Starlight News Blog

Watching Donald Trump’s immigration speech last week brought to mind the savageness of a Nazi rally scapegoating the Jews. The underlying viciousness of the message was clear: those evil illegals, the source of all of our problems, are raping and murdering our people and destroying our country.  It is hard to believe that this barbarity and darkness has come to mainstream America in what we like to think of as “the land of the free and the home of the brave.”  On the political right, at least, it seems more like the land of the duped and the home of the rabid. Meanwhile, craven politicians and mercenary media shills are succumbing to the plague.

The media, with their love of sensationalism and their nauseating insistence of false equivalence, are particularly culpable. They would have us believe that Hillary’s email “scandal”, which harmed no one and leaked nothing, is somehow on a par with The Donald’s long list of destructive marauding. While Trump managed to enrich himself at every turn, he left behind countless thousands with nothing to show for their money which somehow, amazingly, ended up in his pockets. The aggrieved list includes: the students at Trump University; the contractors who never got paid; the stiffed investors in Atlantic City; the hundreds of financially drained victims of Trump’s malicious lawsuits; to name only those who come immediately to mind. Any one of these stories seems, by multiple orders of magnitude, far worse than some sloppy email filings. And yet, here we are, with the false narrative of Hillary’s untrustworthiness taking hold and rivaling Trump’s almost nonstop, boastful dishonesty and slippery manipulations.

To those who have contributed to the normalization of all things Trump, including those too intimidated by his bluster and his threats and those who are more interested in political or financial power than the good of the community and the country, I say to you Shame!!. Your complete lack of integrity has contributed to a growing, nationwide inability to discern truth from fiction, or to discern real issues from made-up tropes. It is time for some inner effort from national leaders, especially in the Republican Party and in the media, to face and discuss reality and fact rather than indulge in feel-good self-righteousness and false, self-aggrandizing indignation. It is time to wake up and smell the coffee, or the coffee will bubble over and not only burn you but possibly burn the whole house down.

………………………………………

It is hard not see Trump running into some more trouble over the next ten days, with transiting Saturn moving into a sesquiquadrate with his natal Venus (25Cancer44) through September 17.  There is also the transiting Pluto station currently sesquiquadrate his natal Ascendant (29Leo55) and square to his natal Chiron (14Libra55) through October 2, a configuration that not only puts him into the midst of a major power struggle but also constantly attacks his vulnerable sense of self-worth (2^nd house Chiron), which he skillfully hides within the brazenness of his narcissistic ramblings. It seems likely that the constant political attacks are getting under his skin.

The one positive aspect coming up for Trump is the tertiary Venus conjunction to his Ascendant from October 10 through November 8. This may add to his popularity and contribute to some tightening of the polls. But the concurrent tertiary Sun conjunct tertiary Neptune through October seems likely to infuse some unrealistic and grandiose expectations into the mix that will be dashed with the election.

Hillary has been on somewhat of a holding pattern in the last several weeks. That is about to change with enough Jupiter and Venus activation to build up her popularity and attractiveness to voters through March 2017.  As of today, transiting Jupiter has moved into a semisquare with her Venus (16Scorpio14) through September 15. This will be followed by transiting Mercury sextile Venus and then transiting Venus conjunct her Sun (9/24 -25).  In addition, tertiary Venus will be conjunct tertiary Sun from September 23 through October 16. If the polls tighten at all, it will be between October 16 and November 1. At that point, transiting Pluto will move back into its sextile with her natal Venus through December 12, seemingly to take her over the finish line.  There is also the tertiary Jupiter progression opposite natal Mars (8/1 to 12/10) and opposite natal Pluto (11/21 to 3/6), as well as conjunct tertiary Sun (12/25 to 2/3). All of this leads to the likelihood of a Hillary Clinton victory come Election Day.

• Read More »

As Donald Trump’s campaign continues its downward spiral into incoherence and increasingly bizarre attacks on anyone who dares to disagree, there is a parallel downward shift in his poll numbers.  This trend will continue unabated through September 17, with the Uranus transit square to his natal Saturn (23Cancer48)  and the Saturn transit sesquiquadrate his natal Venus (25Cancer44), in combination covering all of August and the first half of September.

