NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Will President Barack Obama win re-election? Is the world going to end on Dec. 21, as some say the Mayan calendar predicts? Will the economy ever improve? According to the 1,500 astrologers contemplating planetary alignments this week in New Orleans, the answers are- yes, no, and yes.
The astrologers, representing 30 countries, are in the city’s famed French Quarter for the United Astrology Conference held every four years. They say their work goes beyond the entertainment of horoscopes, tarot cards, and palm readings. Instead, they rely on the in-depth study of our solar system. This year, there is no shortage of predictions.
“If you thought that the election of 2000 race was crazy, that’s nothing compared to what’s going to happen in November of 2012,” said astrologer Michael Lutin. Lutin has been an astrology columnist for Vanity Fair magazine for 25 years. “Don’t count on anything being smooth.” That’s because Mercury — the planet of communication, tabulation, and transportation — goes into what’s known as retrograde on Nov. 6, Election Day.
In astrology, retrograde refers to the optical illusion of a planet moving backward, and this illusion causes changes and disturbances in areas of life represented by that planet. In 2000, Mercury was in retrograde when controversy swirled in Florida over the election recount that took center stage in the race. The highly anticipated vote was between George W. Bush and Al Gore in the swing state of Florida, and the election outcome wasn’t known for more than a month after the balloting.