The political landscape is frightening. Photo by Eric Francis.
Dear Friend and Reader:
Today is Election Day in the United States, what is called a midterm election — that is, a non-presidential year. I am reading that this campaign cycle broke all records for spending in a midterm, thanks mainly to the Citizens’ United decision of 2010. Just about everyone is reporting that Republicans are confident they are going to take over the Senate and gain seats in the House of Representatives.
That is astonishing. It can happen for two reasons — Americans have political amnesia, and Americans tend to vote against rather than vote for.
Alice Stokes Paul (1885-1977) as she looked c. 1901. With Crystal Eastman, she was co-author of the unratified Equal Rights Amendment.
I have become a one-issue voter: who controls the uterus. Though I usually take a more complex view of the world and of politics, this is my perspective. To me there is no issue more important that is worth voting about.
Neither Democrats nor Republicans will put Wall Street criminals into jail, so far as we’ve seen. All those people seem to be addicted to starting wars. It seems impossible to differentiate most federal elected officials on these issues.
My personal value is to be extremely careful where pregnancy is a possible outcome of sex. I would probably never be involved in an abortion and never have been. Yet I cringe at the idea that anyone would want not only to ban the right to abortion, but also to ban sex education and birth control that might make pregnancy itself a choice. That is the insane mashup we are dealing with.
Does anyone remember the Equal Rights Amendment? This was a proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The text was written in 1923 by two women, Alice Paul and Crystal Eastman. The last ratification deadline passed in June 1982. The text read simply, “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” You might think that such language would be seen for its practical value, and accepted on common sense grounds.
For a number of reasons, particularly a smear campaign waged by conservative women fighting for “family values,” the amendment did not get through the states, and was never ratified. It is now an artifact in the Museum of Gender History. All we have left on the constitutional level is the right of women to control their bodies — what you might think of as the ultimate property right. And over the past few months, hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent to deny that basic autonomy.
So, I am a one-issue voter. I like my congressman. He’s a friendly, helpful guy — and he’s repeatedly voted to defund Planned Parenthood. That one issue will determine my vote.
The astrology this week is about anger and change. Mars in Capricorn is about to make a conjunction to Pluto and a square to Uranus — yet another activation of the Uranus-Pluto square. This is firing up the deconstruction process indicated by Pluto in Capricorn, and Mars square Uranus illustrates fiery, militant rage — not usually the kind that gets positive results.
Keith Olbermann, then on MSNBC, explains the impact of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision in a scathing special comment. Olbermann has a gift for making the issue clear, and letting you know how important it is.
What we’ve been seeing in the political spheres with the Uranus-Pluto square is that it’s mainly inflamed the Anti-Sixties crowd, the political forces that want to roll back everything ever accomplished by a Democratic president (and by Teddy Roosevelt, Abe Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson for good measure — you can never be too careful).
This has been a real astrology lesson, I’ll tell you that. We have a lot of new information for the Uranus-Pluto files. The thing to remember is that the Uranus-Pluto square is far from over. It has its last two contacts out of seven yet to come (the last is in March) and the separating phase will reveal plenty.
Here is a fast roundup of what is available for you today on Planet Waves. First, we have the Moonshine horoscope by Len Wallick. That covers Thursday’s Taurus Full Moon. Next we have a special edition of Planet Waves FM, from my recent appearance on Beyond the Ordinary Show, hosted by John Burgos.
Today I will be a guest on the Inner Awakenings show with Sue Fellows. You may listen live by following these instructions, and listen later on Planet Waves FM.
I plan to have the Scorpio birthday reading available by Wednesday. And please check your inbox Friday for the first (and best price) offer for Cosmophilia: You Belong Here, the 2015 annual edition of Planet Waves, containing your audio and written readings for the new year.
Thanks for tuning in.
Lovingly,
Planet Waves (ISSN 1933-9135) is published each Tuesday morning and Thursday afternoon in Kingston, New York by Planet Waves, Inc. Annual basic subscription rate: $99/year. Core community membership: $199/year. Editor and Publisher: Eric Francis Coppolino. Business Manager: Chelsea Bottinelli. Web Developer: Anatoly Ryzhenko. Astrology Editor: Amanda Painter. Copy Editor: Jessica Keet. Research, Writing and Editing: Planet Waves is produced by a team consisting of Fe Bongolan, Brendan Merritt, Amy Elliott, Judith Gayle, Kelly Janes, Amanda Moreno, Casey Smith, Carol van Strum, Len Wallick, Lizanne Webb and Chad Woodward.