The hypersensitivity, irritability, and paranoia of this extreme activation of his very vulnerable natal Saturn/Venus conjunction is being further exacerbated by the transit of Pluto sesquiquadrate his natal Ascendant (29Leo55), which adds to the feeling of deep distrust and the experience of a power struggle for survival. This transit has been building in strength since mid-July and will continue through the first days of October.  Moreover, it will be strongly activated during and just after the first debate (9/26) by a trine from Mars to the Ascendant, suggesting some angry push backs during and after the first debate. 

The Moon conjunct to Trump’s Mars during the morning of 9/27 adds to the picture of an angry post-debate response. In addition, the slow-moving transit of Mercury square to Trump’s Uranus (17Gemini54) on 9/26 through early 9/28, as well as the longer transit of Uranus sextile his natal Sun (22Gemini52), suggests a stronger than usual dose of Trump shenanigans – unexpected attacks from out of left field that completely change the conversation.  My sense is that he doesn’t do well in the first debate but attempts to change the subject with vicious and unfounded attacks that suck up the post-debate oxygen. Nothing new here.

The second debate (10/9) seems to go better for Trump, with the Sun transiting his Jupiter (17Libra27) and Venus sextile his Moon (21Sagittarius12). This points to the beginning of a small shift in his favor, enough for him to begin to think he could win. His tertiary Sun will conjunct tertiary Neptune for all of October, adding to the tendency toward grandiose and unfounded expectations. Moreover, tertiary Venus will be conjunct his natal Ascendant from October 10 to Election Day, November 8, pointing to some tightening in the polls. Both of these tertiary progressions are in effect during the third debate as well (10/19) as the second.

The good news for those of us horrified by this man on the national stage is that Trump’s progressed Moon will move to conjunct natal Saturn beginning on November 6, continuing through early December, and triggered on the morning after the election by the transiting Moon, and from November 14 through November 26 by the transiting Node. This progressed Moon conjunction to natal Saturn seems the most significant aspect indicating defeat, melancholy, and a more general emotional contraction for a full month during and after the election.

As for Hillary, things continue fairly steadily but with a bump up in attractiveness and popularity from September 6 through October 16 and again from November 1 through December 11. These dates are due to a strengthening of Venus energies at various times. Some of this includes various activations of the tertiary progressed Pluto square to natal Venus, a multi-year progression that adds to her charisma, especially when triggered by faster moving planets. There will also be a tertiary Venus conjunction with tertiary Sun from September 23 through October 16, notably coinciding with the first two debates (9/26 and 10/9). The second debate is also followed by a transit of Venus over Hillary’s Mercury/Ascendant conjunction. Thus, the second debate seems to go well for both candidates.

The final crossing of Pluto sextile Hillary’s natal Venus (16Scorpio14) from November 1 through December 12, activating the tertiary Pluto square natal Venus and triggered by a trine from the Moon on the morning of November 9, point to a flush of happiness and attraction right at the time of the election and immediately following. There will also be a transit of Jupiter sextile to natal Mars and a sextile of transiting Mars to natal Jupiter during and just after the election, pointing to optimism and success.

As I have said repeatedly, it is quite probable that Hillary Clinton will win the presidential election but will confront significant obstacles from a Republican Congress or a non-filibuster-proof Democratic Senate and a Republican House. Somehow, Republicans always seem to draw the wrong conclusions from their losses and are likely to yet again put their political ambitions and their corporate donors over the country. But at least the possibility of a President Trump will begin to dissipate from the American imagination and be remembered as more of a temporary, albeit frightening, nightmare.  The nation and the world will be able rest easy once again. For this, we can be very grateful.

