practical, inspirational gift — one that’s transformative in the best possible Scorpionic sense.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — You’ve made your way challenging ideas that others hold dear. You’ve also questioned many of your own beliefs, which has helped build your confidence. You no longer need to be in a comfort zone; you don’t need sacred cows or taboos. If something you choose is truly right for you, then those around you must accept that fact. This will help you grow and develop personally like few other things. If you’re direct, sincere and somewhat formal in your challenges of others, they’re likely to respond positively, especially if you show up with a workable plan of action. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — People or circumstances you thought could never work together will get you some unusual results. That could be some blend of old and young, serious and freewheeling, traditional and future-oriented. There’s some alchemy happening in your life, and it has nothing to do with what’s worked before. If something is unprecedented, that’s a sign of its potential success. There’s some powerful mojo working behind the scenes of your life, and it will reveal itself in these unusual blends of energy and people. You want to do something new, and that calls for new approaches to what may in truth be very old puzzles. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — Your sign has a dual reputation: one for being reserved and cautious on the one hand, and another for being bold and courageous. Lately, your confidence and self-assertiveness have surprised even you, and there’s no turning back from the path you’ve chosen. In life it’s necessary to push back against the world, and get people to move over and make room for you. As you do this, you’ll remind yourself that you actually exist, and that you have desires, and that you seek success and fulfillment. These things are made real in action, not in contemplation. Courage is a muscle — flex it. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — You’re having an impact. That much you can trust. It just may not be what you think it is, which includes the potential that you’re reaching further and wider than you imagined possible. You’re a person with a mission now, one that’s close to your heart. Therefore, let nothing stop you. You will do yourself a service by having total faith in what you’ve set out to accomplish. This may not be the easiest road to travel. You are finding out how thick people can be, though this is leading you to develop new ways of getting your message across. For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — This year has been about making real gains on the career front. You’ve set your mind to this task, you’re committed and you’re making progress. Yet as a great poet once wrote, “Without love in the dream, it will never come true.” You want your dreams to come true, so include the people you care about in your aspirations. Get their views, involve them, and honor your collaborators like the vital life partners that they are. There’s something special in the air, a sense of abundance that is activated through mutual agreement. Take as your motto, “Let’s do something brilliant, together.” For your Eric Francis horoscope this week, please see this link.
To Eric. How disappointed I am in you. Today you write this long email decrying Trump. And yet, you, with all your influence, through the whole campaign, said that neither were worthy of support. So now we have the evil one. Every thinking person knew not voting for her meant we got him. You could have made a difference. Instead you remained aloof in your all-knowingness. I quit Planet Waves.
Gee don’t you think that’s a little harsh – blaming me for the election outcome? With “all my influence”? Are you kidding? My job is not to throw the election one way or the other even if I could. To not lie in this election cycle meant keeping a balanced perspective.
I also don’t think you even read this letter; it’s not decrying Trump. It’s about 1) the balance of power being shifted and all three branches of government being in Republican hands; 2) How Clinton won the popular vote; and 3) the issue of consensus when there is a two party system and one group — in this case, the one in the minority — can dominate the other.
Jeannette – you clearly didn’t read Eric on his FB page – he was anything but aloof about Trump. And we’ve known all along that both candidates were pretty ghastly – the ghastlier one being Trump. But I know how painful this time is, and am worried myself – I lived through something similar when Berlusconi got in years ago (I’ve lived in Italy for the past 30 years).
Aloof? Seriously? I was not aloof anywhere. Most people who comment in this style have not read my work. I did not make an aloof statement about Trump. I’ve been on fire about him for a year.
I did not and could not officially endorse Hillary Clinton but Planet Waves does not endorse candidates anyway. This person has an issue that is not my issue.
Yes – you were not aloof about Trump on PW, either.
Where I am a bit aloof is in this article — about Trump. I’m not decrying him at all. I am decrying other issues, however. This whole process has been one truly strange experiment in perception.
