Starlight News Blog

Policy makers and pundits have begun to seriously dread the next installment of political brinksmanship scheduled for the end of the year. A confluence of crucial deadlines will coalesce in the post-election Lame Duck Congress that will allow this notoriously partisan, gridlocked legislature to exercise its last gasp of power before 2013. At the turning of the year, the national debt ceiling will once again need to be raised; the Bush tax cuts will expire if not amended or extended; and the draconian cuts in spending agreed upon in the last debt ceiling debacle will go into effect.

Using the filibuster in the Senate and their uncompromising and radical right-wing majority in the House, Republicans are likely to once again attempt to extort significant concessions from Democrats at this critical time. Most economists agree, however, that across-the-board tax hikes (total repeal of the Bush tax cuts) or huge spending cuts to lower the national debt would cripple our weak recovery. Either policy would suck far too much money out of our fragile economy, possibly pushing us over a fiscal cliff into a recession. Unfortunately, a well-crafted bipartisan plan to address these issues and move constructively past the impending deadlines is hard to imagine in today’s dysfunctional Congress. Hence, the flashing red light.

As predicted repeatedly on this site, late November through December 2012 is likely to be a highly dramatic and contentious period.  The progressed US Sun will be moving into a square with natal Uranus (8Gemini55) as of September 2012, waxing for a year, and strongly triggered by Pluto (8Capricorn55), Jupiter (8Gemini55), and Saturn (8Scorpio55) during what promises to be a very volatile five weeks. There may be a strong mood of push back and rebellion (Uranus) in the country and probably a great deal of grass roots agitation. It is probable that much of this will center on the crucial economic issues being debated before Congress, but it is also quite possible that there may be a fierce confrontation over some of the election results or that some other totally unforeseen issue may erupt during that time.

Within this framework, the most difficult period for President Obama will be from December 11 through December 20, when transiting Saturn will cross his natal Neptune (8Scorpio36), suggesting compromises that he does not wish to make but is forced to consider due to the political reality (Saturn) of the situation. On a more positive note, the first 11 days of January 2013 look extremely strong and positive for the president, suggesting to me that the Democrats may continue to hold the Senate and could alter the filibuster rule at that time.

In other news, there is increasing fear that Greece will default on its loans and refuse the latest bailout agreement and the demands for austerity that are included in it. Concern is rampant that this could set off new troubles in Portugal and Ireland which are also highly indebted and rely on foreign loans.

The chart for Greece suggests that the most difficult period will be from early May through the first few days of August 2012. The Saturn station is square to Greece’s Sun (22Capricorn45) and sesquiquadrate Greece’s Venus (8Pisces56) during this time frame. The same Saturn station will adversely impact the chart for Papoulias’ presidency (3/12/05): Node 22Aries59 and Mars 23Capricorn59. Saturn transits always are best handled when discipline, caution, and the capacity to delay gratification are employed. Any kind of recklessness, rashness, or impatience will be counterproductive and lead to great upset and loss. Although these planets suggest an extremely stressful time for Greece and the European Union in late spring and early summer, it seems likely the worst will be over by mid-August.

As predicted in Double Whammy and other posts, the first half of May is proving to be a difficult time. Fears of a stalling economy and stubborn unemployment are pervasive due to the latest weak job numbers, with the recently plummeting Stock Market also reflecting this angst. Meanwhile, a nasty imbroglio over the fate of a Chinese dissident has threatened Chinese/American negotiations. For now, what seems to be an elegant solution has been found, but that is by no means a sure thing and will not be until Chen Guangcheng and his family are actually in New York.

The dark cloud over the economy is likely to be quite strong through May 15, easing some but with continued sluggishness through August 6. These stressful periods are due to the Saturn transit square to US Mercury (24Cancer12), the planet of employment, trade, negotiations, and communication, with these areas experiencing constriction and difficulty during this transit.

The more general stress and pessimism in the US of the past few years is likely to retreat further by mid-September 2012 and beyond. It is at that point that the long Saturn transit through Libra, adversely impacting six planets in the US chart since November 2009, will pass.

As for the fate of Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng, at the moment it seems the impasse over his fate has been resolved. It has been agreed that Chen (11/12/71) will soon come to the US with his family on a student visa to attend New York University. My concern is that there may be some significant strain before this happens, if it does. The current Saturn station is sesquiquadrate to Chen’s Venus (8Sagittarius54) and Mercury (8Sagittarius19) from May 3 to August 2, activating the emotional stress and potential for loss inherent in the natal opposition between Venus/Mercury and Saturn. In addition, transiting Neptune is presently sitting on Chen’s Mars (3Pisces01) from April through June, pointing to exalted expectations likely to be disappointed.

