When a cancer begins to grow somewhere in a person’s body, initially it is easy to think it is a pulled muscle or an upset stomach or some other minor ailment. But after a while, hopefully a short while, denial becomes impossible and correct diagnosis with appropriate treatment must begin. If not, the malevolent cancer will stealthily, but persistently, spread and parasitically devour more and more of the health of the organism.
The avoidance of truth handicaps a person from effectively dealing with events, just as a wrong or ignored diagnosis leads to ineffective treatment in an illness. The false justification used for the Iraq War provides a recent example. Remember the mushroom cloud and the thousand tons of sarin gas? Remember the yellow cake from Africa and the aluminum tubes? Well-hidden underneath all the frightening rhetoric, of course, was a neoconservative plan for American global hegemony and the desire for greater control of the oil-rich Middle East. Had we known what the war-mongers really intended, had we known that there was no imminent threat to America, there would have been no war. But we were handicapped by the misinformation campaign, always directed to look in the wrong direction, while our fate was sealed in a deadly and seemingly endless quagmire which is now hemorrhaging the strength of the nation.
At present, the battle over the Senate filibuster is also being described as everything other than what it really is. According to Republicans, the filibuster battle is an issue of “fairness”. They argue that it is “unfair” not to allow an up-or-down vote on Bush’s judicial nominees, conveniently forgetting all of the Clinton nominees they buried without a vote. The Democrats are a little closer to the crux of the matter when they say that they want to protect individual rights which would become increasingly difficult with so many “out-of the-mainstream” radical conservatives on the bench. Their concerns about the GOP steamrolling the rights of a sizable minority and the weakening of the Senate’s ability to counterbalance an overreaching executive branch are also quite valid. But this is not the whole picture. The underlying truth of what is happening is really far more frightening and considerably more dangerous.
At present, the right wing of the Republican Party is composed of radical Christian fundamentalists allied with corporate financial power. Together, they maintain a stranglehold over the Republican Party which itself controls the executive and legislative branches of the US government. Radical Christians have worked long and hard to penetrate the leadership of both the GOP and the US government and have been inordinately successful. As has often been stated by their leadership throughout the years, their goal is to reconnect America with its “Christian roots” and to clearly establish this country as a “Christian nation”.
Known as Dominionism, this radical fringe of Christianity has gained control of the Evangelical and Pentecostal movements in the United States, as well as some influence among more extreme Catholics. Its mission is no less than the total takeover of the country, replacing the freedoms described by our Constitution and the separation of church and state with an imperative to live life in accordance with their vision of a Christian world. No longer would individual rights be sacrosanct. Instead, individual choices would be superceded by the dictates of ideology, severely curtailing personal decisions about birth control, end-of-life decisions, sexual identity, choice of entertainment, education, etc. Moreover, the primacy of science, which is the cornerstone of our advanced civilization and most technological innovation, would be eroded by a faith-based belief system that disdains the careful scrutiny of facts. On the global front, America’s role would be to prepare the way for the Apocalypse and the ultimate return of Jesus to Earth.
Here is how Chris Hedges describes the Dominionist vision in a recent article in Harpers Magazine, as quoted in a Buzzflash editorial:
"Under Christian dominion, America will no longer be a sinful and fallen nation but one in which the Ten Commandments form the basis of our legal system, Creationism and "Christian values" form the basis of our educational system, and the media and the government proclaim the Good News to one and all. Aside from its proselytizing mandate, the federal government will be reduced to the protection of property rights and "homeland" security. Some Dominionists (not all of whom accept the label, at least not publicly) would further require all citizens to pay "tithes" to church organizations empowered by the government to run our social-welfare agencies, and a number of influential figures advocate the death penalty for a host of "moral crimes," including apostasy, blasphemy, sodomy, and witchcraft. The only legitimate voices in this state will be Christian. All others will be silenced."
And this is an America where people like you and me have no place. And you don't have to take my word for it, turn on Christian broadcasting, listen to Christian radio. Listen to what they say about people like us. It's not a matter that we have an opinion they disagree with. It's not a matter of them de-legitimizing us, which they are. It's a matter of them demonizing us, of talking us -- describing us as militant secular humanists, moral relativists, both of which terms I would not use to describe myself, as a kind of counter-militant ideology that is anti-Christian and that is essentially propelled by Satan that they must destroy.
