Planet Waves :: Is America Ready for a Male First Lady?

New York, April 16, 2015 | View as Webpage | Order Your Annual Reading
Is America Ready for a Male First Lady?

Dear Friend and Reader:

On Sunday, Hillary Clinton ended all the wild speculation and informed us she would be running for president. This raises an important question -- is America ready for a male First Lady?

Bill Clinton could end up being the First Lady of the Land.

Could Bill Clinton handle the important responsibilities associated with being the president's spouse? Can a man, even one who was POTUS, gracefully take on the arguably more difficult job of FLOTUS?

I consider this an extremely important role in American government and society. So much of politics is on the human level, and the First Lady is directly involved in holding that steady. Though the role carries no official power, everyone knows that she often is the influence behind the throne.

The primary role of the First Lady is to be the White House hostess. She is usually in charge of the domestic staff -- the butlers, chefs and cleaners. She is president of the residential section of the White House. People often put down the importance of the role of women as the primary organizer of the household. Whatever feminist literature may say, this is an important duty and we may well ask if a man is capable of handling it.

The Importance of Good Taste

The First Lady is traditionally the decorator-in-chief, who makes sure the presidential residence truly reflects the values of the First Family, and is appropriate to the office. This is especially important around the winter holidays, when there's so much to do, and so many guests coming and going.

Eleanor Roosevelt left a powerful legacy for the First Lady. Could Bill Clinton possibly live up to her reputation and achievements?

The First Lady is in charge of making important decisions about the White House menu, such as what soup should go with lunch and which should go with dinner. This cannot be Arby's and KFC night after night. After a while French fries get boring and we need some more extravagant or delicate kinds of spuds.

When there's an important state social affair, the First Lady makes sure that the napkins match the tablecloths, and that the colors are appropriate for the situation. A roll of paper towels is not enough. There are important decisions to be made about the china, the stemware and the silverware.

Foam plates and plastic table settings won't cut it. Is Bill Clinton really up to doing this right? Is any man up to this? I think it’s worth asking. In fact I think that Bill Clinton should be made to prove himself before he's ever elected First Lady.

Many First Ladies have taken on roles far beyond what was expected of them. Edith Wilson ran the country when Woodrow Wilson had suffered a stroke. Eleanor Roosevelt was a tour de force, arguably more influential than her husband Franklin. Jacqueline Kennedy was the picture of dignity and honor, guiding a grieving nation through the loss of her husband John.

Among the most important duties of the First Lady is enhancing the image of the president. As the sage Trungpa Rinpoche wrote, a man must get married to convey the image of decency to his community. Clearly, President Kennedy benefited from this aspect of marriage. His sexual exploits would never reach the newspapers largely to protect Jackie Kennedy's honor.

First Ladies (from left to right) Nancy Reagan, Lady Bird Johnson, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Rosalynn Carter, Betty Ford, and Barbara Bush at the "National Garden Gala, A Tribute to America's First Ladies", May 11, 1994. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, absent due to illness, died a week after this photograph was taken.

When George W. Bush seemed rough around the edges, or like he was drinking or like Dick Cheney was bullying him, or like all the wars were getting to him, Laura Bush was there to soften his image and make him seem like a decent guy. How bad could he be, if she was his wife?

No matter how much you hated Ronald Reagan, there was always Nancy Reagan to make him seem reasonable and friendly, and also to pass along the advice of her astrologer, Joan Quigley.

Would Bill Clinton be able to do anything like that for Hillary? Is he really capable of passing along astrological guidance, or is that truly a job for a woman? Would he reflect the light of honor and humanity that's so important to the American president, who always ends up having to order bombing runs on civilian populations?

Bill Clinton's Natal Horoscope

We can get some clues about these questions from Bill Clinton's natal horoscope. Unlike Hillary's birth data, we know Bill's birth time for sure. Hillary has what I call the ‘spinning natal chart' -- nobody can decide what time she was born. So we don't really have a sense of who she is. Not so with Bill.