These configurations taken together suggest sorrow, loss (Saturn), and disillusionment (Neptune) from now through early August 2012. There are some Jupiter transits from July 15 through August 6 (opposite Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter) that will return during November and December 2012, and that may mitigate some of the painful frustrations of the next three months and help to later resolve this situation. But the long Saturn station, which also is quincunx Hillary Clinton’s Moon (22Pisces50) from May 19 to July 5 (assuming her 8 AM birth time is correct) does point to some significant difficulties in the immediate future for the Chinese dissident.

As the US becomes increasingly consumed by the vicissitudes of the 2012 election cycle, there is an equally compelling drama unfolding half a world away in China.  In what has been described as the biggest corruption scandal in the Chinese government in a generation, an elite government official has been ousted, exposing a normally opaque system of patronage, bribery, and graft. Bo Xilai has been accused, among other things, of wiretapping high-level officials and involvement in the death of a British businessman. The rapidly-evolving scandal threatens to destabilize the Party establishment in a culture generally known for its top-down control and secrecy.

Adding another layer to the Chinese government’s agitation is the recent escape of a well-known blind dissident lawyer. Chen Guangcheng had been on house arrest for protesting China’s restrictive political climate and the corruption of party officials. Apparently, he has gone to the US Embassy for protection, a prickly complication for US/Chinese relations at a delicate time of needed economic and security cooperation.

The larger frame for both of these situations is whether an evolving China can become truly anchored in the rule of law.  With the ousting of Bo, Chinese officials want to show how, even at the top, corruption can be expunged. The second circumstance, however, is far more challenging. The events surrounding Chen highlight China’s unlawful use of home detention and the brutal, extrajudicial methods used to silence critics. Chen has appealed directly to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, a self-styled populist reformer who purportedly favors the rule of law. Chen’s goal is not to destabilize the government but to end the out-of-control brutality, abuse, and corruption of officials.

At the moment, The Chinese Sun (7Libra46) is under a square from transiting Pluto that runs from December 2011 through November 2012. This transit describes significant power struggles (Pluto) within the Chinese government that can affect the goals and trajectory of the nation (the Sun). The powerful Pluto transit will soon be joined by transiting Uranus opposite the Sun beginning in early May 2012 and continuing through mid-March 2013.  Thus, China will be one of the first countries in the world to get the full brunt of the convulsively transformative Uranus/Pluto square, quite potently in this case, on the nation’s Sun. The addition of Uranus into the mix suggests sudden and powerful events that can potentially destabilize situations, possibly derived by a strong push to greater equality or reform.

Essentially, the struggle will be between the forces of repression and control (Pluto) and the forces of potentially dramatic reform (Uranus). The involvement of the Chinese Sun in this configuration implies upheaval at the highest levels of government and potentially some significant shift in the country’s agenda. What is clear is that this conflict is still building in strength and will become increasingly dramatic in the coming months, most especially from May through August when both planets will be quite active. The third week in July may also be of particular significance with transiting mars and transiting Jupiter both triggering the Uranus/Pluto square.

It should also be noted that transiting Uranus will be making a station square to natal Chinese Uranus (4Cancer59) from mid-October 2012 through early February 2013 before the final crossing of Uranus opposite China’s Sun (7Libra46) in late February and March 2013. Both of these transits underline the revolutionary fervor possible at this time. The Chinese natal chart has a Sun/Uranus square, as well as Aquarius rising (1Aquarius52) with the Moon in Aquarius (3Aquarius04) on the Ascendant.  This strong Uranian/Aquarian natal element points to the egalitarian, idealistic, and communal nature in the founding of the People’s Republic, and the coming transits may well shake things up in a way that reconnects to that original intention.

The history of this period is, of course, yet to be written. But it will surely be a significant one for China, as these compelling forces align to push this powerful Asian nation into its next phase. It may also be a cautionary tale for the US, a sort of preview as to what kind of upheaval may be coming to American shores when the Uranus/Pluto square finds its way to dramatically impact the US Sun (13Cancer19) in 2014 and early 2015. It may be useful to sit on the sidelines and take notes, for now.

It has been a rough couple of weeks for President Obama. Following months of relatively good economic indicators and assertively Democratic control of the political narrative, things are slipping of late. Suddenly, the economy seems to be faltering, and the much-heralded increase in employment of the past season is now attributed to nothing more than an unusually warm winter. Even worse, this seasonal aberration may have leached jobs from what is becoming a rather anemic spring. The Stock Market has also lost some ground of late, while Europe, rather ominously, is again sliding into recession.

