New Discussion thread
Flurry of Fury
With his progressed Moon conjunct his natal Mars, Donald J. Trump is in the midst of an agitated, angry and aggressive month, even by his odious standards. This will peak on or about April 4. The first big trigger came on the March 16- 17 weekend, known for an unparalleled and vicious tweetstorm emanating from the White House. We are about to experience the next big activation, which is likely to be an extremely dramatic rage attack no doubt corresponding to the release of some aspects of the Mueller report. March 24 to March 26 will bring the transit of Mars square to Trump’s Mars/progressed Moon (26Leo47).
It should be noted that March 26 is also the culmination of the final Uranus transit square to the Inaugural Sun (00Aquarius50), which suggests a big final punch in the gut from the Special Council’s report. As mentioned, Trumpian fury will continue through April 4, with another trigger on April 1 due to the transiting Sun sesquiquadrate.
A more lasting transit, which I have not previously mentioned, is the Pluto transit quincunx Trump’s Sun (22Gemini55), currently running from February 10 to May 26 and then picking up again from December 16 through January 15, 2020. This combination brings an ongoing feeling of power struggle to Trump, a sense that survival depends on fighting a fierce battle. He already has a Sun semisquare to Pluto in his natal chart, although with a wide orb. Thus, this tension is a natural state for him that is currently greatly exacerbated by current events, such as the Mueller Report and the various other investigations that are dogging him.
As noted in previous posts, the Jupiter transit in Sagittarius is largely protective of Trump and will enable him to expand his power and maintain his grandiose confidence through May 2019. By mid-June, however, there begins to be a dangerous shift towards significant aggression in the country. Essentially, mid-June through early September will see the combination of transiting Uranus semisquare US Mars (21Gemini23), transiting Uranus square to US Node (6Aquarius36), and transiting Pluto quincunx US Mars (21Gemini23). Already Fox News and the White House propaganda machine are sowing seeds of civil war in case the various investigations get out of control of the Orange Sociopath. A wag-the-dog war is also a distinct possibility. This planetary combination portends a dangerous and violent summer, also possibly including some fierce storms that cause havoc.
I can only predict that the end result of this highly-charged and bellicose period will be a depressing and diminishing time for the country and for Trump. From July 28 through October 23, transiting Saturn will be especially strong and bring us back to a painful reality that is the consequence of rash and angry actions earlier in the summer. The Saturn station square to Saturn in the US chart (14Libra48) runs from July 29 through October 22. It suggests a very humbling experience on the world stage and likely a contraction financially (Saturn rules the US second house of resources). The same Saturn station will also be sesquiquadrate to Trump’s Ascendant (29Leo55) and opposite Venus (14Cancer25) in the Trump/US composite chart. This suggests personal and health difficulties for Trump and a loss in popularity during this time. Later in the year, Pluto will return to quincunx US Mars from October 2 through November 29, so a further period of aggressive policy in some form is probable, although it seems unlikely to benefit Trump in 2020..
Where is the Rule of Law?
The biggest question in my mind is whether the rule of law will hold firm or whether a seductive cult of personality is so sweeping the nation that widespread corruption and criminal behavior will simply become the new normal, with any accountability swept down the rabbit hole of rationalization and willful ignorance. Increasingly inflamed on a daily basis, a pervasive addiction to outrage, symbiotically joined with a malignant enthrallment by carnival barker Trump, is overwhelming the minds of far too many Americans. Will the Justice Department, including the courts, as well as the newly elected House of Representatives, be strong enough to hold the line? It seems to me this is the question that underlies everything else right now.
We are currently in a very potent period of Jupiter impacting several planets in Trump’s chart, from mid-February through the end of May, although this energy is somewhat muted from March 11 to April 26. In general, this configuration suggests rising poll numbers and a kind of Teflon ability to withstand almost anything, no matter the viciousness or dishonesty of his words or the revealed egregiousness of his scandals. There is a general mood of confidence and grandiosity that cannot be quenched, most especially from March 1 to March 11 and April 26 to May 10, during which both Jupiter and Pluto are in aspect to Trump’s natal Sun (22Gemini55). During the current period, we have thus far witnessed a rise in his poll numbers despite the revealing testimony of Michael Cohen and the humiliating outcome in the negotiations with North Korea. In addition, we have seen the self-aggrandizing, somewhat bizarre, and grievance-filled speech given at CPAC, a speech that would have ended the career of anyone else in the entire country. Instead, it served to only further inflate Trump’s sense that he can do anything and the beguiled crowds will still love him. During this first phase of Jupiter and Pluto impacting Trump’s Sun (3/1 to 3/11), we may yet see his first veto of the Congress’ attempt to stop his national emergency declaration and perhaps even an ill-conceived pardon for someone who acted to protect him.
It should be noted that the combined Jupiter transit, aspecting his Sun, Moon, and Node, will return again briefly from October 11 to October 29, 2019. I encourage all who are reading this to understand that these are the times – mid-February though late May and mid to late October 2019 – when Trump’s poll numbers will rise no matter how preposterous it may seem.
Also of concern in the immediate future is the strengthening of Mars in both Trump’s chart and the Inaugural chart which, combined, are likely to bring some very aggressive actions. His mood is likely to be angry, vengeful, and rash. From March 10 to April 4, dissipating over the following days, will be Trump’s progressed Moon conjunct natal Mars (26Leo47). This volatile configuration will be further inflamed by the transit of the Sun quincunx natal Mars on March 16 and 17, and, more potently, by the transit of Mars square to natal Mars, from March 24 to March 26. To add fuel to this fire, and the likelihood of little successful pushback against it, transiting Jupiter will be stationary square to Inaugural Mars (24Pisces22) and semisquare to Inaugural Moon (9Scorpio22), from March 17 to April 11. Any repercussions to the actions that come during this period will not be noticed until later, perhaps beginning in August when various Saturn transits will force some limits and consequences to our out-of-control Chief of State. In the meantime, hold on to your hats.