Now we get to deal with all the Trumpeters as more and more is revealed about Trump. I commented on Facebook about the now-revealed Russian connection and the security issues this causes (note, could not find that in the New York Times tonight). And someone said, well, he went to Mexico too!
MEXICO?
I have read the 42 comments here (at this moment in time), beginning with this one, illustrating frustration, pain, and desire to have been lead. Jeannette, I know you hurt but Eric wasn’t aloof and certainly no one, including Eric was prescient and how could he, or anyone be? No one can see into the future. He gave you information but left you to decide. I have looked back at previous writings on PW and other websites to see what may have been foreshadowed that perhaps I missed. For if truth-be-told, I wonder what I may have done differently to be more at arms in my attempt to have stopped this travesty, Maybe that is how you feel Jeannette?
We can examine the past but honestly, unless we learn from it, there is no other reason to go there. I can’t help but think that we have to go through this era in order to get to the next step which is to completely overhaul our political system: the duopoly that tends to control our federal and state governments. We need to drive towards more common ground in America. and if we need even more impetus than DT than we now have Bannon’s appointment because that man, along with Mike Pence, need to grab Trump’s coat tails and rapidly exit the Whitehouse. So what I am driving at is if we look back, we need to own what we did, and looking ahead, we need to figure out how to keep Trump accountable and drive him from the Whitehouse as a quick fix and consider how to modify the duopoly as the longterm issue that must finally be addressed.
Wow Eric, when you described Mike Pence my first thought was “Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee’ in office together!
Two Gemini’s who have multiple personalities and don’t which one they are from moment to moment; we do indeed live in interesting times.
Very much look forward to reading this piece, as soon as I have time.
Jeannette ( if you’re still here ),you sound emotional and in need of a big hug .Not surprising in times such as these .I am curious what ‘aloof ‘means to you … possibly less emotionally invested than you would like ?
Beware the knee jerk reaction,that we’re all in danger of firing, if we don’t get a grip .
Emotions are riding high. But still we get to choose. Love or Fear ?
And that responsibility is ours alone. No-One can do that for Us.
If we take that simple fact seriously to heart, we can ALL make a difference here.
Emotions are certainly running very high right now. The consequences that we face from the outcome are serious and deeply concerning.
If I’m being honest, I too, was often disappointed by much of the false equivalencies between HRC and DT that were projected over the course of this campaign – by many sources, including broadcast news.
The deterioration of broadcast news, as a ‘public service’ and not a profit empire is, I think, why we have found ourselves lost in the confusion of what we can believe and not. After all, most of what is reported has little to do with any context of unbiased information. There always seems to be a slant, or hidden agenda, or an attempt to falsely compare just for the sake of ‘seeming’ unbiased or fair.
Having said that, I personally did not rely on any of that in my decision to vote for HRC. In my opinion, her opponents words and actions alone told me everything I needed to know about who, and what he is and stands for. For me, there was no comparison.
The hateful words, actions and messages towards every other demographic of our society, other than white males, was crystal clear in my mind. And for the failure, by the media, other politicians and an overwhelming percent of our general population to not reject this type of rhetoric outright was/is beyond disturbing.
President Obama has said repeatedly throughout this ugly and divisive campaign, (paraphrasing) that this election is about who we choose to be as a nation – what we stand for…
Sadly, many have come to the conclusion that DT is who we are.
Do we then just let hate continue to win? NO! We don’t. Love is the mission… let’s get busy.
I think the notion that “DT is who we are” is a massive oversimplification. The system is broken. Four more years of democratic rule would just have prolonged the inevitable — neoliberalism Is wrecking people’s lives and our environment, and people’s ability to think critically is at an all time low. DT as president is a horrifying outcome. But he is just a representation of the deeper problems that are now being treated with our typical collective binary attitude: is vs them, good vs evil, republican evil vs democrat evil. I think these oversimplifications allow us to miss deeper truths that are still being revealed.
Yes – ” massive oversimplification” this is true… “a representation of deeper problems” also true… “the system is broken” no doubt —– And, it has been for decades.
