Gary Brand Astrology

U.S. REPORT CARD
by Gary Brand - written 1/7/2004, published in the February 2004 edition of Echo newspaper

Saturn conjunct the U.S. Sun in Cancer is a time for us to be introspective and to grade ourselves as a nation. Pick up any astrology text on transits and you will find Saturn conjunct the Sun in a person's or a nation's chart means a time to evaluate past actions and decisions to determine if they were justified and representative of long-term goals. It is a time to hold ourselves and the nation accountable. Yes, it's Report Card time for the U.S. What are this country's grades? Who better to evaluate this nation than its citizens? Here are some issues upon which to make your evaluation but don't hesitate to think of more.

Domestic Issues:
Grade America on our development of non-consumptive energy sources A B C D F
Grade America on our conservation of non-renewable energy resources A B C D F
Health care coverage (A = universal for all citizens like every other highly developed country) A B C D F
Grade Americans on their ability to maintain their ideal weight A B C D F
Grade America on protection of individual Constitutional rights despite fear of terrorism A B C D F
American sanctity of marriage (we have the highest divorce rate of all highly developed nations) A B C D F
Grade America on our efforts to lower unemployment A B C D F
Grade American respect for and protection of the environment A B C D F
Grade this country's actions to lower the high rates of violent crimes and firearm deaths A B C D F
Grade Americans' dependency on prescription drugs (A = much less dependent than in the past) A B C D F
Grade America on our concern about and progress made to lower the rate of homelessness A B C D F
Grade the U.S. tax structure on its fairness and whether it is equitably applied and enforced A B C D F
Grade corporate executives on their accountability, integrity and concern for their workers A B C D F
Grade the impact that the Bush tax cuts have had on your finances A B C D F
Grade the Bush administration on creating record-breaking budget deficits A B C D F
Grade the media on its lack of courage in confronting or challenging current government policies A B C D F
Grade Bush on his stature (unlike Clinton, everywhere Bush goes there are protests) A B C D F
Grade the country on the unprecedented national, corporate and personal debt (A = no debt) A B C D F

Foreign Issues:
Grade Bush's performance in convincing allies to join the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq A B C D F
Grade Bush's ability to convince you that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction or ties to terrorists A B C D F
Grade Bush's emphasis on bilateral trade agreements that result in further exportation of U.S. jobs A B C D F
Grade Bush's preying on the public's fear of terrorism to gain support for his personal agendas A B C D F
Grade Bush's attempt to create an equitable peace agreement between the Palestinians and Israel A B C D F
Bush's refusal to join most other industrialized nations in signing the Kyoto clean air protocols A B C D F
Grade U.S. efforts to seek U.N. support for Bush foreign policies A B C D F
Grade the current image that the world, in general, has of America A B C D F

Now grade your personal contributions to making this a better nation (and World):
Score an A if you are leading a simpler, less stressful life than you did a year ago A B C D F
Score an A if you spend a lot more quality time with family and friends than you did a year ago A B C D F
Give yourself an A if you are working in a career that is personally and financially satisfying A B C D F
Score an A if you don't watch TV at all, a B if you watch less TV than you did a year ago A B C D F
Score an A if you buy based on need rather than because of fad, fashion, peer or advertising pressure A B C D F
Give yourself an A if you try to buy from environmentally friendly or fair labor practice companies A B C D F
Score an A if you own significantly fewer possessions than you did a year ago A B C D F
Score an A if you recycle everything possible and minimize buying products packaged in plastic A B C D F
Give yourself an A if you drive a fuel-efficient, older car; an F if you drive an SUV or other gas hog A B C D F
Score an A if you eat organic foods, avoid prescription drugs and take responsibility for your health A B C D F
Score an A if you do volunteer work helping those less fortunate than you A B C D F
Score an A if you don't talk on a cell phone while driving (or don't own a cell phone) A B C D F
Give yourself an A if you don't own stock in multi-national corporations A B C D F
Score an A if you regularly hike in the National Park, a B if you hike regularly elsewhere A B C D F
Give yourself an A if you have no credit card debt A B C D F

How similar or dissimilar are the grades you gave the nation in the first two sections versus the grades you gave yourself in the third section? If you scored an overall A or B in the third section, congratulate yourself on your personal contributions to improving this country. If the grades you gave the nation are poor, what can you do to improve these conditions?

