Obama Wins - Reflections on the day after the night before...

I feel quite satisfied and vindicated today as Barack Obama defeated Mitt Romney to secure himself a second term in the White House. I predicted this back in May, and since then I wondered and worried if I had missed something, if I had misjudged the strength of the aspects I had seen. I don’t know about how other astrologers feel and whether they trust their instincts, but I always seem to severely doubt my own ability to see things accurately. I think I should trust my instincts more, as so often, especially recently, I have been close or correct on much that I have written here on Solaris Astrology. Lucky or insightful? I let you my loyal readers be the judge of this...

Now of course the recriminations in the US will begin as a deeply divided nation wakes up to the path that it has chosen; there will be anger in the air now as this was a hugely divisive contest. I am going to point out a date to you not so far into the future and I want you to keep a keen eye on it, because it deeply affects the US natal chart and the newly elected President's one too.

The Fixed Star connections for the US Presidential Election.

We've got a few interesting connections happening now and in the next day or two which in my eyes are pointers to the prevailing mood especially in the US where the population are making their minds up for a new President. Now a majority will know which way they are going to vote, but what about the undecided ones. Which way will the stars push them and their mood? I look at the fixed star connection between today Sunday 4th and Tuesday 6th November, the time when those undecided people will have to make up their minds.

Paul Ryan – Bold, deeply conservative and with time on his side.

Over the weekend, Mitt Romney picked his running mate and to many it was a surprise. He chose a brave option in the bold and brash but rather inexperienced Paul Ryan, a congressman from Wisconsin. Seeing as the race is tight, I thought that he might chose quite a heavyweight candidate maybe to tip the balance in his favour, but I was mistaken. Let’s look at Paul Ryan and his own prospects to become vice President, and what light it shines on the impending presidential race.

Fixed star Astrology and the American Election – A question of ethics and honour.

Oh it’s getting rather dirty with accusations and insults of wrong doing flying between the two Presidential candidates. I said it would be in my analysis of the two candidates a few months ago, and even though I have already nailed my colours to the mast in thinking that Obama will just win the election in November (it’s going to be a close one), I think it is interesting to see what the planets are doing in the sky as it plays out the story beautifully.

Barack Obama versus Mitt Romney – Who does astrology say will win the 2012 US Presidential Election?

Ok, here we go!!! In the red corner we have the Pisces challenger, the former governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney representing the Republicans and in the blue corner stands the Leo born incumbent and representative of the Democratic party, Barack Obama. Now as promised, seeing as I am currently on a bit of a winning streak, I am going to get out my crystal ball (no, not really), gaze up to the heavens and give my two-penny worth of opinion of who I believe will prevail on 6th November 2012. I am going to look head to head, the astrology on the day as well as the visual astrology picture. I hope to provide the most comprehensive astrological guide on the web to the biggest and most significant political contest that will grip the globe in 2012.

Mitt Romney – All aboard the Washington Express

I’ve been saying for months now on Solaris Astrology that Mitt Romney was the “chosen one” for the Republican nomination and his crushing victory in the first of the big states, Florida, brings him a huge step to achieving his goal to take on Barack Obama in November. This latest victory comes as transiting Neptune is on the verge of entering Pisces. Mitt, a Pisces himself is now going to be enthused as the big blue planet which rules his Sun is enhanced in power as it enters it's own sign.

Newt Gingrich – Having his moment in the limelight but troubles lie in wait.

Looking at the race for the US Presidency from the other side of the pond, I think you get to look at the potential candidates with very much an even handed way. For one thing, I have no preference who eventually runs the most powerful country on planet earth. I have no “party bias”, indeed I think it should be down to who is the best man or woman for the job. There are caveats in my opinions though. When somebody runs for office who as part of a Republican lead House of Representatives years earlier shuts down Government and then tries unsuccessfully to remove a serving President from office (through him having an alleged affair) when his own marital record is none too successful, it does rather smack of hypocrisy, doesn’t it? I don’t know about your views, however that type of action in a potential President doesn’t hold quite right with me. The fact that Newt Gingrich now leads the GOP race to be the official challenger to Barack Obama does indeed surprise me. On looking at the astrology, Newt Gingrich is being favoured by the stars right now, but trap doors lay in his path to glory.

Mitt Romney - Christie endorsement a welcome boost to his chances to win the Republican nomination.

Mitt Romney is on a role, just as I thought he would be. He has just had a ringing endorsement from New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who many in Republican circles thought might make a late dash into the Republican race himself. The backing not only gives Romney a real boost ahead of an important New England debate, but will swell his financial coffers too with the financial backers behind Christie, now turning around to lend their support to the former Massachusetts Governor.