• Read More »

After a deeply disturbing week at the GOP Convention, where wrath, viciousness, fear, and loathing ran rampant in a brutal sea of projected horror, this week’s Democratic Convention in Philadelphia is bringing a welcome breeze of inspiration and hope to clear the air. Instead of endless, pounding rage seemingly straight from the pit of Hell, we are being treated to stories of gratitude, service to the community, and creative endeavor to improve people’s lives, as well as the resounding theme of quintessential American strength derived from the twin pillars of diversity and unity. We are thrilling to the awesome star power and majestic messaging of the most high-wattage of Democratic luminaries, from Michelle Obama, Elizabeth Warren, and Bill Clinton, to Joe Biden, and the greatest rhetorician of them all, President Obama. It is hard to imagine a starker contrast than that between the tumultuous darkness of Cleveland and the sunny, uplifting, and energizing spirit of Philadelphia.

The shift in tone on the national stage began with Hillary’s choice of Tim Kaine as her running mate, not quite a day after Donald’s Trump’s rambling dystopian growl, more reminiscent of the fictional but griping Mad Max: Fury Road than today’s actual reality.  Kaine, in contrast to both Trump and his new sidekick Mike Pence, is somewhat of a happy warrior, well-liked, upbeat, and devoted to making a difference in the world rather than aggrandizing himself.  His birth chart makes this description quite clear. It is what I like to call a “good karma birth chart” with lots of harmonious sextiles and trines, as well as a very well-aspected Jupiter to imply significant success in life, and just enough hard aspects to give the energy to get the job done. Natal Jupiter, the planet of optimism and success, is conjunct the North Node and trine the Sun and Mercury, as well as sextile the MC on one side and sextile Pluto on the other, which itself is trine the MC. Venus, the planet of personal appeal and general likability, is also quite well placed, trine the Moon and sextile the Ascendant. The strong energy to continue striving comes from the Pluto opposition to the Sun and Mercury, as well as the Pluto sesquiquadrate to natal Mars, the ruler of the Aries Ascendant which expresses itself through its placement in the 10^th house of career. Interestingly, the Pisces Sun is in the 12^th house, the placement of self-sacrifice, humility, and service to the greater good when operating optimally.

Kaine’s presence on the ticket adds a feel of likability and decency that warms Hillary and helps to defuse some of the bad rap she has gotten from decades of fierce and unrelenting Republican propaganda. What is most illuminating about their chemistry and his impact on the ticket may be seen in the comparative and the composite (midpoint) charts. Kaine’s natal Jupiter/Node (1Scorpio28/2Scorpio50) conjunction makes a very tight conjunction to Hillary’s natal Sun (2Scorpio18). Thus, he adds success and optimism (Jupiter) to her goals and central life imperatives (the Sun). His Mars (16Capricorn23) is exactly sextile her Venus (16Scorpio14), intensifying her personal appeal (Venus). It is transiting Pluto conjunct his Mars and sextile her Venus during 2016 through early December that is probably the biggest indication of her increased attractiveness during this election cycle. In addition, the composite chart of Clinton/Kaine has Jupiter at 16Scorpio00, in a tight conjunction with Hillary’s Venus, again strengthening her charisma. In other words, when Hillary is with Kaine, we see her as warmer, happier, and more likable. There is a very positive synergy in this dynamic.

There is nothing to indicate a loss in November for the Clinton/Kaine ticket, and, in fact, there are many positive markers of success. My concern comes in January 2017 when transiting Saturn squares Hillary’s Moon (1/4 to 1/14) and impacts the charts of several prominent democrats who seem fairly happy around election time. In January, Saturn will also conjunct the Kaine/Clinton Venus and Kaine’s Saturn (both at 24 Sagittarius) during the second half of the month.

Although some unexpected crisis is possible, the most likely possibility is that the intransigence and opposition of the next Congress will be making itself known come January.  This is echoed in the Inaugural chart of 2017 which has natal Mars (24Pisces22) in a tight square with natal Saturn (24Sagittarius31). This aspect, which suggests significant frustration and obstacles for the Clinton/Kaine administration, is most potent during its first year, through October 2017, during which transiting Saturn crosses itself and squares Mars and Chiron several times.