But so is the way we share and receive the information to understand it and then form our opinions about it – to “think critically” within an environment that is, by design, often void of real facts or truth, shielded by agenda and consumed with entertainment value.
This isn’t by mistake, in my opinion.
We’ve been very well trained to seek out a narrative that FITS our oversimplifications of what goes on around us. And there are more than enough out there, to keep us locked into a position that will allow us to get back to our busy, us vs. them lives.
I don’t believe we have a government served by representatives to express the will of it’s people. We have representation of a two party system that have carefully constructed narratives for which both sides of it’s people are suppose to fit in to…(us vs. them).
Facts and truth seem to be lost within the confines of these narratives… each side having their own, and neither able or willing to admit it.
Collectively we’ve bought into it… and have settled for their illusion of truths.
Yes. I agree.
Or thing I’ve been working with is that split between collectively buying in and individually not… which… we’ll, it’s something I’m working with.
Apparently it’s too early for my thinking to be working but won’t have a chance to reply again for a while.
Great pieces, Eric. Very worrying about Pence (and you’ve been saying this all along).
Interesting interview with journalist John Pilger here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1Ho8OrBzig
Thank you, Lizzy, and YES to the very sane, extremely knowledgable Mr Pilger: I’ve already sent this link to some American friends to provide a bit of broader perspective to ballast against the whirlwind; how wonderful that you should send it too. And he has no blinkers about Mrs Clinton.
I was also sent this, this morning:
http://carolynbaker.net/2016/11/09/now-can-we-talk-about-the-end-of-business-as-usual-by-carolyn-baker/
It’s a pretty challenging article and calls us all out to face the shadow: but as usual with Carolyn Baker, it’s inspiring.
Thanks for the article, Susie! (haven’t had a chance to read it yet). Here’s another one a friend just posted for me on my FB page:
https://ricochet.media/en/1528/the-seeds-of-trump-were-planted-by-the-centre-left
Thank you for posting this article, it is very good and thought-provoking in many ways. We have a lot of work to do but that is living isn’t it? No soul ever said that the path would be easy but the rewards of living can be rich and rewarding when we come from a space of inner awareness. It can’t help but manifest in our outer choices and expressions and afford us an opportunity towards peaceful living.
I think it’s important to note that Clinton did not win a majority of the popular vote. To do that, she would have had to get over 50% of the total votes cast, and she did not. She received slightly more votes than any other candidate did, but did not reach 50%; that is called a plurality.
When we reform the electoral process and consider doing away with the Electoral College, I believe we need to keep this in mind. Are we going to give the presidency to someone who wins only by plurality? Or are we going to require them to win a majority? If no candidate reaches +50%, a run-off between the top two would be required. Or, in lieu of runoffs, we could do what the state of Maine just did (as a result of the LePage fiasco), and adopt a Ranked Choice Voting system for federal elections.
In any event, this shows why we really, really need to get beyond this duopoly (Repubs vs Dems, and no other viable party allowed) that has a stranglehold on our political system.
Just another of many things to ponder during this fertile, chaotic time.
Mexico…..this is a “gem” to be added to the pile:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/09/08/donald-trumps-thoroughly-strange-claim-about-his-mexico-visit/
We’re all hurting, and divided. I think it’s a time for boundaries around our core values, but keeping in mind the Buddhist idea of our center dissolving with each out breath. It helps keep us psychologically limber, and adaptable, but maintain our integrity as individuals. I will not get behind Trump, personally, and I need to find ways to be an activist everyday I can. That’s not to say I will let all these negative emotions I’m currently feeling settle into my mind, or body. They have to stay moving.
I agree w/Jeanette, with all of your wisdom, your insight, your gifts, you did not pare the issues down to their core…yes, Hillary has more baggage than American Airlines, but she is experienced and qualified. And despite whatever foolishness and avarice she has exhibited, she cares about this nation. And it is clear that Donald Trump represents a significant, if not great, risk and threat not only to our society, but to women, and to our democracy. And this…threatens our nation and our security around the world.