First, he has Libra rising. People with strong Libra in their chart like things to be done right, and that means tastefully with a sense of aesthetics. Bill Clinton is the kind of guy who can match his tie with his suit, no problem. I think he would do well with napkins and tablecloths. He would understand that food has to look good on the plate as well as taste good -- and be nutritious.

Bill Clinton may have been a good president, but how good would he be at doing photo-ops in schools? Does he really understand children?

Libra rising is a natural conversationalist. I think Bill would do very well in social functions where his image would reflect on the president.

Bill has a Taurus Moon. These people are great lovers of tradition. They want the furniture, the fixtures and even the wallpaper to be tasteful and solid. They want the real thing, not the imitation. Clearly Bill would do fine at making the White House seem respectable, even to people with discerning tastes.

The Taurus Moon also lends itself to devotion in relationships. I think Bill would be a good and stable spouse, and reflect well on Hillary. She would be proud to be seen with him. People would know she's really his woman.

Most important, Bill Clinton is a Leo. Everything he does would enhance the presidential feeling that's so important to the White House. Leo has a regal nature, which would serve well given that the president is the closest thing we have to a king. Bill is proud and I think that his ability to hold his head up would make the White House a place we could all hold in high esteem.

But Bill's chart has some drawbacks. For example, his Mars-Neptune conjunction in the ascendant reveals his wild side. He likes to take risks. He likes to drink and probably smoke some pot. Could he control himself, and would that be appropriate in the White House?

I am sure he likes to listen to loud music, and music that's a little risqué, such as jazz. What would people think? Would he keep Hillary up late, dancing and partying, as if he didn't have a care in the world? He would have to understand that his spouse has a serious job as the leader of the free world.

But the most important question is, having previously been president, could he adapt to the new role, and keep his opinions about things like foreign policy to himself? He should probably be subjected to a battery of psychological tests so that we know this for sure. We don't want him getting in the way of the president running the government.

Is America Ready for This?

It's true that the United States has come a long way in just a few years. These days, most people think it's fine that gay and lesbian people can get married. People seem to be accepting other forms of gender role reversal, such as sex change operations. We've even had a black president and First Lady. Before that we once had a Catholic president.

Michelle Obama -- a tough act to follow.

But since there's now a chance of the first woman being president, we really have to ask: is the country really ready for something as progressive as a house-husband in the White House?

And we must ask: what would be the impact on boys, for whom this would be an example? Can they handle this kind of shock? What would happen to boys, raised on combat video games and movies where everything is blown up, if they knew that a man was planning the dinner menu and making sure that the floral arrangements are correct?

Last, there's economics. Wouldn't boys figure out that Hillary is the primary breadwinner, and would that give them permission to get married just so that they have a wife to support them? Wouldn't this make boys want to lounge around and be supported by women?

I believe in change -- but we have to ask how fast is too fast. I believe in progress, but we have to ask how much progress is too much.

I leave it to you.

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: $97/year. Core community membership: $197/year. Editor and Publisher: Eric Francis Coppolino. Business Manager: Chelsea Bottinelli. Web Developer: Anatoly Ryzhenko. Office Manager: Lauren Gdovin. Client Services: Amy Elliott, Lisa Gatto. Astrology Editor: Amanda Painter. Copy Editor: Jessica Keet. Research, Writing and Editing: In addition to those listed above, Planet Waves is produced by a team consisting of Fe Bongolan, Amy Elliott, Judith Gayle, Kelly Janes, Amanda Moreno, Casey Smith, Carol van Strum, Len Wallick, Lizanne Webb and Chad Woodward.

Aries New Moon, Sun Enters Taurus

Once again the New Moon and the Sun's ingress into a new sign happen fairly close together, though now that distance is gradually increasing. Since last autumn the New Moon and solar ingress have happened within hours of one another. Now it's up to about two days.