Meanwhile, the president’s recent trip to Latin America ended with few substantive gains, while being dramatically overshadowed by the worst Secret Service scandal in history. Even the normally uninteresting General Services Administration has erupted in stories of wild parties and opulent spending. For a normally scandal-free administration, two in a matter of days is both noteworthy and unsettling.

As pointed out numerous times on this site, the second half of April 2012 is bringing with it the transit of Saturn square to Obama’s natal Saturn (25Capricorn20). This has triggered the extreme stress of his progressed Mars square to natal Saturn, an aspect that has been in effect since January 2011, essentially simultaneous to the Republican majority in the House. This aspect has frustrated (Saturn) the president’s forward momentum (Mars) and has inhibited his attempts to manifest his plans, allowing only incremental progress at great cost. Although it peaked in strength on April 6, and has since begun to wane, the Saturn transit from April 11 through April 28 has re-energized this difficult combination for a few, very frustrating weeks. It should be pointed out that during the weekend of the Latin American summit and the Secret Service scandal outbreak, the transiting Sun was opposite transiting Saturn, setting off this whole nasty configuration. Clearly, there are no astrologers on the White House scheduling staff.

With Romney on the rise and the economy faltering, the president currently seems more vulnerable and less potent than only a short time ago. This troubling trend is likely to shift around mid-May. Early May could bring some upsets and losses to the country, including the possibly of more anxiety-provoking economic news. But things seem likely to improve again by the second half of the month, with the president entering a very strong period from late May through mid-October. The one exception during these months is likely to be from August 9 through August 21, when Saturn makes its final square to Obama’s natal Saturn. Although the progressed Mars square will be greatly diminished, thereby making this transit far less problematic than the current one, the transiting Mars conjunction to transiting Saturn from August 12 through August 14 is likely to bring the president some significant, if short-term, problems.

The second half of October through November 2 has the potential to bring some significant stress to President Obama due to transiting Saturn square his Mercury (2Leo20) and quincunx his Venus (3Gemini21).  This is no doubt when the well-funded Republicans will bring out their biggest and most scurrilous attacks, and the polls are likely to tighten. It is also possible that the Saturn/Moon transit suggests some minor health complication that briefly makes campaigning more difficult for the president.

As for the election itself, it seems that some of the results will hang in suspended animation for a matter of days due to the Mercury station on November 6. By around November 12, there is likely to be some shift in favor of the Democrats.  President Obama’s chart suggests that he will be far more contented, satisfied, and beloved than Governor Romney as the year 2012 winds down and 2013 begins. This would seem to indicate his success in the election.

There is also likely to be a period of tremendous turmoil and struggle in late November and December, when the Lame Duck Congress will have several critical issues to resolve before the New Year. The country itself is likely to be in some amount of upheaval over these decisions, as indicated by several planets activating the progressed US Sun square natal Uranus (8Gemini55) in late November and December. At the turn of the year, the Bush tax cuts are set to expire and several draconian budget cuts are set to go into effect due to the agreement made last year in exchange for raising the debt ceiling. The Electoral College also meets during this period.

It is important to remember that June through September 2012 will also be bringing the first and second Uranus/Pluto squares of the seven crossings expected in the next three years. These will come during what is likely to be a quite dramatic four-month period when these two planetary behemoths will remain in a tight aspect, under one degree of orb, for an extended time. We have already been witnessing, on a number of fronts, this building battle between concentrated and increasingly fanatical and controlling economic and political power centers (Pluto) and the upsurge of grass-roots and increasingly potent, disruptive movements that want equality and justice (Uranus). These confrontations are likely to erupt further in the coming months.

The 2012 US election is clearly one major front in this historical struggle, described astrologically as the Uranus/Pluto square, and in domestic politics as the Democrats versus the Republicans. On one side, we have a coalition of minorities, gays, women, labor, and other progressives, who all want economic, political, and social equality and a fair playing field (Uranus).  On the other, we have an extremist and obsessive (Pluto) group who are pushing through tightening restrictions and controls on minorities, gays, women, and labor, and who are funded by the owners of highly concentrated wealth (Pluto) who want control over the government in order to implement an agenda that continues their financial sovereignty and unimpeded power.

The three-year Uranus/Pluto square is a cosmological event that will have profound implications as it agitates for transformation in many parts of the world. This first round (7-8 Aries/Capricorn)  will be strongly activated by the Venus station (7-8 Gemini) from June 17 through July 4, a time during which several significant Supreme Court decisions will be announced, including the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and the draconian immigration law in Arizona. Considerable upheaval is possible whichever way these decisions fall. The Uranus/Pluto square will also be strongly triggered by transiting Jupiter (8Gemini) and transiting Mars (8Libra), from July 14 to July 20, a time likely to bring some kind of extensive turmoil in many areas of the globe, including the possibility of severe climate or geophysical conditions.

