Zodiac Times

God measures our time by Zodiac Clock. I am an astrologer. I know how to read God's clock. But it is my business what I do with my alotted time. This is my spiritual journey.

Archive for October, 2008

FIXING AMERICAN ECONOMY

Posted by Ella Moss on October 27, 2008

Like all of us, I’ve been listening for weeks now of how the presidential candidates are proposing to fix our economy. This morning, McCain came out with all his financial advisers with the statement on how he would do it.
Well, his proposal scares me. But Obama’s take on the economy does not make me feel any better either.
As I was washing dishes and doing laundry, I came up with the following thoughts:

1) HOUSING CRISIS has been long overdue. Only a simpleton would think that real estate prices would always go up and never come down. The market rules apply here, as everywhere else. Since most of the housing market caters to middle class, as soon as it reaches unaffordability level for middle class, it has to go bust. That is called “Market Correction”, and that is what happened. In any capitalist society, these corrections must be allowed, otherwise it would hurt somewhere else.
Both presidential candidates are proposing eliminating or severely decreasing capital gain tax. But once Reagan decreased capital gain tax, speculation in real estate and taxes went rampant, contributing to the sad state of affairs we find ourselves in now.
2) FINANCIAL CRISIS was brought on by derivatives trading, made illegal in 1907 and made legal again in 2000 (?!), as well as by indiscriminate lending (mortgage and credit cards alike) – that can be brought under control by government intervention and better rules and regulations of financial industry – which is underway. But some market correction should be allowed as well, otherwise the problems will continue.
When your tooth aches, you should take a painkiller. But if you are not going to fix it, painkillers would hurt you further with side-effects.
I would be glad to see that any credit is substantiated by income tax returns and is based on actual ability to pay it back. But I would also update usury laws, making it illegal to charge more than 15% for any type of loan.
3) RECESSION has been brought on by squeeze of the middle class as much as by anything else. Besides housing prices going down, medical, tuition and everyday living (food, transport, etc.) costs went up, while income stagnated or went down. Squeeze the middle class’ discretionary income, and you would get automatic recession.
Any capitalist economy depends on the financial health of the middle class, and that is where all economic fixes must start.
Since medical expenses are almost universally a major problem, I would go with universal health care.
But it should not hurt small business with extra taxes or mandates, as Obama proposes. That is like amputating the head when you’ve got a headache.
In fact, small business (which is also middle class) already suffers from too many taxes and mandates.
Why would I hire an employee, if that means I have to add 50% expense to the employee’s wages via payroll tax, work-comp insurance, liability insurance, etc.??? I’d rather get me an independent contractor, who would do the same work for the same wage amnt, and save me $, paper-work and headache.
So how the universal medical insurance would be paid? Well, so many states already have good working models: Vermont, New York (health plus), etc.
On top of it, we have SSI model. So why not add Universal Medical Insurance to the income tax, and collect that tax in the specific UMI fund?
Moreover, as the main insurer, the government would be able to keep prescriptions and other costs down.
Granted, this would create a medical industry crisis. But I would rather take out the rotting tooth than kill my liver by constant intake of painkillers.
I would also do the same income tax special funds for unemployment and work-comp insurances and make them optional. Let it be the employee’s choice, rather then the employer’s problem.
In fact, I would eliminate social security altogether, and, instead, create livable pension fund where people are able to retire at the age of 70 keeping the same annual income level as shown on their last income tax return, and I would pay for it via the same optional contribution to the special Pension fund, collected via income tax. This way, our pensions will be our own responsibilities, and no employer will go bankrupt on that account. But we all would feel so much safer, knowing our retirement does not disappear in the bear stock market.
On the other hand, if one does not contribute to those optional funds, and something goes wrong – tough! It should not become the society problem.
I would also do the same with college tuition fund, doubling the taxable amount with each additional child. Then I would expect my child to be able to attend any college that accepts him based on his grades without extra tuition costs that may bankrupt me.
I would do the same with school tuition with the state income tax, and would add universal after-school care fund to that. This way, all public schools in a state would get equal funding, and there would be no additional costs for babysitters, extra-curriculum classes, etc.. Now, if you don’t have children, or your children have grown, you don’t have to contribute to that fund. I would, because these costs are now crippling my personal economy.
There should also be mandatory but separate funds within income tax for
defense
law & order
infrastructure
emergencies
general upkeep
foreign debt
etc
Then we would know where our money goes, and hopefully then such funds as foreign debt would become unnecessary (as we would not stand for that).