We can already see the struggle for the survival of democracy as we have known it emerging in many areas. The Terri Schiavo case was an example of right-wing politicians attempting to coerce the courts to intervene in a family battle over end-of-life questions. The Kansas Board of Education is currently attempting to change the definition of science in textbooks and introduce intelligent design theories to replace evolution in the curriculum. Right-wing ideologues have recently taken over the Corporation of Public Broadcasting and are pushing for programming that supports only Republican positions. Battles are emerging between the courts and Republican legislatures over same-sex marriage. In some churches, gay Catholics and their supporters are being denied communion. One church even excommunicated any of its members who voted for John Kerry. At the moment, a bill actually stands before Congress that would allow pastors to recommend political candidates, hitherto forbidden without the loss of tax-exempt status. And contrary to all precedent, Bush is channeling more and more federal money into proselytizing evangelical churches for social programs while he cuts it for secular anti-poverty aid. Even foreign policy is not immune from the grasp of Dominionism, with its fundamentalist vision of American world domination leading the way to prepare for Jesus’ return. In fact, our current failed Iraqi adventure, which ignored the cold, hard facts on the ground from the outset, was birthed by an evangelical president that “was told by God” to invade rather than seek a wide array of expert opinions and options.
The rapidly escalating battle over the future of the filibuster now taking place in the Senate must be understood in this larger context: as a major assault by the Radical Right in its push toward the goal of a Christian nation. The one area of the federal government that is not under the control of the fundamentalists in the Republican Party is the judiciary. Certainly, many justices are religious Christians and no doubt many are evangelicals. But there remain a good number, even among the evangelicals, whose judicial impartiality and respect for the law and the American Constitution is inviolable.
Under the traditional Senate rules, the filibuster enables a sizable minority to thwart the most contentious nominations in order to protect America from the extremism and abuse of power of the majority party. It forces some minimal amount of compromise. If radical Republicans were to win the current phase of combat in the Senate and destroy the filibuster, there would be nothing to stop these right-wing fundamentalists from packing the courts with ultra-extremist judges, judges that will not stand up for the separation of church and state, that will vote against people’s right to make choices about personal matters that differ from the controlling extremist Christian ideology, and that will not punish the abusive practices or interfere with the deregulation of corporate America, the big-pocketed allies of the Christian radicals. In short, they would succeed in tearing down one of the final pillars of our constitutional democracy that protect this nation from a total bulldozing by the Christian right.
There is a line in the sand that must be clearly drawn in the midst of this cultural war. If people want to oppose abortion, homosexuality, and birth control, that should be their choice. If they want to pray all day, within school and without, and live by the word of the Bible, that is for them to say. But the boundary that must never be breached in a democracy is where people of any ideology or religion have the right to force their beliefs on others and coerce others to live by their rules. In the crossing of that boundary, we enter a realm akin to Stalinism or Nazism, a realm of fascistic control. Unfortunately, the entire impetus behind the Dominionists is to cross that sacrosanct line, to impose their dogma on the world, and to make anyone the enemy, indeed, a minion of Satan, who opposes them.
More than anything, it must be made clear to Americans where all this is leading. To pretend it is all about an “up-or-down vote” is to call a cobra a cuddly little pet. Republicans have become masters at deception and distraction, getting people to discuss ad nauseum issues that have nothing to do with the GOP’s true agenda. Without an understanding of the goals and the methods of these religious extremists who want total control over American culture, the noose will be strangling us before we can effectively fight back. In addition, real Christians, those who truly believe in the teachings of Jesus, need to reclaim their religion. What has happened to that precious path of love, humility, and service? When did it become such a rigid, controlling, judgmental power trip? When did love thy neighbor become damn thy neighbor if he doesn’t agree with you?
And finally, true moral courage needs to find its way back into politics. When the fear of losing votes or campaign funds trumps personal integrity and honor, we all lose. When politicians make a Faustian deal to sell their souls to the most strident, demanding, and narrow-minded partisans in exchange for political power and reelection, we all end up on the path to hell.
With the first rumblings of nuclear-option detonation, the the viciousness of the Culture War is rapidly escalating, especially in the Senate. The birth chart for the 109th Congress (1/4/05 at 12:05 PM) is quite revealing in this regard. In the 9th house of ideology and religion, we find a very tight stellium of the planets Venus, Mercury, and Pluto, all of which are quincunx Saturn in the 4th. This suggests that the intensity of the power struggles over differing belief systems will be overwhelming, vehement, and brutal. Members of Congress are obsessive and unrelenting about their version of the truth, and compromise will be difficult, especially when this configuration is strongly activated as it is now. At present, the natal configurations of Pluto conjunct Venus and Saturn quincunx Venus have moved to an exact position, precise to the minute on Monday, May 23 and triggered by a Moon/ Saturn conjunction late Friday, May 20. Tensions, tempers, and deep sorrow over the situation will escalate through May 23, with May 20 being a very somber and tense day.