The Aries New Moon takes place in the next-to-last degree of Aries at about 2:57 pm EDT (18:47 UTC) on Saturday, April 18. That's followed by the Sun's ingress into Taurus at 5:42 am EDT (09:42 UTC) on Monday, April 20.

Chart for Saturday's Aries New Moon, set for Kingston, NY.

This is the first lunation after the recent eclipse series. You may still be a bit shellshocked; the astrology of late winter and early spring is still lingering around our collective emotional body. Remember, though, that there has recently been a huge sea-change in the planets: the seven exact Uranus-Pluto squares are behind us. (Those date from June 2012 through March 2015. Read more about that here.)

The world may still seem just as chaotic, though a critical process is complete. What remains is the task of doing something new after having experienced this process individually and collectively. It may feel a little disorienting not to have that constant push energy driving everything ever-closer to the edge.

One shift I've noticed in the collective realm, after these Uranus-Pluto events, is that police officers are starting to be charged with crimes for shooting people. Four Blackwater Security agents were convicted of murder. The value that we put on life is a fundamental bellwether of the state of society.

At the same time, Iran and the major world powers have negotiated an agreement that would prevent a nuclear arms race in the Middle East and also could prevent another stupid bombing campaign on a society. I don't know if these represent trends, but they are actual events that have occurred since the last of the seven square aspects.

Saturday's New Moon has some distinctive features. Planets are already waiting in Taurus for when the Moon and Sun arrive. They include 1992 QB1, Mercury, Mars and Sedna. I'll have more to say about QB1 and Sedna in upcoming editions of Planet Waves and Planet Waves FM. These are unusual planets that are rarely acknowledged by astrology. I'll also describe their more personal influence in the forthcoming Taurus birthday reading.

Another interesting feature in this chart includes Vesta, the brightest asteroid. Vesta is now in an exact conjunction to Neptune. This adds depth and a self-sacrificing feeling to these charts; there is a sense of purpose waiting to be accessed.

Vesta in any incarnation describes both a central organizing principle and also a devotional approach to life. Add that to Neptune in Pisces and you have something pretty special. The idea is to gather your life around the hearth of your true faith. This combination can also signify devotion to art and/or music, and to living your life as an artistic endeavor.

Existence is a creative and self-creative process, so that's a beautiful message for any time -- but it's written boldly in the stars right now.

Special Reading: Astrology of the Millennials

Planet Waves

Custom ephemeris for Chiron (1977UB), Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto -- set for the Millennial generation. Digital technology allows for this kind of customized astrology tool. But what is technology doing to kids who don't have any other reference points?

Don't be frightened! I actually understand this table (I've been studying variants on it for 20 years) and I will translate it into a clear, clear-headed one-hour summary that will begin the Millennials reading. The summary: I will describe what it's like to live on ever-shifting ground; to live in times of change so rapid, people (especially young ones) know nothing else.

The graphic above is a custom ephemeris that sums up the astrology of the Millennial generation. Everyone born between 1981 and 2004 is included. In a new kind of reading, I will be telling the story of this chart and what it says about today's young people. I will be looking at key highlights, including planetary events and major historical events that shaped the lives of this generation.

I have been researching the Millennials through their parents, through their teenagers they've sent for readings, through my photo project (Book of Blue), with Planet Waves readers and staff members, and finally through conscious conversations specifically for this reading.

I will be looking at questions of sense of direction and purpose, how to deal with college debt, the impact of digital conditions, and a section called Sex is Not Porn and Porn is Not Sex -- an invitation to get real about relationships.

This is a first-of-a-kind product, designed as a family purchase. Buy it for your kids! Listen to it first! The project will be suitable for teenagers. You can learn more at this link. Purchase now and get the pre-order price.

Jon Sands and three of your other choices -- I'm not sure who is who, but the video includes Jeanann Verlee, Lauren Whitehead, Adam Falkner and Carlos Andrés Gómez. Note that the poem opens with a coarse image/language, but don't be deterred; it gets better. And if you don't care for Sands' delivery, you'll get your chance to try someone else. Image: video still.