Mitt Romney – Swimming with the tide. A look at the astrology of the Pisces Massachusetts governor running for President.

Mitt Romney is currently leading the polls in the race for the Republican nomination to take on Barack Obama in 2012. This time 4 years ago he failed in his attempt losing out to Senator John McCain. Are things any different this time around and does Mitt stand any chance of becoming president? I look astrologically at his chances.

Mitt was born on 12th March 1947 in Detroit, Michigan at 09.51hrs. There is a second potential birth time which is known to Astrologers of 10.00am but the difference is negligible, for the moment at least. Like his main rival Rick Perry, Mitt is a Sun Pisces and he has a Scorpio Moon and a Gemini Ascendant. Before I delve into the planetary details, it is interesting to note that Mitt has no planets in Earth signs like Hilary Clinton. Those without any planets in earth often lack grounding (an obvious but true statement) and common sense. Starting things off and leading from the front is not really in the nature of the Governor of Massachusetts too, as he only has one planet in a Cardinal sign, and this is spiritual Neptune. With 5 planets in water, Mitt is someone who feels his way through life. He has tremendous determination and staying power with 5 fixed planets, and he is flexible and can shift his position to suit the situation with 4 in mutable signs.

Mitt’s Sun sits in the 11th house in wide conjunction to Mercury and we also find Mars here as well. His strength is in being a team player. He will work best when as part of a group, association or in cooperation with friends. As such, if he does achieve the nomination, his potential running mate I think will prove crucial to his chances, as Mitt is the polar opposite to Barack Obama who is very much his own man and somebody who prefers to run things by himself. With Mercury and Mars in conjunction, Mitt has a sharp mind, his arguments will be clear and convincing and will snap back with a quick response if challenged; this man is a good debater and has a clever turn of phrase in his armoury. Mitt’s Mars is in Pisces so at heart he is naturally non-aggressive and will hold back if challenged to fight. Mercury retrograde is quite reflective, introspective and deep thinking especially when it comes to personal subjects, or things of an emotional nature. Mitt certainly will have a poetic way of communicating, but I suspect he lacks the real passion of emotion in his speeches to inspire the masses, like a Kennedy, Reagan or Clinton for example. The Gemini Ascendant will make him question every action and concept put to him, make him strongly independent and often seem on edge, he may suffer with nervous tension and anxiety.

The Sun and Mercury square to Uranus in the first house. This man likes to be original, to be an individual standing out in the crowd. He will thrive in a fast paced environment, but his energies and thoughts may become scattered once under pressure. Uranus is in Gemini, he may attempt to sort out too many things at the same time, with the risk of nothing ever getting completed. This is also compounded by the lack of earth in the chart. A Taurean emphasis would be so handy here, a steadying hand on the tiller and this is why I believe that above anything else, Romney will need to choose very carefully a running mate who is going to compensate for his lack of earth signs. Mitt will have a penchant and an interest for science, development and the latest technology.

The Sun makes a trine to the Moon and Jupiter closely conjunct in the 6th house of health and everyday work. Here is an optimistic link, someone who believes that luck and fortune is on his side, and generally it is. He has big visions and and will work and work and work to achieve them. Here is no lack of effort. He will be drawn to help people in whatever way he can, to fix what has gone wrong. The 6th house suggests that health will be one area that he will especially be compelled to sort out. This is a tolerant man who will forgive mistakes in others, a worthy aim but one in a politician which can signal weakness. He is emotionally generous, but also very secretive and he will want to know what is going on all around him. Scorpio Moons need to know everything. Scorpio Moon can cause one to be very controlling and even cruel in situations. The iron fist of a tyrant lurks beneath the gentle watery Piscean air that Mitt will portray. This all leads me to think that this could be a very difficult man to work for, sometimes helpful but also capable of being very ruthless.

The last formation on the chart is an extended wedge formation encompassing the 4 planets I have yet to look at. We see a heavy Saturn/Pluto conjunction across the nadir of the chart opposite to Venus conjunct to the Midheaven with Neptune sitting at the point of the wedge. The Saturn Pluto conjunction is capable of huge success in one’s life, it concentrates power, determination and ambition however, as with all the planets the fall side of these planets can be quite devastating. I have nicknames this formation the crash and burn connection, because I have seen so many people with these two planets in a stressful aspect (conjunction, square or opposition) abuse the power and status that it brings, only to suffer the consequences, Rupert Murdoch just recently comes to mind – he has an opposition. Mitt’s conjunction lies opposite to his Midheaven, so it doesn’t take much genius to imagine that a square aspect or opposition from a malefic transiting planet could cause his lasting harmful damage to his reputation. Saturn in the 3rd house makes Mitt rather staid and serious in his communication, he will like to be strictly accurate and light hearted exchanges of views are not really his thing. Saturn is retrograde, so we know that the love of his father was never very forthcoming. Pluto sits in the 4th house, indicating that the relationship with him was very close and controlling. His father would have had a huge influence over his upbringing, someone Mitt hugely admired and yet feared at the same time.