Good Timing and Location are Keys to Success
Gary Brand Astrologer, Charlottesville, Virginia
Gary Brand, Astrologer
P.O. Box 3673, Tallahassee, Florida 32315
850-656-5758

Gary Brand Astrology *Good Timing and Location are Keys to Success*	return to homepage
Articles Index U.S. REPORT CARD *by Gary Brand - written 1/7/2004, published in the February 2004 edition of Echo* newspaper** Saturn conjunct the U.S. Sun in Cancer is a time for us to be introspective and to grade ourselves as a nation. Pick up any astrology text on transits and you will find Saturn conjunct the Sun in a person's or a nation's chart means a time to evaluate past actions and decisions to determine if they were justified and representative of long-term goals. It is a time to hold ourselves and the nation accountable. Yes, it's Report Card time for the U.S. What are this country's grades? Who better to evaluate this nation than its citizens? Here are some issues upon which to make your evaluation but don't hesitate to think of more. Domestic Issues: Grade America on our development of non-consumptive energy sources A B C D F Grade America on our conservation of non-renewable energy resources A B C D F Health care coverage (A = universal for all citizens like every other highly developed country) A B C D F Grade Americans on their ability to maintain their ideal weight A B C D F Grade America on protection of individual Constitutional rights despite fear of terrorism A B C D F American sanctity of marriage (we have the highest divorce rate of all highly developed nations) A B C D F Grade America on our efforts to lower unemployment A B C D F Grade American respect for and protection of the environment A B C D F Grade this country's actions to lower the high rates of violent crimes and firearm deaths A B C D F Grade Americans' dependency on prescription drugs (A = much less dependent than in the past) A B C D F Grade America on our concern about and progress made to lower the rate of homelessness A B C D F Grade the U.S. tax structure on its fairness and whether it is equitably applied and enforced A B C D F Grade corporate executives on their accountability, integrity and concern for their workers A B C D F Grade the impact that the Bush tax cuts have had on your finances A B C D F Grade the Bush administration on creating record-breaking budget deficits A B C D F Grade the media on its lack of courage in confronting or challenging current government policies A B C D F Grade Bush on his stature (unlike Clinton, everywhere Bush goes there are protests) A B C D F Grade the country on the unprecedented national, corporate and personal debt (A = no debt) A B C D F Foreign Issues: Grade Bush's performance in convincing allies to join the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq A B C D F Grade Bush's ability to convince you that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction or ties to terrorists A B C D F Grade Bush's emphasis on bilateral trade agreements that result in further exportation of U.S. jobs A B C D F Grade Bush's preying on the public's fear of terrorism to gain support for his personal agendas A B C D F Grade Bush's attempt to create an equitable peace agreement between the Palestinians and Israel A B C D F Bush's refusal to join most other industrialized nations in signing the Kyoto clean air protocols A B C D F Grade U.S. efforts to seek U.N. support for Bush foreign policies A B C D F Grade the current image that the world, in general, has of America A B C D F Now grade your personal contributions to making this a better nation (and World): Score an A if you are leading a simpler, less stressful life than you did a year ago A B C D F Score an A if you spend a lot more quality time with family and friends than you did a year ago A B C D F Give yourself an A if you are working in a career that is personally and financially satisfying A B C D F Score an A if you don't watch TV at all, a B if you watch less TV than you did a year ago A B C D F Score an A if you buy based on need rather than because of fad, fashion, peer or advertising pressure A B C D F Give yourself an A if you try to buy from environmentally friendly or fair labor practice companies A B C D F Score an A if you own significantly fewer possessions than you did a year ago A B C D F Score an A if you recycle everything possible and minimize buying products packaged in plastic A B C D F Give yourself an A if you drive a fuel-efficient, older car; an F if you drive an SUV or other gas hog A B C D F Score an A if you eat organic foods, avoid prescription drugs and take responsibility for your health A B C D F Score an A if you do volunteer work helping those less fortunate than you A B C D F Score an A if you don't talk on a cell phone while driving (or don't own a cell phone) A B C D F Give yourself an A if you don't own stock in multi-national corporations A B C D F Score an A if you regularly hike in the National Park, a B if you hike regularly elsewhere A B C D F Give yourself an A if you have no credit card debt A B C D F How similar or dissimilar are the grades you gave the nation in the first two sections versus the grades you gave yourself in the third section? If you scored an overall A or B in the third section, congratulate yourself on your personal contributions to improving this country. If the grades you gave the nation are poor, what can you do to improve these conditions? Good Timing and Location are Keys to Success Gary Brand Astrologer, Charlottesville, Virginia Gary Brand, Astrologer P.O. Box 3673, Tallahassee, Florida 32315 850-656-5758
© 2004 Gary Brand. All Rights Reserved.