July and August were very active months in regard to world affairs. Traditionally, those are the peak vacation months in the northern countries. At the same time, they are often peak political action months. This summer, many significant events occurred, consciousness changed, and entrenched power received some challenges.

BOMBINGS IN LONDON

In early July the G-8 met in Scotland under the leadership of British Prime Minister Tony Blair with two major aims—to reduce poverty in Africa and to work to stem the tide of global warming. Bush gave a tiny bit of lip service to both goals, but nothing in the least substantial to either one. As Blair went into the conference, it was announced that London had won the bid to hold the 2012 Olympics, a feather in his cap.

And then came the London bombings on July 7, in which 3 subway stations and one bus were mysteriously bombed, killing many. The conflicting official stories and timelines, and the official stories that don’t fit the known facts, abound. This is similar to 911. There were literally millions of surveillance cameras, but either they were not working, or the government confiscated the film, also similar to 911. Prior to the bombings, there were official warnings traveling among the UK, Israel, and the U.S., also similar to 911. But the public was not warned at all, another similarity to 911. Another eerie resemblance to 911 is the occurrence of simultaneous practice exercises, using the exact same model, at the exact same time, and the exact same locations, as the bombings. The crisis team which was performing the exercise was composed entirely of ex-British intelligence personnel. Tony Blair declared that there would be no investigation. (“I trust our Intelligence Services.”) This is also similar to 911, where the remaining evidence of the event was destroyed and carted away immediately afterwards. Rudolph Giuliani was in London, positioned closely to the first explosion, also similar to 911. Four suicide bombers were said by British intelligence to have been the culprits, but oddly, there were timing devices on the bombs.

Who benefited from these bombings? The popularity of Blair and Bush was sinking disastrously, due mainly to the chaos and carnage in Iraq. The bombings, and the leaders’ immediate speeches, reaffirmed their righteous positions in the “war on terrorism.” Their ratings immediately improved, particularly Blair’s, who pictured himself as the staunch defender of the besieged little island. Blair immediately called for draconian security and surveillance regulations, similar to Bush’s actions after 911.

The chart for the first bombing at 8:51 a.m. British Daylight, shows a New Moon in Cancer, conjunct Saturn. Cancer is the sign of security, and Saturn shows the involvement of the State apparatus, the voice of authority.

Mercury and Venus are in partile conjunction in Leo in the 12th house, creating dramatic fantasies whose sources are hidden. Mercury also signals the intelligence forces, and Leo is the sign of the ruler, perhaps even her Majesty.

Leo also rises. Together with the planets in Leo, and their midpoints, it makes a grand trine in fire with volatile Pluto in Sagittarius in the 4th house, and the Mars-North Node conjunction in the warrior sign of Aries in the 9th. This shows strong action on the part of the ruler which transforms security and politics at home, and is publicized far and wide.

On the midheaven, overseeing all, is Taurus conjoining Tony Blair’s Sun. Taurus is also Queen Elizabeth’s sun sign. In the determined earth sign of Taurus is Juno, energy of both partnership and abuse. There is much fear imprinted in Juno, and I find her strong in all terrorism, imprisonment, starvation, and drastic earth change situations.

All of the chart energies at this time show significant connections to each other, and to British and U.S. charts. Especially notable is a Finger of God with shocking Uranus at the apex. It includes the hidden Venus-Mercury, and expansive Jupiter. Its outlet is on Bush’s progressed Sun-Mars in Virgo, which is in the 1st, most personal, house of the bombing chart.

NEW GRAND INQUISITOR APPOINTED

Pope Benedict XVI appointed his successor as preserver of the faith, the next most important position to the papacy in the Vatican. It is Archbishop William Levada of the San Francisco, California diocese. In 1995, Pope John Paul appointed Levada to replace Archbishop Quinn who, together with many Catholics in his San Francisco diocese, was too outspoken for Pope John Paul. Indeed, Levada immediately put the lid on public discourse.

Recently, the San Francisco Bay Guardian ran a long, well-documented history on Levada’s long record of winking at and covering up sexual abuse by priests. This is the man who will guard the morals of Catholics.

William Levada was born on June 15, 1936 in Los Angeles, California. Gemini dominates his chart. He was born with Sun, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Vesta, and Chiron in Gemini. Dealing with dualities is a life challenge for him. His Moon is in sensual Taurus, conjunct unpredictable Uranus. Saturn in Pisces rules his chart, and he uses the authority of the Church as his personal wall of protection.

UNREST INCREASES IN U.S. FOREIGN RELATIONS

A prime example of foreign relations with damaging long-range consequences is the U.S. behavior in Iraq. There are many facets to this, but the one most in the news now are the U.S. demands around the proposed Iraqi Constitution. There are many, and one of the most serious is the U.S. insistence on separate divisions for Shiite, Suni, and Kurd. This is apt to lead to internal civil conflict in Iraq, not only because of the separations, but also because the Kurds are given more weight than their numbers warrant—because they have a good share of the Iraqi oil, because they are the group with the well-trained military, and the group which has support links to the U.S. Other Iraqis are not happy with this arrangement, but the U.S. is putting a strict timetable on negotiations. It’s a situation guaranteed to heighten conflict in Iraq. (Making an excuse for the U.S. to station troops there?) Macho power is running rampant in Iraq.