“Hold your nose and vote people!” perhaps could have been your declaration. That’s what leaders do, even when it is…abhorrent to do so. To clumsily & humbly re-paraphrase, “with great gifts, comes great responsibility.”
As I have written before here, sometimes…that’s what responsible adults, must do. Sometimes, hard as it is to accept…your emotions, your beliefs, how you feel…is truly subordinate to practical, tangible concerns of safety, security, and well-being for the whole of us.
We are physical beings, in a physical world, in a physical reality. And sometimes, no pun intended…that physical, tangible “reality” trumps all.
This is what my daughter and I did in “response,” not reaction, to this week…
White Scarf Women
The Tibetans give the gift of a white scarf, a khata,
as a sign of friendship. The scarf symbolizes a wish
to “serve” the friend from a place of wisdom, goodwill,
and compassion.
The purpose of White Scarf Women is to create a
community of women* united in our shared respect,
acceptance and value of one another, regardless of who
we voted for, our differing political or social viewpoints,
or where we live in the world.
The white scarf symbolizes our intention – our conscious
choice – to honor, accept, and respect one another as
women, and to wield our power in the world with wisdom,
goodwill and compassion.
My daughter Audrey and I hope you will become a part
of White Scarf Women simply by purchasing a white
scarf wherever convenient and affordable for you. Wear
your scarf every day to let the world know that we as
women are united in respect, acceptance, and genuine
value of one another.
Please pass this idea on to friends, family & Facebook.
(To connect & create more White Scarf Women projects:
agdellas@gmail.com or kelly@kellygracesmith.com )
*Men too, can choose to wear the white scarf to honor women.
I think you and Jeannette are both attributing a level of influence to Eric and Planet Waves that simply does not exist. It isn’t Eric’s job to lie by omission, which is essentially what doing this would have meant. To portray Hillary as a saint because Trump is a villain would IMO have been dangerous oversimplification.
There are many, many things wrong with the political system itself (of which the Clintons are each a part) – and it’s this system that allowed the orange horror to be elected. In pretty much any other Western country he’d have been laughed out of the candidacy. To deny all this is to insult your own intelligence. Eric’s commentary has been thorough, sincere and informative; that’s what he’s here to do.
I do like the idea of the white scarf initiative. Something similar happened in the UK after Brexit: people have been wearing safety pins as a gesture of solidarity with refugees, other immigrants and anyone else who might suffer from the consequences of racism triumphing at the polls.
“Hillary has more baggage than American Airlines, but she is experienced and qualified. And despite whatever foolishness and avarice she has exhibited, she cares about this nation. ” I really recommend watching the John Pilger interview I posted, Kelly Grace Smith. I find the idea of Trump abhorrent – and am deeply worried about him, Pence and the Republican majority – but it’s necessary to see what Clinton and her cronies were up to, too.
As Amy says, “There are many, many things wrong with the political system itself (of which the Clintons are each a part) – and it’s this system that allowed the orange horror to be elected. In pretty much any other Western country he’d have been laughed out of the candidacy.” But unfortunately, we had our own Trump in Italy, too – so I know well what so many of you are experiencing right now.
It’s not that I don’t see and know who Hillary is. And the practical, tangible reality was…choose Hillary or Trump. Sometimes we have to allow ourselves, work with ourselves, to get to the stark reality and choose. Toascertain…what truly matters.
We can argue forever about Hillary’s failings and Trumps. What is the point of that…really?
We had a clear choice. The reality is Trump won. Now we can work with and from that…
People before the election and now, are having a very tough time…accepting the realities: of the election outcome, of where our country is, of women’s votes.
That’s because the internet, among other things I mention in a comment below – money, media,marketing, technology, and pseudo-spirituality – has impeded our ability to discern reality from illusion…there’s work to do to get us to be able to separate from all that “consciousness clutter” every day…
So, now we have a very large wake-up call, a profound opportunity to do so…White Scarf Women is one way to do so & to tweak your consciousness, and that of others, both men and women, every day.