An Interactive Video for Your Interactive Life

By Amanda Painter

With two squares happening between major planets this weekend (first Mars square Jupiter, exact Friday night into Saturday; and then Venus square Neptune, exact Sunday -- both in effect now), you may be noticing the urge to take action. But taking action implies making a choice: first the choice to act in the first place; and then choosing from the many possible things you might do in response to the tension, impulse or desire you're facing.

Here's the perfect low-consequence way to practice making a choice and taking action: an interactive video by Ram Devineni featuring nationally recognized slam poet Jon Sands performing his poem "The Shoreline." Sands is joined by four friends (fellow poets) also performing the poem, but with a twist: at several specific points in the poem, two or three bubbles with the faces of these other poets will appear. Click one before they fade away, and you'll hear that person's interpretation.

You'll start to notice that the phrases alerting you to an impending moment of choice as you watch have a similarity of wording, and get emphasized by the poet. It's kind of like astrology that way: tune into the energies of the planets and aspects -- as they express within you -- and you begin to get the feel for when you need to make a choice and take action. And just like in life, if you make the choice not to choose, the poem still goes on in its own way.

Planet Waves

Hillary Clinton's Presidential Announcement,
Her Spinning Chart and More on the Digital Environment

Sloan.

I begin this week's program with a look at the chart of Hillary Clinton announcing her presidential candidacy with the Sun conjunct Eris. It's a chart so interesting it makes me wonder whether she didn't have an astrologer elect the time for her. I also consider the various versions of her chart, and explain why I am using a chart that nobody else seems to use, which has her as Cancer rising. In the second half of the program I continue my discussion of digital conditions and how we are being trained to be stupid by computers. I also wonder out loud about what the digital environment is doing to "digital natives" who don't know much else. Here is the chart for Hillary's announcement as well as the natal chart I'm using. Note that in the program I am using an announcement chart that's 10 minutes later than reality. It does not change the chart much but it does make Bill's Sun's contact with the ascendant a bit less dramatic -- but not much. My musical guest is Sloan Wainwright.

Planet Waves

Your Monthly Horoscopes -- and our Publishing Schedule Notes

We published your extended monthly horoscopes for April on Thursday, March 26. Your extended monthly horoscopes for March were published Thursday, Feb. 19. We published your Moonshine horoscopes for the Libra Full Moon Tuesday, March 31. Please note, we normally publish the extended monthly horoscope on the first Friday after the Sun has entered a new sign.

Planet Waves

Weekly Horoscope for Thursday, April 16, 2015 #1045 | By Eric Francis

Aries (March 20-April 19) -- Take care of unfinished business. Make sure you've said what you have to say, and done what you have to do. I suggest you go back and do an inventory of what you have not completed and any promises you have not kept. Choose from your most important priorities and start with the top tier. You might also take care of a bunch of easy ones right up front so you build some momentum. We are approaching a New Moon in your birth sign, followed by the Sun changing signs. That means new opportunities, and more than that, new priorities. In preparation for that you will want to wipe your slate as clean and clear as you can, with little or nothing lingering from the past. And if you take up that issue you will see you really do have plenty of influence.

Taurus Birthday Reading Now Available for Pre-Order

Dear Friend and Taurus:

Speaking as someone with her Sun in Taurus, I know that sometimes we need a little more time to warm up to an idea before making a move. So to that end, Eric's offering you the chance to pre-order your Taurus birthday reading for this year starting now -- a full week-and-a-half before the Sun gets to your sign!

Taurus is one of the most physically oriented signs. Yet for the past few years, your inner life has been transforming dramatically. This journey has been at times incredibly rewarding -- and sometimes maddening.