Am I proposing huge income taxes?
Actually, no, if you would consider how much business expense and personal expense would be spared instead, while huge financial risks are eliminated.
For example, the government gives me now something like $3,000 child credit for my son, but, in reality, he costs me no less than $12,000/ yr (that is without any college tuition savings, since I cannot afford them right now). Most of this money goes to babysitters and extra-curriculum classes.
If there was an universal after-school program in my state, it would cost the government less than $3,000 per child. The state would simply keep existing school buildings open till 7PM, and schools would hire a few extra-curriculum instructors (music, tennis, chess, etc.) – that would cost the schools significantly less, if payroll tax, work-comp, etc. become employees’ responsibility.
So I am not going to get my $3000 child credit. But I would save $7000 instead and use this $ to support the economy via my discretionary spending. I would not have to save this money for my retirement, because I would contribute to my pension via income tax fund. I would also save at least $4,000/ yr on my medical insurance. Overall, I would have a little more or the same discretionary income, but I would feel so much safer regarding my retirement, my child education, medical emergencies, etc.. On top of it, I would know exactly where my taxpayer money goes, and my say on account of government spending would have more effect.
Actually, in real numbers my fantasy proposal would look like this:
Let’s take a guy in minimum tax bracket who makes $36,000/ yr. He actually nets only $24,000. On top of it, he contributes to his medical insurance $220/mo.
His small business employer shells out $65,000 for the honor of keeping this guy as an employee:
He pays him $36,000, pays $18,000 in payroll tax, and the rest in work-comp, liability and medical insurances.
If my proposal ever saw the light, the employer would pay my guy $48,000 and shell out $2,000 on top in liability insurance. The worker would $24,000 in taxes, but would net the same amount. He would save additional $2,500 on medical insurance. So he would be $2,500 richer. The employer saves $15,000. So it is $17,500 going into supporting economy via spending.
Besides enriching economy by $17,500, both guys feel more secure regarding their future (medical problems, retirement, disability, unemployment, etc).
This taxation method would also have effect on ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION issue. Because then we would not care how people got into the country, as long as they pay income taxes and do not strain our economy.
I would also eliminate welfare altogether, and substitute it with unemployment and disability benefits instead. All those who have never been able to work can be subsidized in the same way they are now through the income tax disability fund I have suggested.
Other well-talked about issues are ENVIRONMENT and OUR DEPENDENCY ON FOREIGN OIL. They actually go hand-in-hand. I actually see the solution to both as a rather easy one:
I would have the government tax businesses that produce, import, or use the oil itself or any devices that must use oil, and use this tax money to give tax credit to all businesses that produce and develop clean technology, and devices able to use the clean technology. Money is always the greatest motivator. So, for instance, gas stations that sell only gasoline are taxed, and those who sell natural gas are given credit. You would see many gas stations then switching to natural gas, with car engines switching immediately following. That is what they do on most of the Caribbean Islands already: they import a car and fix the engine right away so it can operate on natural gas. But then they can fill up the tank with natural gas on any gas station there. We cannot. That’s why we still use gasoline.
But I am happy that oil is so expensive now: so the incentive to develop and use the alternative is so much greater.
The same applies to heating oil. Russia is much richer than the U.S. in oil, and much colder. But it uses steam to heat the houses.
If we could produce cheaper and cleaner electricity via nuclear technology, why should not our tax dollars pay for it? We would get our money back by paying less for utilities each month.
Yes, an accident at a nuclear facility is scary. But, honestly, it is such a remote possibility. And that guy from Texas – what’s his name?- who wants to build wind turbines also makes much sense to me.
Give him the tax credit! And tax the oil companies instead with the special oil + dirty energy tax!
I would also eliminate the present farm subsidies and subsidize the organic farms instead.
As to spur our economy on right now, please, start re-pairing roads, levies, and other infrastructure A.S.A.P.. Not only bridges fall down and whole cities get flooded because we have been ignoring our infrastructure for too long, think how many so needed jobs would be created if we get on with it now.
Jobs mean money to spend, that feeds businesses, which create more jobs in turn. Healthy economy means more taxes collected, less foreign debt, etc.
Most importantly, re-building infrastructure means jobs here in America and not in India or China.
Unfortunately, we will continue to invest into those nations’ employment (read: economy) instead of ours if businesses here would continue to pay 50%+ extra for each employee than the employee’s actual wages.
Well, too bad I am not running for office :-) )
But if I make any sense to you, please pass my musings along.