A top Chinese general warned the U.S. that China is prepared to use nuclear weapons against the U.S. if it is attacked during a confrontation with Taiwan.

Also in China, China quit pegging the renminbi to the dollar, and thus increased its value. China is keeping a tight rein on the situation, and the fallout is not yet clear. This was a big move in the global capital market. China holds a large share of U.S. Treasury bonds, and thus has much power over the U.S. financial destiny.

Bush signed a nuclear agreement with India, which opens further the nuclear door in India. On the other hand, the U.S. has been fighting the desire of Iran to resume its nuclear enrichment program, and threatening to bomb Iran. The U.S. media has been building Iran as a threat, and it looks very much as if war on Iran is the U.S. intention.

The Iranian Islamic Republic was proclaimed at 3:00 p.m. Iran Daylight on April 1, 1979. Sun is in Aries, and Moon is in Gemini. The majority of planets are in Pisces, showing the strong religious influence. Sun opposes Pluto, showing heavy power conflicts. There are many difficult contacts between the Iran and the U.S./Bush charts. Two of them are Iran’s Saturn on Bush’s Mars, and its Pluto on Bush’s Jupiter. (Somebody should tell Bush that Saturn and Pluto tend to win out over Mars and Jupiter.)

BUSH SELECTS JUSTICE JOHN ROBERTS AS A CANDIDATE FOR THE SUPREME COURT

Roberts was discussed briefly in our last issue. Much background information is still being withheld on the excuse of, again, a lie: It is said that because of attorney-client privilege his record cannot be divulged. The client for a federal attorney (which Roberts was) is the American people—us. And the record belongs to us. In addition, there is no tradition of withholding records of Supreme Court candidates, nor should there be.

But of course pieces of his past emerge. And there is a short public record of his two years as a judge, including approving the arrest, handcuffing, and jailing of a 12-year old girl for the offense of eating French fries on the Washington metro. The day after his interview with Bush, Roberts was one of a panel of three judges who reinstated military tribunals at Guantanamo—ruling that courts have no authority to review the White House’s determination to deny those prisoners Geneva Convention protections. This was a stunning affirmation of the new idea of Presidential powers, beyond reach of Congress or courts, or even international law.

Roberts says in his past actions, he was simply defending his clients’ policies. Observers say that he went way beyond even the conservative policies of the government. An example was his arguing for the government in the famous 1991 health clinic “gag rule” case (Rust v. Sullivan) in which he said that Roe v. Wade as “wrongly decided and should be overruled.” He added a gratuitous footnote amplifying that argument.

It is said that during the 80s, when the government did everything it could to turn back the clock (including the areas of civil liberties and voters’ rights), that Roberts was in the center, more conservative even than Ted Olson (who argued before the Supreme Court in 2000 for the selection of George W. Bush as President).

Roberts has shown himself to be very “activist” in support of Administration policies.

U.S. CONGRESS ACTIVE IN FURTHER DENYING INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS

Three huge bills were passed by Congress before its August adjournment—CAFTA, renewal and extension of the U.S. “Patriot Act,” and the Energy Bill, crafted by Cheney in partnership with Ken Lay, Enron CEO now under indictment for fraud. Ironically, the Energy Bill was passed on August 6, the anniversary of the first use of The Bomb.

CAFTA is the Central American Free Trade Agreement, created to augment NAFTA, which has proven to be destructive to workers in both Mexico and the U.S. Trade agreements cannot work where there is no level playing field. They simply increase exploitation of labor as the race to the bottom is unleashed. This is what has happened, and now will increase. Another effect has been the great decrease in small farms, and in local agriculture, as hugely subsidized U.S. agricultural products are dumped on these third world markets, undercutting local produce. Unwanted GMOs accompany those U.S. exports. But as Bill Thomas, chairman of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said, “U.S. companies need access to cheap labor.”

They have it.

After Bush returned from London, Congress made permanent the U.S. “Patriot” Act, parts of which were due to expire. They also added to it. Now, for instance, the government can allege anyone to be a “terrorist” and there is no legal need for evidence. They can hold anyone without bail or charge, and no longer need a judge’s OK. The presumption of innocence has been turned on its head. Now defendants must prove their innocence, if they even get that chance, rather than the State prove their guilt. An extensive national ID card will be established. Federal prosecutors may lawfully leak Grand Jury testimony, thus destroying a public figure’s reputation. Wiretapping powers are expanded.
An indignant Judge Napolitano writes, “If we allow the President and Congress to treat our constitutional guarantees as if they were arbitrary gifts from government, we will be doing the terrorists’ work for them”

There has been not a word about this assault on civil liberties from Democratic leaders Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi.

