On NPR the other day, a journalist was talking about Pakistan, I think, and how there are factions in the country spreading “anti-American” sentiment.

I thought then of the performance review that many Americans experience in corporate life and how constructive criticism is part of that process so that we can grow and develop.

If we experience constructive criticism as part of American corporate work culture, why can’t Americans accept any type of constructive political criticism?

“Anti-American” sentiment as a phrase precludes the idea that there is anything constructive in the sentiment. It’s 100 percent bad for no reason.

If another country wanted to provide constructive criticism, how could they do it?

The Horoscope of the United States

Unlike people, nations and institutions may be born over time, not in one exit from the birth canal. The United States, likewise, arose in fits and starts and July 4, 1776 is not considered by some astrologers to be when we were truly “born.”

To me, July 4, 1776 is the date of our birth because it is what we believe is the date we were “born” via our state –sponsored history books, which I consider a type of living myth.

On July 4, 1776 we were “free,” right?

Some were free but others were enslaved and women couldn’t vote. So we as a country might have had a great deal of freedom in relative terms, relative to what others on the planet were experiencing. But freedom definitely wasn’t for everyone.

The July 4, 1776 chart has Venus, Jupiter and sun and Mercury in Cancer with moon in Aquarius.

We do have a grand air trine going on with moon in Aquarius, Uranus & Mars in Gemini and Saturn in Libra.

That leaves Pluto in Capricorn and Neptune in Virgo.

Yikes, I didn’t realize we were going to have a Pluto return in 2023. This is the end of the Pluto power cycle number one.

Cancer – Aquarius

Cancer is a cardinal water sign, extremely sensitive and represented by the crab. When you see a crab on the beach what does it do?

It crawls inside its shell to be safe. I would too if I was made of glutinous soft stuff like a crab. Your Cancer friends are soft inside, even if they wear T-shirts with tough sayings on the front. The tough sayings are the shell that the crab hides inside.

As such a sensitive being ruled by the moon, which changes constantly, Cancer is known to be moody, laughing with you one moment then accusing you of being mean the next.

Aquarius, in contrast, is the fixed air sign, detached and analytical. If Cancer is the warm waters of Cancun then Aquarius is the cold ice of the North Pole.

Aquarius, to me, is a perfectionist and has an ideal of how things “should be.” Capricorn has a “should be” mentality as well but Capricorn follows established rules and Aquarius makes up its own. Aquarius is independent and even rebellious.

In a person, I would say there is an analytical reaction prior to an emotional presentation in any situation. In a person, there would be even more back and forth between analytical and emotional responses.

So maybe the US cowboy image comes from moon in Aquarius and the breadbasket of the world image comes from sun in Cancer.

Transits

We recently had a Saturn return in Libra, which can explain the many breakups that have been occurring. In our land of liberty, we are free to divorce.

Saturn in Libra is ultimately about fairness and equality, so I’m wondering how recent Supreme Court decisions will play out over time. I suspect the Supreme Court itself may be challenged in terms of fairness. Based on the Judiciary Act of 1789 (September 24, 1789) the Supreme Court is a Libra sun and Sagittarius moon.

Transiting Pluto in Capricorn will be opposing the abundant Cancer energy in the US chart. Capricorn is father and Cancer is mother. For me personally (which means also politically), 9/11 gave license for government to ebb the boundaries of American civil liberties. See Ron Paul for more on this . . .

Pluto in Capricorn is authoritarian and knows what’s best for you.

In some segments of the people I know, I see a lot of concern about this. In other segments, it’s not a concern at all. I suspect we don’t worry about others’ civil liberties being eroded until it hits home.

I completely agree with Ayn Rand who said in “Censorship: Local and Express”:

“But in the transition to statism, every infringement of human rights has begun with the suppression of a given right’s least attractive practitioners. In this case, the disgusting nature of the offenders makes it a good test of one’s loyalty to a principle.”

For example, few non-smokers complain about the crazy taxes on cigarettes. We’ve given license to a “sin” tax, which has a very open religious connotation. But what happens then when someone decides that greasy hamburgers are also bad for you?

Rise and Fall

It’s been said that all powers rise and fall. It makes sense – although many humans live by habit, the universe constantly changes, is in constant motion, even if the motions are cyclical.

I sense the US government understands this and is why we have a military capability to wipe out the entire earth.

Pluto is coming home. Let’s see if in the next 200+ year cycle we decide to completely overpower and annihilate our critics (Pluto) or if we can come out of our nuclear shell and listen to why they hate us. Listening isn’t agreement. Listening doesn’t mean that you must abandon your shell.