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Eric: Thank you for an excellent synopsis of this election. Special thanks for reviving focus on the Equal Rights Amendment in such a straightforward way at such an appropriate time. You are at least the equal of Mr. Olberman or any other political analyst. Unlike most political fodder, this piece of yours will stand the test of time as serve as a touchstone in US politics for many years, regardless of how these mid-term elections transpire.
Thank you! I am one woman who appreciates your vote!
Crazily, we are actually voting on an equal rights amendment in Oregon! I will be in a bit of shock if it doesn’t pass. Thanks for the history.
After these past weeks, I see I need to develop a speech about why voting matters. It’s so intrinsic to my belief system that it’s difficult for me to articulate. At first I was surprised that the 20 somethings around here aren’t motivated by the prospect of marijuana legalization, but I came to realize that they don’t care because they don’t think it affects them. They will still smoke it or not smoke it whether or not it is legal.
I’m someone who believes laws matter because they affect our lives. Not everyone sees that the way I do. Even if they seem antiquated and like they would never be used, they can be, like anti-sodomy laws, for instance.
Seattle had a great approach: “Pot is illegal but it’s the last law we enforce” (and there are a lot of laws). Now it’s legal. Get all the minor offenders out of jail as well. We don’t need to be spending billions imprisoning people for a joint.
The only problem with legalization is that it drives the price per pound down to below what is really profitable for truly organic growing, which is neither cheap nor easy. And growers will now have to pay taxes, but that is part of the whole point.
In exchange for all those taxes, let all those “stop and frisk” people free.
Here in Colorado fully organic growers are doing quite nicely, even at $125 oz. If it could be grown outdoors then much of the cost (lighting) would go down, although new LED grow lights are making swift in-roads and are cutting costs dramatically. The reason ganja is so expensive in most places is it’s legal status, period.
btw- now that the prices are sinking the tax revenues are shrinking.
Good luck to you all. Here’s hoping for a surprise success for non-Tea Party, non-wingnut, genuine politicians who will protect women’s rights.
Thank you, Eric. I was one of millions of sisters who sought to get the ERA passed between 1973 and 1982. How crazy is it that people want government “out of my life” but think it’s appropriate for government to be in my uterus. Me, I’m a (labor union and ) working families advocate but deep down, this issue never ceases to raise my blood pressure. I can’t believe we’re still fighting for the right to own and control our bodies…
Giant steps backwards happened here in Arizona yesterday. The Republicans won all state-wide offices, and thus ensured that the state government will remain out of touch with reality and woefully unprepared for the 20th Century (sic).
So far, in the Congressional races, 5 of 6 Democrats won, with the 6th one (mine, in fact) hanging in the balance as of this morning. A ballot counting machine in my county broke down part way through, and the ballots now have to be taken to a nearby county for voting as they have the same machine. Incompetence rules!
Equal rights? Certainly a desirable goal, but this state is looking at having it’s currently equitable legislative districts overturned in favor of extremely gerrymandered ones that favor the R’s. Guess which party controls both houses? We’re still working on equal voting rights here…and maintaining women’s rights will be front and center for quite a while. I expect more legislation to restrict reproductive rights to be submitted immediately in January, as well as further “papers please” measures.
A bummer of a day for me: not just the political news but unfortunate happenings to the family of a student as well, which will not make today easy at all.
This time around the change was all bad…
Reader comment:
Hi W
Thanks for your comment, which was forwarded to me.
Briefly, who is actually in favor of abortion? I am looking past the rhetoric, to the intent. If you oppose late term abortion, that is in line with what the Court held in Roe — an absolute right in the first three months. Who actually favors cutting up a fetus? It’s a horrifying notion, unless there is a serious threat to the mother’s life.
I am objecting to the stated combination of opposition to all abortion even in the case of rape and incest, combined with opposition to birth control and pushing abstinence only indoctrination on kids. It is that MIX I object to, a dangerous mix, not the mere desire to rip down Roe, which is long-settled case law.
Yes there are many other issues. What I am saying is that there are not so many where there is a difference that can be made by politicians. For example, nobody in public life seems to be against dioxin, war, video games depicting murder in the hands of kids, etc.
I am registered as a conservative.
For me, that means honoring laws and a government that leave people to live their lives, as long as they live in a way that does not harm others. Like many people who actually make a living, I pay 30% of my salary to the IRS and state income tax. I might be happy to pay, if I got something besides the duty to pay a toll on a federal highway that my grandfather already paid for.
ef