The mammoth Energy Act has been called, even by many legislators who voted for it, “welfare for coal, oil, and nuclear energy.” There is nothing about fuel efficiency or global warming, little about solar power or any type of renewable energy.

(San Francisco will soon have the world’s largest urban renewable energy system!)

In the meantime, Bush is promoting deadly nuclear energy. And since the nuclear industry cannot buy private insurance, because it is too risky, the government insures it for many billions.

ROVE, PLAME, AND LIES IN HIGH PLACES

Remember Colin Powell’s demonstration before the UN in February 2003 where he “showed” that the Iraqis had nuclear weapons? All the rest of the world, which had not been subjected to the U.S. propaganda machine, knew that this was a lie. GW had made this same assertion in his January State of the Union address. Iraq buying yellowcake uranium from Nigeria was supposedly the big proof. This assertion was made despite the fact that U.S. Intelligence had sent Ambassador Joseph Wilson, staunch Republican, ex-Ambassador to both Nigeria and to Iraq, to Africa to check out the veracity of this claim, and he reported back that it was totally false. Finally in July 2003, Wilson told all in an Op-Ed piece in the New York Times.

The White House, of course, was furious. Karl Rove, Bush’s manager, has a habit of retaliating by smearing his opponents. He saw to it that Wilson’s wife, Valerie Plame, was publicly outed as a CIA operative. This destroyed her career, and endangered those who had worked with and around her. This is a federal crime.

Rove is a Capricorn, born on December 25, 1950, in Denver, Colorado.

Gradually some of the facts around this outing are emerging, although the Administration continues to stonewall. Who should be held accountable for it? And the broader question now before us all is, “Should this Administration be held accountable for anything?”

The Grand Jury inquiry into this affair has also brought out a freedom of press issue. Must journalists reveal their sources? One journalist, Judith Miller, has gone to jail for refusing to do so, with the weight of the entire tradition of U.S. history behind her. But on the other hand, since the sources for her articles spreading falsehoods were U.S. government people telling her falsehoods, many feel that she should reveal her sources.

This may seem like petty scandal. On the contrary, important issues vital to the integrity of a democracy have been raised.

More evidence of Administration lies were brought to light during this summer. The Downing Street Memo, and memos which followed, provides proof that the Administration was planning to invade Iraq at least by July 2002.

LABOR SPLITS

I remember, many decades ago, when the AF of L, and the CIO combined. The joining of those left and right wings of the labor movement was a historic event. Now, again we have a historic separation. Some of the more activist unions have felt handicapped by the AFL-CIO, and walked out at the annual convention this summer. The SEIU, the service workers, and the Teamsters did walk out. A couple of the other Unions joined them to form the Change to Win coalition, hoping they can revive the labor movement. The consequences are still uncertain, but all of the union members say they will work together.

HAITI IS A POWDER KEG

Ever since the U.S. kidnapped Haiti’s democratically elected and very popular President, Aristide, in early 2004, the U.S., the UN, and Canada have been trying forcefully to eliminate the followers of Aristide, the Lavalas party. The ongoing killings and massacres increased during July, as the entrenched business powers are feeling desperate to eliminate or intimidate any opposition before the coming November elections. For a series of extensive articles on Haiti, see previous Daykeeper issues.

Democracy is being attacked in Haiti. Women in particular are targets, for they are the main leaders of the democratic movement.

EUROPEAN UNION LOSES ITS GLAMOUR

Two major EU members voted against its proposed Constitution—France and the Netherlands. Major issues were too much bureaucracy, and differences in agricultural policy. Tony Blair, current President of the EU, is driving the UK towards U.S. style capitalism. Many Europeans want to retain more democracy, autonomy, and an emphasis on small farms.

LATIN AMERICA SPEAKS UP

Many countries in Latin America are rebelling against IMF policies, and against global exploitation. Venezuela, of course, is one. Venezuela does have the ammunition of oil, much of which is bought by the U.S. Venezuela has spent six years putting together a satellite TV station for all of Latin America, Telesur, which just began broadcasting on a 4-hr./day schedule this summer.

Argentina is notable. The country completely fell apart two years ago after following IMF guidelines. Since there was no one else to do it, the people gathered together, and began picking themselves up—running factories, and creating their own economy, democratic government, etc. It has been a remarkable journey, and it is moving ahead.

These are only a few of the many highlights of July, the month when Saturn entered Leo, and of early August, when Mars began its lengthy journey through Taurus. Self-assertion is on the rise.

That assertion continued in August, centering in the U.S. around Cindy Sheehan, Gold Star mother, and her vigil outside the Crawford, Texas ranch of GW Bush. She simply wanted him to tell her why her son died in Iraq. Of course he couldn’t. A movement has collected around Cindy, and the planets favor its continuation and growth. The potential power of a nucleus of women who have lost children to war is enormous. Veterans joining this movement add to its direct power to move people.