Discussion Thread
Dangerous Waters
The path of pointless destruction and cruelty wrought by the recent Trump temper tantrum, a.k.a. the government shutdown, is, for now, behind us. Unfortunately, our ignoble leader promises yet more mayhem if he doesn’t get his way after three weeks of negotiation. Nonetheless, we have been allowed a small ray of light in a dark and gloomy time. Someone adult enough within the government, the Speaker in the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, managed to send our Toddler in Chief to his metaphorical room, albeit briefly, and punish him for his egregious misbehavior. In a delicious moment of Schadenfreude, his total abdication in the shutdown negotiations is being universally proclaimed as a colossal failure and significant political slap. If only our screaming toddler could learn from his lessons.
Meanwhile, the somnolent Congress is showing a spark of life in its discussions of a possible bipartisan bill to end government shutdowns forever. The idea is to mandate a continuing resolution to continue government services if the two sides can’t agree on financial decisions. From out here in the peanut gallery, where the real consequences of government stupidity and malfeasance are felt, this seems like a fabulous idea. Please remove this hideously dangerous toy from the arsenal of our Sociopath in Chief.
From a larger and more important perspective, however, the underlying problem in most of today’s difficulties is the vastly increasing inequality of wealth. This leads to political and financial decisions favoring those in the highest income brackets while barely considering the impact on those who suffer the consequences. Most government regulations and restrictions are in place to protect citizens from the rapacious grasping of the financial elites, whether it is the unscrupulousness of lenders and landlords or the cavalier attitudes of corporate polluters. The removal of these restrictions mostly serves the powerful and harms the powerless.
The significant tension in this struggle over societal wealth, equitable taxation, and how actual power is distributed is coming to a head during the passage of Pluto in Capricorn, roughly from 2008 through 2024. The last time Pluto was in Capricorn was at the time when the American colonies could no longer tolerate the oppression of their overlords and declared war on the British, resulting in a power struggle of epic proportions. The American Revolution lasted from 1775 to 1783, during the last three years of Pluto in Capricorn and the first five years of Pluto in Aquarius, which lasted from 1778 through 1798. The American Constitution was written during this 18th Century passage of Pluto in Aquarius.
We will again enter Pluto in Aquarius from 2024 through 2044. It seems likely the main thrust of this period will be a focus on reestablishing greater equality of wealth and power in society. The underlying theme of Aquarius is an innate understanding that all of us are a part of the same human family and should be treated with equal respect while celebrating our diversity. In the present, we can already see the simmering buildup in energy toward this goal, as the current imbalances create greater and greater discord and suffering. But it seems likely that real change in this regard will not be possible until 2024 and beyond.
The most important question in the near term is how much and how effectively Trump and his GOP minions in the Senate can be restrained from doing yet more damage, in some cases irreversible damage, to the country and to the world. Unfortunately, the news is mixed. Despite the shutdown abdication, we still have the extreme danger of an impulse-driven, narcissist in the White House, who by definition does nothing that is not self-serving and barely comprehends or cares about the harm he does to everyone else along the way. The government shutdown is prime example of this process.
Astrologically speaking, the failure of the current round of government by hostage taking, as well as the increasing danger of the Mueller investigation to the administration as evidenced by the Roger Stone indictment, have both come during the first crossing of Saturn square to the US 10th house Saturn (14Libra48), from January 22 to January 30, and the simultaneous transit of Saturn sesquiquadrate Trump’s Ascendant (29Leo55) , from January 23 to January 31. This brief period may be described as one of imposed restraint, threat, and failure for the administration (10th house), as well as personal restriction and loss for Trump (sesquiquadrate to his Ascendant). It has also caused financial strain in the country, with Saturn in the US chart as ruler of the 2nd house (Capricorn on the cusp). The same Saturn transit will return from July 28 through October 23, 2019, suggesting a much more protracted period of restriction and failure for the administration and a strain on the country at that time.
There is, however, a period of extreme danger fomented by an out-of-control, megalomaniacal Trump with little effective restraint and moments of perceived success between February 11 and May 31, with the most dangerous times being from March 1 through March 11 and again from April 26 through May 10. Not only will Jupiter be crossing opposite his Sun (22Gemini55) during these times, but it will be triggering a very stressful transit of Pluto quincunx his Sun (February 10 to May 26). He will feel himself in the power struggle of his life (Pluto/Sun) while at the same time responding in full force, expanding his power to the maximum (Jupiter/Sun). A declaration of a national emergency or other unilateral action cannot be ruled out during this period.
During the time from March 12 to April 4, notably between the Jupiter/Sun/Pluto shock and awe energy, Trump’s progressed Moon will conjunct his natal Mars, suggesting rabid aggression and anger. And finally, we should note that from February 22 through March 26, Trump will experience the final crossing of Uranus square to the Inaugural Sun (00Aquarius50), likely to bring many unexpected and forceful upsets, including possible dramatic actions by Mueller, as well as global or domestic crises of some kind.
All in all, this three-and-a-half month period from mid-February to late May 2019 seems likely to bring us Trump excessively pushing the limits of his power, with some seeming initial successes followed by significant trouble by late July and beyond. Somehow, we have to weather the coming storm and hope that our Captain Pelosi can somehow navigate the disturbingly turbulent waters.