Taking everything to a new level this year, your ruling planet, Venus, and its counterpart, Mars, dance their way into not one; not two; but three conjunctions (thanks to a retrograde by Venus). This is a pretty special (and rare) series of events, and Eric will be delving into what it (and the rest of your astrology) means for you in this year's reading.

If you're like me, getting true value for your money -- in the form of something that's beautiful or practical (preferably both) -- is a high priority. And I know of no other astrological audio readings that deliver the same level of audio quality, attention to detail, longevity (this reading will serve you long past your birthday month) and sincere, soul-level insight you'll actually use. Certainly not for this price: $24.95 for at least an hour of astrology in two segments, plus a third segment of astrology afterthoughts and a tarot reading.

You'll also get access to last year's reading for review, an extended sign description, the charts Eric used and photos of the tarot spread. Pre-order your Taurus birthday reading now for $24.95, and you won't feel like you're rushing to catch the discounted price when the reading is ready.

Yours & truly,

Amanda Painter

Taurus (April 19-May 20) -- You may feel like there is some mystery you're not understanding, or like you're under some pressure you have not given a name to. You may feel some relief with Saturday's Sun-Moon conjunction, and certainly when the Sun enters your birth sign on Monday the 20th. Here is the thing: you're actually working with quite a bit of information. You know more than you think you know. It's the sensation of not knowing, or of wondering, that is causing the distraction. If you focus on what you know rather than what you think you don't know, you will have something to build on. What you may discover is that you're of two different opinions about something important. Your chart suggests considering the possibility that they're both true. This is less about making a contradiction and more about resolving one.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) -- Fritz Perls, one of the co-founders of gestalt therapy, once said “lose your mind and come to your senses.” What you perceive in your immediate environment, what you notice and what you feel, all take priority over what you think. You'll know you're there because you feel less anxiety and less confusion. There's a connection between focusing on your senses and taking responsibility for your life. Said another way, one method of avoiding your life is by reducing things to concepts, rather than engaging with them directly as experiences. Therefore, speak directly to people and listen to them. Notice your environment and how you feel wherever you are. Most of all, focus on what you know is the most meaningful to you rather than what you 'think you're supposed to do'. That admission of personal meaning is a way of giving yourself permission to live your life your way.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- You may be struggling to stabilize certain elements of your career or professional life. It would, however, help if you thought in terms of your vocation rather than your career. A career is based on a pre-established path that in theory has a distinct beginning, middle and end. A vocation is what you're called to do, which you do because it's the thing to do. That's likely to include some element of confronting what has never been done before, where there are no prefabricated moves and few possibilities to have expectations. Said another way, you're not a careerist; you're a pioneer at something. You might want to begin with the possibility that you have a way of opening up new territory in whatever you do. That comes with special challenges. Recognize that and you're most of the way to rising to the occasion.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) -- The theme of leadership not only persists in your life, it's intensifying by the day. You know you have critical responsibilities, and that you're being looked to as an example. When the Sun changes signs Monday this will become even more apparent, as you now enter the phase in the year when you're at your most visible. If there's a point of tension, it's this: you're restless. You crave freedom of a kind you have not had in a long time, and which you may have decided no longer existed. There may seem to be no easy point of resolve between these two states. That does not, however, mean that there's no solution to the puzzle. But if there is one, it's going to come from having an original idea, which influences both sides of the equation -- the responsibility side and the restlessness side. By original idea I mean something other than doing the same things the same way.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) -- You seem to have had your mind on various challenges and entanglements, which seem to involve where a sexual situation meets a financial situation. Or maybe you've just been wrapped up in what seems like the chaos of another person's inner situation. That would not be possible if you were grounded in your own reality. Said another way, the only way another person's 'stuff' can confuse you is if you're already confused. Therefore I suggest you focus on yourself. That probably means setting aside the needs, the values and perhaps your involvement with someone else. That may feel daring, as this scenario seems to be fulfilling some deep need that you have even as it mixes you up. Yet I would propose that your need for grounding and stability is even more pressing, which you will discover once you get a taste how they feel.