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FINANCIAL CRISIS: IT’S NOT OVER UNTIL IT’S OVER

Posted by Ella Moss on October 2, 2008

So the senate approved the bailout, and the house is soon to follow. Do you think, America, you would be able to exhale soon?
Here come predictions from the pen of an astrologer:

Astrologers base their predictions on horoscopes calculated for the precise time of birth at the place of birth (beginning), because they presume there is certain order in the Universe, and the time and place of birth define our position within that order. The position within the order in turn defines further development, as order limits the possible outcomes to a manageable number. The less there are possible outcomes, the more they become predictable.
Astrologers create horoscope for birth of people, countries, and everything else that has a known beginning.
Although no one can say with certainty they know when the U.S. was born, there is a consensus that this country came into being on or around 7/4/1776. Most of the astrologers favor either the chart with Gemini rising, which places the Moon at 18′ of Aquarius in 10th house, or the chart with Scorpio rising, which places the Moon at 25′ of Aquarius in the 4th house. After 9/11, the other chart, called “Sibly” became popular – because when astrologers are uncertain of the time of birth/ beginning, they attempt to rectify charts (finding more probable birth time) based on dramatic pivotal events. The Sibly charts gives the U.S. Sagittarius ascendant, and places the Moon at 27′ degrees of Aquarius.
All other planets remain in the same degree, because they move much more slowly then the Moon or house cusps. Thus, all three the most popular U.S. horoscopes place Venus at 3′ of Cancer.
Venus is the planet that is always associated with money and relationships. And my predictions of the Horrible Economic Depression (greater than the Great One) are based on upcoming planetary assault on the U.S. Venus.
Interestingly enough, history confirms that conditions are ripe. Here is what Wikipedia says about economic causes of the Great Depression of 1929: “Although its causes are still uncertain, the basic cause was a sudden loss of confidence in the economic future. The traditional explanation is a combination of high consumer debt, ill-regulated markets that permitted malfeasance by banks and investors, cutbacks in foreign trade, and growing wealth inequality, all interacting to create a downward economic spiral of reduced spending and production”. Sounds familiar? Are not we in debt up our ears now? Have not our ill-regulated markets permeated malfeasance by banks and investors? Don’t we have growing wealth inequality? The famous “Trickle-down economy” that keeps on trickling up instead? This is 2008, but, obviously, we do not learn from history.
So here is what the planets say about now, which is the setting for the next 5 years:
The Moon’s nodes are passing over MC/IC axis in the “Scorpio” U.S. chart. In “Gemini rising” chart, they have just past the Moon and are about to pass over MC/ IC axis. The Moon’s nodes going over the luminaries and / or chart’s angles herald major changes of direction that are brought on by a pivotal event.
In the “Gemini rising” chart, Jupiter, “The great Exaggerator”, also opposes the U.S. Sun in the second house of $$$, while the Moon that is reeling from nodal transit rules that $$$ house.
BUT THIS IS JUST A BEGINNING!…
In December of 2008, Pluto settles in Capricorn.
Pluto is so tiny, that it was even demoted by astronomers from planetary status. But astrologers, and all who went through a major Pluto transits and lived to tell about it, know better. Pluto is “the Wrecking Ball” of the zodiac. Its mighty punch is so painful, that we either die or transform.
When it went through Scorpio, its own sign, that deals with abuse, taxes, sex, death and rebirth, we had Reaganomics, and AIDS epidemic. Now Pluto is ending its 13 yrs transit through Sagittarius, the sign of religion, philosophy, foreign relations, higher studies and judicial systems. The costs of colleges went through the roof, religious fanaticism rose to the point of Global War of Terror, and we scaled down democracy by adopting “The Patriot Act” and torture procedures.