Here’s the thing, here’s the point of power if you choose to use is…the truth has arrived. The reality of our society is right here. The other shoe has droped. What was hidden is now fully exposed to the light of day. Now, let’s do the work that needs to be done!
Kelly Grace Smith
The last few days have left me feeling like I’m treading water in a whirlpool. While I am parsing out my own thoughts and emotions, I am also listening to friends, who are enraged by the election results. Last night, I listened to a close friend declare that every single person who voted for Trump must be a “bad person” and that his presidency proves there is “no hope for this country or the human race.”
I know, without a doubt, there are dark, dark days ahead. And I have awful traumas in my past that were triggered this election. But these last few days have challenged me to examine whether or not I actually believe Love, Compassion and Kindess are the way forward… It turns out I actually do.
I signed up to volunteer for a Veterans event tomorrow, and I’m volunteering for Thanksgiving. It struck me being active in my community and connecting with people I don’t know might help spread some love. I set up an altar to light a candle and say a prayer each time I read something awful in the news. I’m keeping up with my daily workouts because who knows when I’ll be called to be a source of strength to my community, and the world at large? And then I cry when I need to cry.
There has to be a better way forward and I’m going to keep looking for it…
As a side note – ERIC, YOU ROCK! I don’t always agree with you, and once or twice your opinions may have irritated me, but you always make me think! And I love you for that. There is no other person in my life who has inspired me to question, and listen, and question again, more than you. So thanks. I’ll be keeping my subscription.
Those are deep insights, Allison. I’m moved. I’m also questioning whether I can stick with the notion that love is the way forward. Thinking about how to make it active and practical. What I’ve come to at this point is a very sober acknowledgment that as in times past, the lovers might get trampled on, pushed down or worse. But… my faith stays firm, even as I’m exhausted thinking about what’s to come. Thank you so much for the reminder and inspiration to keep my body healthy. I’m struggling with that part now and have given myself through the weekend to just be where I’m at… but then… back to work.
“Thinking about how to make it active and practical.” I love that Amanda. I’m going to use it as a guide for when I’m feeling discouraged. And I have definitely experienced a lot of fear around being a lover, but at this point I feel like…What else can I do but be myself? And it’s totally scary, especially now.
Speaking of active and practical, my dad and I went to the batting cages yesterday. I highly recommend it. Whacking at something as hard as I could felt amazing. I’ll probably have to make that a weekly thing…
Yes… thank you Eric…could not have made it thru this …Dude wheres my country!!!
I will be keeping my subscription, Mcghee
So I was browsing the archives and I came across these two pieces, which I think are relevant: This Hot Mess, and Anger and Desire. Both are from the autumn of 2014, when we had the midterms. Eric’s comments on politics are incredibly illuminating. This is from the former:
Inspired by Alison’s lovely comment, I remembered that when I find myself in times of trouble, I often reread this wonderful piece on dealing with difficult emotions by a wonderful Buddhist monk and teacher. Though one doesn’t need to follow Buddhism to appreciate its immense wisdom and compassion. Much love and hugs to you all of you who are hurting right now:
https://buddhismnow.com/2011/02/12/liberating-emotions-by-ajahn-sumedho/
Liz xxxx
Thank you Lizzy. That was great piece and I’m going to pass it along to friends and family.
You’re welcome Alison! I’m so pleased!!
Hey Eric,
I would propose that this election is also fallout from the Pluto-Uranus square. Just like the conjunction of the 60’s took years to play out, the opening square is still unfolding, with a side dish of Eris conducting Uranus.
The numbers are fascinating:
• Hillary got more votes than Trump.
• Trump got fewer votes than either Romney or McCain.
• Hillary got far fewer votes than Obama, in both his victories.
• About 112 million eligible voters did not cast a ballot in the presidential election, meaning Trump not only came in second, but he only received about 25% of the possible total vote.
There is a much bigger picture here, and none of it is simple.
I grew up in NY, and have known of the ‘schmendrick’ from Queens for years. What is fascinating to me is how rural America always falls for the huckster from the Carnival, the snake-oil salesman. Already the news tells us that Trump is backpedaling on his campaign promises. This story ain’t over yet, it’s only just begun.