If, indeed, these aspects are predicting the usual Republican attempts at sabotage and vituperative propaganda, it will indicate that the GOP has learned nothing from the Frankenstein monster it created in its 2016 presidential bid and will continue to put Party over Country for the foreseeable future. Nonetheless, for the moment, we have an election to win. As bad as a continuation of the status quo of an obstructionist Republican Congress might be, it pales at the thought of handing the country over to the new Trump/Putin Axis of Evil. That would be an abomination we might never recover from.

• Read More »

The big political news story of the past few days has been Donald Trump’s choice of Indiana Governor Mike Pence for the position of running mate.  The media pundits all agree that this is a wonderful choice, a perfect balancing of the impulsive, unrestrained real estate mogul with the pristine priggishness of the ultra-conservative Pence. But much like having a glass of milk along with an inexhaustible supply of 120-proof, rot-gut whisky, this won’t mitigate the damage even a bit.

As predicted on this site almost a year ago, Trump is about to become the GOP’s presidential nominee. As also predicted, unlike during the primaries, Trump’s many missteps, as well as the growing and sharper political attacks and media exposes, were able to draw some significant blood from late May through early July, during the transit of Uranus square to Trump’s Saturn (23Cancer48) and Saturn sesquiquadrate his Venus (25Cancer44).

We now return to planetary indicators that are similar to those in the primaries: transiting Jupiter will square Trump’s Node, Moon, and Sun for their final crossing from July 18 through August 5. It is likely his poll numbers will briefly rise, and he will look a bit more palatable to the GOP voter.  But as of July 28, Uranus will go retrograde and be once again waxing into a square with Trump’s Saturn through September 10. As of August 13, transiting Saturn will move again to sesquiquadrate Trump’s Venus through September 17. Thus, we will again see many formidable and effective attacks, as well as many cringe-inducing missteps that adversely impact his prospects during August and the first half of September.

There may be some positive moments and popularity during the final month leading to the election, with tertiary Venus conjunct Trump’s Ascendant, (29Leo55), but circumstances rapidly go downhill with the election and its aftermath, when the dominant indicator is Saturn. As of November 6, his progressed Moon moves to conjunct natal Saturn through early December.  This will be sharply triggered by the transiting Node from November 14 to 26. Moreover, transiting Saturn will move to oppose natal Uranus (17Gemini54) followed by its conjunction with his South Node (20Sagittarius48), conjunction with his Moon (21Sagittarius12), and opposition with his Sun (22Gemini56), consecutively from November 23 to January 14. Taken together, these suggest an unhappy and frustrating period, not what one would expect following a big victory or an increase in power commensurate with winning the presidency.

But just to be sure, we needed to see what the VP candidate’s chart looked like before the final definitive prediction could be made.  And truly, the Heavens have rained down joy upon us.  From November 4 through November 18, transiting Saturn will oppose Pence’s Sun (16Gemini12), adding a frustrating and stressful push to the tension already there from the transiting Pluto in quincunx to his Sun that runs from November 1 through December 10. Moreover, transiting Saturn will be sesquiquadrate to Pence’s Venus (00Leo48) from November 4 through November 14, triggering the already difficult multi-year progressed Saturn quincunx to natal Venus in his chart. This latter configuration combining progressed Saturn, transiting Saturn, and natal Venus points to a lack of popularity and rising criticism during and after the election, more indicative of defeat than any kind of victory.

And one final nail in the coffin of the Trump candidacy shows up in his daughter Ivanka’s chart, in which the protracted transit of Pluto square to her natal Saturn (9/26 to 11/26) will be strongly activated by transiting Saturn sextile natal Saturn (15Libra48) from 11/1 to 11/14.  Transiting Saturn will also cross her natal Venus/Neptune conjunction (22 to 23 Sagittarius) for much of January, a sure sign of disillusion and loss.

Although the larger-than-life Trump has made this election experience more like the obsessive binge watching of an embarrassing reality show than a discussion of the nation’s true circumstances and future prospects, we need to pull it together and focus on the upcoming Senate and Congressional races as much as possible. Otherwise, a Hillary presidency will be ripe for sabotage from the same repugnant characters who have been plotting against President Obama since day one. After all, the GOP motto these days is party and self-interest over country every time. If only the American voter could see that painful truth.