Pluto screws with our heads by making us compulsive-obsessive with regards to wherever it is at the moment. When it was in sex, death and taxes sign, we obsessed on those topics. When it went through religion sign, we lost our sobriety on account of faith.
So now it is at the door of Capricorn, the sign of government and corporate structures, of rules and regulations, of fear and ambition. So in the next 15 years, expect us obsessing in fear on rules and regulations, while being overly ambitious, and while all government, political and corporate structures undergo DEMOLITION. Some societies will die, others will be transformed.
By the way, there is another possible U.S. chart, based on letters of John Adams, who pinpoints America’s birth at 7/2/1776 at about quarter to noon in Philadelphia. That chart would have the U.S. Venus at 0′ of Cancer, so the wrecking ball (Pluto) may come to the U.S. economy (Venus) as early as December of 2008.
If any other chart is correct, February is a more likely time of reckoning.
Since economy always dictates politics, we are likely to see global powers falling like dominoes.
By the end of November of 2009, we would begin to cry for mercy, as our economy would get completely stalled: Saturn, the planet of lack and limitations, joins Pluto, the Terminator, in the assault on the U.S. Venus, the planet of Money. It begins to squeeze it from Libra, the sign of relationships and justice. So as global trade gets restructured, we get the foul end of the deal. Saturn would limit our reach into the packets of other countries. We may face the retribution for our misadventures on foreign soil and/ or for amassing huge deficit (read “debt to other countries”).
In 2010, we may begin to exhale, hoping that the worst is behind us, only to be hit below the belt in the summer of that year. I am favoring 8/01/10 as another historic date – when the world is going to shake from the thud of the falling giant hitting the ground.
This is how it is going to come about from the planetary point of view:
By June of 2010, Jupiter and Uranus join forces in Aries and enter the war on the U.S. Venus. You may say, they join the robbery in progress of American public.
Uranus operates by coming out of left field with a sudden shocking occurrence. It rules electricity, and it always aims to shock the system. Jupiter always exaggerates and blows things out of proportion. After all, it is the Planet of Plenty. Put these two together, and you get an immense unexpected shock to the system. Since they are going to square the U.S. Venus, the Planet of Money, we are going to go through an immense sudden expense (another BAILOUT, much bigger than the present one?).
On 8/1/2010, Mars, the planet of war that always acts like a trigger, joins Saturn in Libra in squeezing daylights out of the poor U.S. Venus, while Pluto in retrograde motion is circling around that Venus, and Jupiter with Uranus deliver huge shocks to it from Aries, the sign of war and ragged individualism.
You can envision the conclusion.
By the way, according to known U.S.A charts, the only planetary culprit for Great Depression of 1929 was Uranus, assaulting the U.S. Sun from Aries, with Saturn playing a secondary fiddle in Gemini rising and Sibly charts. Interestingly, Saturn in November of 1929 was traversing the same degrees of Sagittarius, as Pluto does now.
With Pluto being so much mightier than Saturn, the 2010 bro-ha-ha is going to be MUCH BIGGER. Those of us who will live past 2014, will be able to tell the tale, and they would give it an appropriate name. But by 2015, Pluto will be done with the U.S Venus and Sun. Other planets will fall off sooner than that.
Meanwhile, in May of 2010 I am planning to stock up on all non-perishable food I am going to be able to find.
Whoever wins the 2008 elections is going to be at the helm of the wildest ride ever.
As Chinese saying goes, blessed are those who live during interesting times.

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