I agree with you, chief newt’s son. Eris may be the trigger but the impetus for this election result comes from the Uranus-Pluto square which will not expire until 2017. This has been the first challenge to the Uranus-Pluto conjunction in 1967 which politicised the concept of racial equality, female equality, gay equality, earth consciousness, healthy food, etc. The establishment didn’t like it, but we didn’t expect them to, did we? How they going to keep control, how they going to make a fat bankroll?
Trump’s election assertions were anti-immigrant, anti-abortion, anti-gay, anti-global warming. It was necessary that our proposals should be challenged, and it is inevitable that his suggestions are rejected. Already he has started to back-track; Gemini reminds me of the value of being two-faced. You see both sides of an argument but must choose the winning side in order to survive. Trump is nothing if not a survivor.
It will be interesting when, in 2048, Uranus opposes Pluto. Then the real battle that began in 1967 will be fought. I believe that we all know the result. Our side will be victorious. The Age of Aquarius is about brotherhood, the planet we all live on, and how to continue doing so. We shall overcome.
Keep the faith or, as some of my friends say, vape the keef.
Interestingly, of course, at that time in the middle of 2048, Neptune will be at 22 Taurus where today’s Full Moon was exact.
It’s all an illusion.
Also at that same time, mid-2048, Pluto will be at 9 Pisces where Neptune is today. Does this indicate that at some level there is a degree of reality in all illusion just as there remains the possibility of some degree of illusion in all reality?
By then, Uranus will be close to completion of its journey around the zodiac from its position when conjunct Pluto in Virgo in 1965. Pluto, however, at 9 Pisces, will only be slightly less than half-way through this circuit.
I would suggest this might indicate that the Aquarian aspects of this transformation will have been absorbed by mid-2048 but that Pluto might still have work to do making adjustments to the transition from the Great Age of Pisces to that of Aquarius.
It will also be the 200th anniversary of the European revolutions of 1848, so commemorative astrological internet memes might be needed!
Thanks for your great comment dear Geoff (and Chief Niwot’s Son). Yes – I have a feeling that much good will come from these challenging times – and that it’s also a wake up call from the slumber of complacency. Though am chilled to the bone by the appointment of Bannon.
My apologies for the mis-spelling of your name, chief niwot’s son. I was too intent on following your style and not putting upper-case letters in your name to notice the spell-checker’s “correction”. Too useful to turn off, this device can be a damned nuisance when, in circumstances other than this one, word-play is intended. Please accept my sincere regrets.
I would never portray Hillary as a Saint, I favored Biden to run or Elizabeth Warren. But to be unwilling to recognize the stark, practical, tangible reality of a choice between Trump and Hillary…is precisely why we have a President-elect Trump.
Being willing, and capable, of setting aside our emotions, our intellectual arguments, our political preferences, and at times even our spiritual perspectives in the face of “a clear and present danger,” is what emotionally mature adults need to be capable of doing…especially in our world right in this moment.
Eric has often advocated for therapy, coaching, qualified assistance. Now more than ever we must be able to separate ourselves from the “mass consciousness” and re-learn how to discern truth from illusion.
Media, marketing, money, technology, pseudo-spirituality…we’re inundated by these illusion creating energies every day. All this is separating us from our Self, impeding our “real” relationships, (not to mention our sexuality and creativity!) and de-sensitizing our inner humanity. I have been writing about this since 2010! Now more than ever we must re-develop our ability to discern truth from illusion, reclaim our Self, and learn to mind, manage and guide our emotions in the world.,
I would never expect Eric to advocate for Hillary or any other candidate…however, as I stated last night, parsing the arguments, revealing the layers, and calling out the realities…do I expect that? No, I don’t come to PW with “expectations,” Eric is not my guru. I don’t in fact, “believe” in gurus or “following.” However, based on Eric’s gifts and intelligence, I am surprised by the absence of a “reality check” perspective.