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) -- This is a positively crazy time to be a Libra, because all the usual things you need and crave seem to be unavailable. Let's see; first there is stability. That seems like a distant memory. Your solar chart describes you as pushed to one extreme after the next. Your definition of security seems to be changing to something like, 'When you're in an earthquake zone, it's best to live in a tent'. This is so contrary to the way you say you want to live that you could imagine that there's some cosmic purpose. I can propose such a theme. How do you maintain your integrity in times of unpredictability and erratic change, under constant stress? The answer can be said in one word: devotion. This is where all roads, all paths and all purposes lead for you. Where there is true devotion there can be no compromises, but one thing is sure: you must be flexible.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) -- Your chart is describing an interesting relationship scenario that may have a hint of polyamory. You seem to need some form of total focus in a relationship, while someone close to you has a lighter, breezier idea of what love is. You may think there's no meeting point between their perspective and yours. I would remind you that you can only meet someone where they are. I would also remind you that 'loving' is loving a person for who they are and not who we would have them be. This is better news for you than you may think. You would surely benefit from loosening up your ideas about relating to others. You might be stunned to find that as you encounter different ideas, you discover that they turn you on. You might start with a conversation, not the 'work it out' but the 'let's have fun' kind. Love is compersion: what turns you on turns me on.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) -- One topic consistently left out of astrology is the deeply emotional nature of those born under your sign. Astrology books talk about your derring-do, your globetrotting, your home that resembles an international youth hostel, and your need for space and for independence. Yet right now your charts are describing an emphasis on your inner reality, with the core quality being devotion. This is a special kind of devotion, centered on home and on your creative journey. I suggest you keep your focus inward, and if you bring other people into your space, make sure they are supportive, gentle and understanding. You are involved in coming to some deep realizations about who you are and what you feel called to do. And at the same time you're ready to take a new risk expressing yourself based on what you're now recognizing and accepting about yourself. There is no rush, not even for clarity -- what you're experiencing is beyond words.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) -- True confidence comes from the inside. It's also a misunderstood concept, taken to mean certainty or cockiness. It's no such thing. Confidence means 'with fidelity', which is another way of saying with faith, or with trust. Seen that way, it's based in uncertainty rather than a sense of knowing, but that can lead to a sublime kind of boldness that you would very much appreciate now. I suggest you work with this gently. Remember that confidence is something you build with experience rather than wait for; it's a process of slowly figuring it out. As part of that experience, it helps if you don't try to talk yourself out of anything, or make matters more complicated than they are. It's also clear that the talent or skill you think you're the least capable of is the one where you have the greatest gift. But I cannot convince you of that; you can, however, discover it if you want.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- You may have the feeling that the universe is expecting you to give and give, and get very little in return. If that's true, it's a testament to how much you have. Rather than cutting back, I suggest you keep making yourself available -- but only where you're appreciated, or where you understand that you're providing something even where you're not fully appreciated. Over the next few days, the strength of your position will become more apparent. The truth is, you are more grounded than nearly anyone around you. You understand the foundation you've built your life on. And you know it's necessary to be able to stay close to the edge in order to actually participate in a process of change. Right now people need your reassurance more than you need theirs, so remind them that you're paying attention and participating in their lives.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- You're at a state of your growth where you must engage with money and with the life of your soul as one thing. These two concepts are usually divided off and made to be not only different but antagonistic toward one another. You are now involved in a process of integrating them into one concept, one experience. The thing they have in common is that your money and your soul are both expressions of you. They are both manifestations of your energy. That is the way to think of whatever you make, touch, or change; that's the way to think of any interaction. One of the most significant problems we have in a society that's full of 'money issues' is the failure to see money as a direct extension of life force energy. While nearly everyone is busy amputating it or making it into some kind of abstraction, I suggest you focus and understand that in this world, use of financial resources is a core theme of evolution. Let that inform all your choices.

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