I have never met astrologer and market analyst, Raymond Merriman, but I have been reading his weekly columns for a couple of months now, and I really like his approach. It’s the astrology I know and love— with focus on patterns rather than predictions. He never says the market will move up today, or down today (which can kill you if you bet on it and it turns out wrong), but he does call potential turning points, market peaks and troughs. And most of his calls are right on.

He also wrote a pretty good book on Solar Returns, and several books on market cycles.

Anyway, he just posted his commentary for next week, and I really like what he said about the upcoming presidential election. I’m posting an excerpt here, and I encourage you to go to his website and read the entire post. You’ll find the election commentary under “Longer-Term Thoughts.”

“Fear Sells.â€? It’s a mantra that I have written about for the past 7 years that would dominate public consciousness throughout this decade, and into the next. It is the mantra politicians will exhort more and more in their quest to get voters to vote against their opponent (and for them). It is the mantra of negativity that doesn’t really win elections, but rather defeats the other side by placing doubts into voter’s minds about the electability – or the ability to govern fairly in regards to the needs of all the people – by the opponent….

I bring this up because we are in the beginning stages of one of the most heated presidential races in the history of the United States. And the first passage if the Saturn-Uranus opposition – November 4, 2008 – is on the day of that Presidential Election. On Friday, April 25, the “What’s Newsâ€? section on the front page of the Wall Street Journal, posted two pertinent snippets. The first stated that “The U.S. said it found Iranian arms caches in Iraq…. The charges mark a hardening of U.S. rhetoric on Iran, which it now calls the greatest long-term threat to Iraq.â€? Does it sound like the trumpet roll to… “Fear Sells,â€? as we approach the campaign season?…

Why is it that major elections – and leaders of political parties – seem to no longer inspire confidence and hope? Maybe, just maybe, with Saturn in opposition to Uranus, one candidate can emerge who will break this depressing pattern of 21st century America. After all, Saturn represents patterns, and Uranus represents change and the breaking of old ways. Saturn also represents the old guard, and Uranus represents youth. This election will likely be about those two opposite ends of the spectrum. There should be a real clear distinction between the candidates this time – about as clear as black and white, young and old, and maybe hope and fear.

Thank you, Mr. Merriman. From your keyboard to God’s ears.