Gurus and following are what is created in a society in which people will not – or cannot – assert their separate identities, comfortably separate each day from the mass consciousness, and think and act in alignment with their true Self. “Back in the day” there was…God. Now, we have money gurus and healing gurus and Oprah gurus and even political gurus…
The absence of “belief” in our own Self – and whomever or whatever “Gid” is for you – in our society, is now being played out as “belief” in gurus of all kinds, and a wave of “following.”
Donald Trump is a modern-day Guru. And he clearly has his followers. What will we do? React…or respond?
Kelly Grace Smith
“However, based on Eric’s gifts and intelligence, I am surprised by the absence of a ‘reality check’ perspective.”
You sound like yet another reader who critiques me without reading my writing on the topic, or even scanning the table of contents. Or even the article we’re supposedly discussing. That’s a laughable statement, given the relentless series of reality check pieces I’ve written (and broadcast projects) just in the past six weeks, and published everywhere, and have going back to the beginning of the year. Scroll up, for example.
Additionally, Trump lost what we call the “popular vote,” which means THE VOTE. He would take office on a technicality. As part of that technicality, the electors (they exist, and play under complex rules) meet on Dec. 19.
Even assuming they endorse Trump and hand him their electoral votes, Trump did not win in the moral sense. He and Pence and all who are coming along know damned well that most voters did not want them; and that the very elitism they railed against is what will hand them the power.
Yet this places them into office with a bona fide moral issue: tension between them and the population, and all the “winners” (Trump voters) taking this as some kind of victory of conscience over the “losers” (Clinton voters and other so-called liberals).
Had Trump and Pence won by a single vote that might be true. In fact they lost by about 300,000 votes. That is close — but it’s not even a plurality.
There’s a problem if this is not widely acknowledged, and they are never allowed to forget; the problem is that they owe us nothing because they got something that they do not morally deserve. The last time that happened, and was not resisted, we had people jumping out of the World Trade Center 11 months later, right before it fell down, and the wars started have not ended.
Eric, I have read you every day for 10 years…I commented to you as one “outside the box thought leader” to another, one spiritual seeker and menor to another. You and I have even exchanged ideas and emails in the past…
If this is the reaction to my comments, that they are “laughable,” then perhaps Planet Waves is not the place for genuine exchange, when I disagree with the publisher.
You’re comments go low Eric, so I’ll go high…take good care.
Kelly Grace Smith
Where I got exasperated with you is your lack of affirmation of the moral crisis that we have been through as journalists as this has gone on. I am the publisher and I get a lot of people into the conversation. I struggle, I focus my effort and I work with team, to do the right thing…imparted with the right feeling.
None of us are coming from a place of authority. We are people trying to figure this out, as you are, with much else on our minds. Given that, I don’t like to be evaluated like a pizza, which is how I felt.
Thanks for this article. I’ll need to re-read it later. I haven’t slept much all week. I’ve tried. I can’t. I’m working through the grief cycle. I’m in planning mode, sifting through my OWS memories and considering mistakes made, successes, joys, and how to carry the lessons forward. I’m trying to keep my heart open because I know courage will be my greatest ally for the foreseeable future and it’s so easy to deaden the heart out of fear and self-protection. I have genuine questions about the Russian influence in this election and politically, going forward. As a Capricorn, I know I’m called to play a specific leadership role in my community. I don’t know what that is yet. I’ve appreciated this article from NY Review of Books: http://www2.nybooks.com/daily/s3/nov/10/trump-election-autocracy-rules-for-survival.html if you haven’t read it already, might be worth your time.
ok, time for an internet break. I’ll be back.
Much love, Sally. Keeping your heart open is indeed a courageous act. I don’t know how easy it would be for me to do the same.
Thanks, Amy <3
A voice of truth emerged for me over the weekend: https://twitter.com/sarahkendzior she got her phd researching authoritarian states and is now an independent writer. Between her, pw, and some other voices, I still have news sources I trust. Thank you for persisting Planet Waves! Resist normalization, don't let fear paralyze, speak your truth. I will do the same locally.