Interestingly, as this Uranus/Pluto battle comes into greater manifestation, President Obama is moving from the more restrictive progressed Mars square to his natal Saturn of the last few years to a much more aggressive and forceful solar arc Mars progression square the Sun (12Leo33) through April 2013. He will be less and less likely to pull punches as the political confrontation of 2012 intensifies. By November 2012, Obama will also begin the year-long converse progression of the Sun square to natal Mars (22Virgo35) through November 2013, with these two robust and highly energetic progressions combining to suggest a very strong start to a second term. Candidate Romney has no comparable indication of forceful, assertive leadership from November 2012 onward, with his current aggressiveness, described by converse Sun square to converse Mars, prematurely peaking this August.

Now that former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney has all but sewn up the Republican nomination, the season of hyperventilated sports metaphors is upon us. “Game on!” was universally proclaimed by the congenitally excitable news media, obviously salivating for a brutal, knock-down, drag-out slug fest.

The heated skirmish of the moment is over a random pundit claim that Ann Romney “has never worked a day in her life” which Republicans have morphed into charges that Democrats do not value women who stay home and care for their children. In actuality, Ann Romney has never worked outside the home, nor has she had the many economic and emotional stresses that most working women struggle with, including the painful juggling of child care with work demands.

More to the point, however, is that this whole conversation has been a concerted attempt to put Democrats on the defensive and move the narrative away from exposing the many-pronged Republican War on Women. In full alliance with Republican policies around the country, Romney wants to gut Planned Parenthood, vastly restrict abortion rights, shred the social safety net, and abolish the Affordable Care Act.  As for the newly-gained woman’s right to equal pay, he barely manages to promise not to abolish it. These positions have vastly eroded the former governor’s support among women, creating a flashing red light to his hopes for November. In response, Romney is struggling to convince the world how great his election would be for the ladies and what a big meanie Obama is. Maybe he should have stuck to the Olympics given how nimbly he twists himself into a pretzel.

Despite the current drama, Romney is about to enter a more promising period, probably the strongest in this election cycle, from May through August 2012. It is not impossible to imagine some stresses impacting our fragile recovery that the former governor opportunistically will use to justify his existence on the campaign trail. Largely benefiting him will be the Venus station in May which will square his Sun twice (21Pisces11) and sesquisquare his Venus (8 Aquarius33) for a prolonged period. This will be followed by transiting Jupiter opposite his Moon/Jupiter conjunction (27 Scorpio33/36) in late May and early June and conjunct his Ascendant (00Gemini43) in mid-June, as well as several days of transiting Venus trine natal Venus later in the month. July and August will bring another series of small but uplifting transits: Jupiter conjunct the Node, Jupiter square Mars, Jupiter trine Venus, and Jupiter square Mercury, taking us to late August. In addition, Romney’s converse progressed Sun is currently conjunct his converse progressed Mars, becoming exact in August at 15Capricorn04, and giving Romney the increased aggression we have been witnessing. This will become increasingly less impactful in the fall as this aspect separates.

The effectiveness of Romney’s presidential campaign is likely to begin to decrease in September when the long Neptune station square to his Ascendant (00Gemini43) from late August through mid-December 2012 will be joined by a series of Saturn transits (sesquiquadrate Mercury, quincunx Ascendant, square Saturn, square the MC, sesquiquadrate the Sun, and square Venus). This deleterious combination of Neptune and Saturn suggests that Romney’s expectations will be disappointed, his dishonesty will be revealed, his errors will be noticeable and costly, and his reputation for being an untrustworthy chameleon will solidify. These difficulties will be followed by a long station of Saturn square to Romney’s 4^th House Pluto (11Leo22) from January through early March 2013, suggesting a profound inner struggle and possibly some depression.

The one anomalous period in all of this comes during and just after the election, from November 4 through November 12, when transiting Jupiter will be square to Romney’s Mercury (13Pisces55). This describes a few days of optimism and good feeling which seem not to match the difficult and waxing Saturn and Neptune combination that will unfold from November 12 onward. Perhaps the outcome of the election will be clear for a long time and Romney will be initially relieved when it is over. Perhaps, given the Mercury station on Election Day, the outcome will remain unclear, either at the presidential or the congressional level, until around November 12. But the overall astrological indicators, despite these few uplifting days, point to a time of difficulty, frustration, and loss that covers the final months of 2012 and the early months of 2013.

Here is a link to my interview on the internet radio show  Your Astrology Now.