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As someone who came from Southeast Asia, I am no stranger to astrology. And I’m inclined to consult the occult when it comes to picking important leaders – the president of the United States, for instance. Pick one with lousy karma, and the whole country might go to pot. 

Sure, I’ve considered Bush’s tax cut promises and Gore’s pledges on education, and I fret over Bush choosing Supreme Court justices and Gore’s lack of charisma. But when all is said and done, the two don’t seem to differ greatly. Both are political animals controlled by big money, and there’s no telling what they would do under pressure. 

So, if you are as undecided as I am, you might want information about our two candidates that is not available in the mainstream media. 

Al Gore’s sign is Earth and his running mate, Joe Lieberman’s is Water. Gore was born March 31, 1948 at 12:53 PM with his Moon in Capricorn, Sun in Aries and his Mercury in Pisces. 

George W. Bush, in contrast, is the sign of Fire, and his running mate Dick Cheney is Metal. Born July 6, 1946, Bush’s Sun is in Cancer and his Moon is in Libra. 

This means that both Gore and Bush picked atrologically compatible running mates. 

“Water and Earth imply growth and productivity,” observed my mother who knows something about astrology. “It might mean more biotechnology breakthroughs.” The bad side, she said, “is that it could mean plagues and flood and natural disasters if they run the country.” 

Fire and Metal, my mother suggested, imply scientific progress, strong civilization and military strength. The bad side, and this is very bad, is that a strong military could lead to war. 

So, who’s my mom going to vote for? 

“Bush and Cheney.” 

Why? 

“Their faces have good feng-shui, especially Cheney. Auspicious for the country.” My mother may be biased, having voted Republican for the last two decades. 

So I went to Horoscope.com, the Internet’s oracle. 

Gore, it said, can be bold, brash and impatient. “Other aspects of his chart affect this, though, making him appear much different. The influence of Aries brings into play his role as an action guy and a good initiator.” 

Horoscope.com went on, “Gore’s Moon in Capricorn simply reaffirms that he’s a go-getter. Even if it takes a lifetime, he will achieve his goals.” 

Does this mean the vice president will run again if he loses? Help! 

For Bush, Horoscope.com has this to say: “His Mercury in Leo shows him to be an excellent talker. He can keep an audience enraptured by his storytelling abilities. He has the rare gift of making almost everything he says interesting and entertaining.” 

The downside? 

“He may be prone to exaggerate, but this gift will certainly be appreciated by those who must sit through hours of political speeches.” 

And I thought Gore was the exaggerator?! 

“His Mercury also conjuncts Pluto. Couple that with his Sun squaring Jupiter and you have a man who may be following a blind faith and preaching about something that isn’t quite real.” 

Does that mean war? Horoscope.com doesn’t provide an answer. 

Still confused, I cast the I-Ching at Iching.com. For Bush it says: “Do not be too assertive at this time, for if you try to direct things, you are liable to become confused or alienated ... Strive for a pure natural responsiveness based on inner strength rather than outer show.” 

I take it that the I Ching is telling him to keep doing what he’s doing pray for the best. 

For Gore the I-Ching seems hard to interpret: “During a period of abundance, it benefits one to show benevolence....Think of good deeds now as a hedge against times of scarcity in the future. This reading bodes well in the raising of children.... “ 

Is this why he doesn’t want to squander the budget surplus? Or will Gore lose the election and end up raising his kids in the private sector? 

The I-Ching doesn’t have straightforward answers of course, which is a problem with oracles in general. 

OK. After all this research, who am I going to vote for? 

I admit, I still don’t know. I’m a Gemini and am always of two minds. 

But my moon is in Taurus, and I am the sign of Water which makes me a bit unpredictable. 

Maybe Ralph Nader. 

PNS commentator Andrew Lam is a journalist and short story writer