There may be a very brief respite in the situation beginning after May 23, but the ongoing feeling of bitter struggle will by no means be resolved. In the chart, Venus rules the 7th house of relationships, bringing some of the current intensity into the relations between the parties. As we move through June 2005, transiting Pluto will move to conjunct Mercury, ruler of the 3rd and 6th houses, suggesting intensified rhetoric (Mercury and the 3rd house) and power struggles over the daily flow of activity (6th house). Mid-June is likely to bring an especially difficult feeling of hopelessness and total lack of comity, when Saturn reaches a square to the natal 7th house Moon, from June 7 to June 15.
Again, things may ease somewhat during July and August 2005, but it is merely the calm before the storm. Beginning to build again in September and intensifying into major battle mode from mid-September to early December 2005, Congress will be on the frontlines of a renewed and brutal bloodbath in America’s 21st Century Culture War. Not only will Pluto be returning for its last prolonged crossing of first Mercury and then Venus in the 109th Congress chart, but Uranus will station in almost exact square to natal Mars, to which it is already natally in square aspect. In addition, transiting Mars will make a station quincunx the exact Mercury/Pluto conjunction. This combination suggests a vehement reinvigorating of ideological fervor, augmented by a very angry and aggressive attitude. Tempers will be boiling over, and the most belligerent and brutal tactics imaginable are likely to be used. For what it is worth, 2006 looks somewhat calmer, although the basic hostility and ideological struggle described in the birth chart of the 109th Congress will never be far from the surface.
The US chart also gives us some indications about what is going on at present. Transiting Saturn is conjunct US Mercury for its final pass (exact from 5/19 – 5/28), exacerbated by a quincunx from transiting Pluto (5/15 – 5/25). Besides the pressure this aspect has been exerting on currency and trade issues since August 2004, it also has a negative, contracting, intimidating influence on the media and on the public mood in general. The current kill-the-messenger Bush administration attack on Newsweek provides a striking example. Personally, I find it quite suspect that a previously very “trustworthy” source who is a “senior administration official” suddenly and conveniently realizes his facts aren’t quite true after the anti-US riots in Afghanistan which were allegedly sparked by the Newsweek story. One can only imagine what dark threats were made to have this senior official retract his story with his chastened tail between his anonymous legs.
Another planetary aspect of significance in the US chart, one which especially relates to the ideological clashes discussed above, is the transit of Pluto square to US Neptune, active since just after the election in 2004 and soon to be quite intense due to its station square US Neptune, from early June through late October 2005. The natal position of Neptune in the US chart, square to Mars and in the 9th house, describes a very strong American tendency toward sometimes unrealistic idealism that, when powerfully activated, can even lead to war. Certainly the ideals of democracy, as well as the quest for freedom from tyranny and for the rights of personal and collective independence, became fervent principles of the early republic. Our anti-Communism crusade during the Cold War with its many proxy wars, including Viet Nam, offers another example of strong ideals and vision inspiring action. A 9th house Neptune can also manifest a very idealized religious tendency, and religion has always had a strong influence in the US.
With transiting Pluto currently square US Neptune during much of 2005, however, the usually more-muted idealism and devotional tendencies of the country have become obsessive and over-active, with a tinge of fanaticism and desire to control others (Pluto) added into the mix. This is especially so with hyper-intense Pluto at present in the more religious and opinionated sign of Sagittarius (from 1995 through 2008), which is highlighting a mood of theological fundamentalism not only in the US but across the globe. We can hope that after 2008, we may see a decrease in the impact of this religious fervor that has so dominated the worldwide geopolitical landscape in the last several years.
It is always useful to take a look at George Bush’s chart and the 2005 Inaugural chart to surmise the impact of current events on our own Dear Leader. From approximately May 19 through June 30, 2005, a series of Saturn aspects will influence George Bush, suggesting that events are not likely to unfold in his favor. Saturn will square his Midheaven, semisquare his Mars, and conjunct US Mercury (5/19 – 5/28), conjunct the Inaugural IC (5/31 – 6/10), conjunct Bush’s Saturn (6/10 – 6/18), and oppose US Pluto (6/20 -6/27), while Inaugural tertiary progressed Mercury will oppose tertiary progressed Saturn (5/31 – 6/10) and natal Saturn (6/15 – 6/30). These aspects indicate frustrations, difficulties, and a somber mood in the administration. One possible interpretation is that the Filibuster War in the Senate will not simply neuter the Democrats while rendering the Republicans omnipotent as the administration is hoping, but will instead create complicated and severe obstacles for the Bush agenda or perhaps even fail altogether. It is also likely that the Gulf War will continue to deteriorate into a brutal civil war, despite the fantasies woven by the spinmeisters, with transiting Pluto opposing Saturn/progressed IC in the Gulf War chart for all of June. The time frame of the likely Senate struggle in the fall of 2005 also shows up for Bush as a very difficult period with many obstacles and much need for compromise. Only time will tell us what dramatic events will unfold.