• Read More »

Violence, much like suicide, is contagious. The human capacity to learn and grow, adapt and mimic, is both its blessing and its bane.  On the one hand, everything majestic or ingenious in our civilization began with a few small ideas, copied, embellished, magnified and reproduced, again and again.   On the other hand, the dark mirror of this flowering of civilization can be seen in the evolution of violence and weaponry and war.

At present, there is a worldwide battle between a group of vicious sociopathic thugs, thinly veiled in some bizarre mutation of radical religious ideology, and the rest of us, trying to hold them back and abolish them from the face of the earth. There is also a domestic war between a growing, weaponized consciousness of violence, empowering itself with limitless access to guns and justifying itself with a twisted angry righteousness, and the rest of us, who just want to live our lives in peace.

This cult of violence has many faces: the criminals and gangs that infest the inner cities; the hidden terrorist cells that want to harm the “infidel” America; the white supremacists who mimic the Nazis in their vicious zeal for racial purity in the most multicultural land on earth; and the most extreme of the gun nuts, who think that more guns and more shootings are somehow the only answer.  Unfortunately, dark tentacles of these increasingly pervasive violent urges can even at times infect those who strive to serve society but carry guns in that role: the police and the military. It takes only a moment of anger or fear to target and shoot, and then it is too late. And the more these events become the norm, the more every situation seems to end with violence, the more justified a response in kind seems to be. This brings us to today’s sniper shootings of police in Dallas, in reaction to two over-amped and fatal police shootings of young, black men in in the past few days. There is a poisonous stream of rage and aggression infecting and spreading throughout the psyche of the nation, and although those impacted are often on opposite sides of this battle, they are infected by the same sickness.

I should have written this a month ago, but I have been so burned out by the spreading sickness in today’s world, including the metastasizing of lies and vileness that passes increasingly as political discourse, that I have needed a break. Nonetheless, the astrology since the mass shooting in Orlando has been clear. There is a protracted Mars /Uranus quincunx, due to both the station of Mars and the station of Uranus, that has energized an unfathomable series of sudden, explosive and transformative events all over the world.  From roughly June 12 through July 16, we are witnessing this aspect play out.

In many of the horrendous events of the past month, we see the quick, incisive trigger being the Ascendant or Midheaven crossing in conjunction or square to Mars or Uranus: in Dallas, the Ascendant (23 Capricorn) was square to Uranus (24 Aries), while Venus (24 Cancer) was beginning to separate from a square to Uranus; in Istanbul, the Midheaven (23 Scorpio) was conjunct Mars, while the Moon (21 Aries) moved into a conjunction with Uranus (24 Aries); in Dhaka, the Ascendant (22 Aquarius) was square to Mars (23 Scorpio) for the initial attack, while the Moon moved into a semisquare with Uranus for the following 12 hours of the hostage crisis; and in Baghdad, the Ascendant (20 Aries) was moving into a conjunction with Uranus (24Aries), while the Moon (20 Gemini) was moving into a quincunx with Mars (23 Scorpio).

Meanwhile, in Orlando, the Moon (22 Virgo) was moving into a quincunx with Uranus and a sextile with Mars, while the Saturn/Neptune square (another major factor at that time) was becoming increasingly tight. Even the Brexit vote bore the hallmarks of the Mars/Uranus configuration: sudden, unexpected and powerfully transformative. As the final vote tally became known over the course of June 24, the Moon (17 to 23 Aquarius) was moving into a square with Mars, while Venus (8 Cancer) was sesquiquadrate Mars (23 Scorpio).

Unfortunately, the Ascendant and Midheaven will go through a conjunction or a square to either Uranus or Mars several times each day, potentially triggering events through the end of this transit. In addition and more likely definitive, transiting Mercury will be square to Uranus from July 10 to 11, the Moon will oppose Uranus late on July 11^th and early on the 12^th, the Moon will conjunct Mars and quincunx Uranus on the afternoon of July 14,  and the transiting Sun will be square to Uranus on July 15 to 16. The only good news here is that things seem to settle down thereafter.

• Read More »