In the movie Election which takes place in a high school, the class Over Achiever (Tracy Flick) is running unopposed for class president. Her ambition is so intense, so unalloyed that the Civics teacher prompts the class Athlete (Paul Metzler) to run against her. In a complex interweaving of subplot, the Athlete’s Rebel sister (Tammy Metzler) decides to run as well to avenge an injustice.

In model of a “real” election, the school must listen to the campaign speeches in the school auditorium. The Over Achiever gives a speech worthy of a general election although we can see no one likes her. The Athlete is clearly unpracticed in speeches but get adulation through his past performance on the football field.

Then rises the Rebel, with no planned speech and not even respectful enough of the process to change from her tomboy clothes into something more appropriate. After glaring irreverently at an uninterested but trapped audience, she gives the following speech (quote from IMDB):

Tammy Metzler: [her campaign speech]
Who cares about this stupid election? We all know it doesn’t matter who gets elected president of Carver. Do you really think it’s going to change anything around here? Make one single person smarter or happier or nicer? The only person it does matter to is the one who gets elected. The same pathetic charade happens every year, and everyone makes the same pathetic promises just so they can put it on their transcripts to get into college.

So vote for me, because I don’t even want to go to college, and I don’t care, and as president I won’t do anything. The only promise I will make is that if elected I will immediately dismantle the student government, so that none of us will ever have to sit through one of these stupid assemblies again!

[the student body erupts in huge cheers. They start chanting “Tammy! Tammy!”]

Tammy Metzler: Or don’t vote for me! Who cares? Don’t vote at all!

[they all rise to give her a standing ovation]

While Tammy’ speech evokes the only true and passionate response, the principal (authority figure!) deems her behavior inappropriate and suspends her from school and the election. If you follow the details closely, (spoiler alert) you will learn that Tammy actually wins the election although technically she is ineligible and her name has been crossed off the forms.

No one really wants a student election, or student government. It’s a sham.

Don’t Vote West Virginia

Art is purported to imitate life. A shift has clearly occurred and now life is imitating art. This week in the US election the presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump told West Virginia voters they should stay home.

“You know, you don’t have to vote anymore,” Trump said, days after the final two Republican presidential hopefuls dropped out of the race, leaving the bombastic businessman as the presumptive nominee.

“Save your vote for the general election, OK? Forget this one — the primary is done,” he continued, urging voters to forfeit their right to America’s democratic process.

The Rebel Trump has told the electorate not to vote. Unlike Tammy Metzler, he does, however, want their vote at a later time.

In polarity, the Rebel is opposite the Authority. In the movie Election, the principal cuts off Tammy’s energy. We hope, of course, that later in life Tammy will succeed in overturning the establishment in her independent and unique way.

Now that we have Rebel Trump overturning the establishment, will he go the whole way? Or do we have the Rebel – Authority in one figure?

Is this Rebel a masked Authority? If he’s truly the Rebel, who’s the counterweight authority?

Pluto in Capricorn

Pluto entered Capricorn in 2008, a year many remember as global banking collapsed which took the value of many homes with it. Luckily for us, the governments of the world created money and the problem was solved!

Do we really hate government as much as we think? Would we truly accept a collapsing global economy?

Pluto is the great transformer. Transformation, what a pleasant word! Yet, transformation is often preceded by destruction as humans rarely let go of habits or comforts. To wean us from the bottle, the bottle is usually taken away. Pluto is scary. Pluto invades, he does not knock first.

In the sign of Capricorn, transformation is in the realm of practical affairs (earth sign) and includes all structures and authorities of society. That includes stop signs, traffic lights, police force, banking, government and work. Work is a structure because many unemployed people mean lots of unused energy which can be dangerous for a society. Keeping the population employed is dependent upon many structures.

Pluto’s stay in Capricorn is long – 2008 to 2025. Pluto is far away and takes time to travel through a sign.

This transit of Pluto is important in the horoscope of the United States where Pluto is in 27 degrees of Capricorn. Pluto will make its first return to the natal position in 2022.

What does that mean?

The United States is coming full circle on an evolutionary lesson that occurred during the founding (using 1776). The lesson involves Capricorn themes of ambition, success, material gain and authority.

What does our material abundance cost to us and others in the world? This is one question that may occur during this transit.

In 1776 as we founded, our country allowed the owning of people. Today that is unacceptable but if we trace our material goods to the far-away places where they originate, we might find forms employment reminiscent of our own past.

In 2008, structures of finance were shaken and today in the United States the structure of the political process is being shaken.

Pluto has not gone away. He’s only half way through with his transformational work, work that is relevant to the United States in particular with natal Pluto at 27 degrees of Capricorn.

The United States didn’t allow the economy to collapse, even though we view ourselves as pure free-market capitalists.

Will we anti-government freedom-lovers allow the government to collapse? Is it truly collapsing?

What would happen if none of us voted?