Venus sits in the 10th house in Aquarius. Mitt is married to his work and commitments as much as he is to his wife. Venus in this sign suggests that Ann his wife is very much his friend and that they got married in unusual circumstances, they married immediately after he returned from travelling abroad as a Mormon missionary in France. The trine from Neptune to his Midheaven shows the spiritual link to his early work, and Capricorn on the cusp of the 9th house shows Mitt’s serious attitude to religion. He will want to be known for contributing something positive to the world. If he does become President, watch out for a huge encouragement to the arts, to entertainment and to American creativity in general. This is something that Mitt will want to be associated with. Neptune trine to Venus shows a dreamy expressive quality that is quite lovely. There is a soft heart to this man, someone who will love movies and music, art, theatre and fantasy. Neptune in Libra can be “influenced” by those stronger or more persuasive around them, there is the potential for gullibility or maybe deception in this position and connected to this powerful opposition in the natal chart, this just could be an achillies heel in his personality that could be exposed in the future.

On first inspection of this chart, I would not really believe that Mitt has the confidence and go ahead authority to make it to the White House. No earth signs and just one cardinal planet is not exactly the driving force that America requires right now as the world financial crisis takes a grip. On the cusp of the 2nd and 8th houses, the financial axis on his chart, we find Gemini and Sagittarius which is very laissez fair in one’s attitude to spending and dealing with other people’s money. It is almost expansionist rather than restrictive!! None the less, the transits and progressions for Mitt Romney seem up to the 2012 election quite kind. He has very few oppositions or squares to deal with until the middle of next year, and in late Summer when the big decisions are being made to whom to chose as Obama’s opponent, Romney has some spectacular transits with Jupiter hitting his Ascendant in June, trine to his Midheaven in July as well as being conjunct his North Node. The fact that his main opponents in the race, Bachmann and Perry are so reactionary in their views may just count hugely in his favour. The tide seems to be flowing in his favour this time around.

In August, on 27th the day of the Republican Convention in Tampa, the transiting South Node will be exactly conjunct his Gemini Ascendant. This is a very uncomfortable place for the South Node to be for the subject. Everyone will be so pleased at the wonderful position he is in, but internally he will want to hide away, to be invisible, to disappear. If Romney does win the nomination, and with these planets in the year before this day it is very possible he will win, will the enormity of the position he will find himself in hit home? I think that they will. At that point, he will know that he faces a lion on the attack, the incumbent Leo President that is Barack Obama. Romney’s progressed Moon at that point will start to enter his large 12th house, a time of unravelling of the life, a time of enforced changes when one is kept in the dark while the world around him swirls with confusion and deception. Once you realise what is going on, often it is too late to react and so you have to accept what is really going on. Because of the size of Mitt’s 12th house, the progressed Moon will not exit into his first house until 2016. It does not fill one with a great amount of confidence looking ahead. At the end of August, Mitt will start to pick up a square from transiting Saturn to his Saturn/Pluto conjunction, just as Saturn enters Scorpio in late September. Maybe his beliefs will come under attack, Capricorn ruled by Saturn sit as I mentioned before on the cusp of the 9th.

If you would like to read my updated assessment of who between Mitt Romney and Barack Obama will win on 6th November 2012 please click on the following link below…

Barack Obama versus Mitt Romney – Who does astrology say will win the 2012 US Election?

****Update 1st February 2012 **** 

All abroad the Washington Express – A look at Romney and why he won the Florida Primary.

Rick Perry – Reaching for the stars. The astrology of the Texas Governor turned Presidential hopeful.

The expected news came just before the weekend. Rick Perry has had ambitions to be President of the United States but until last week he had been keeping his gunpowder dry. Just before the Iowa straw poll, news came through that the Texas governor was entering the race to emulate his predecessor, one George W Bush. Is America keen for another gunslinger in the White House? I try to asses wether the Lone Star governor has got what it takes astrologically to make it all the way to the top.

Rick Perry was born on 4th March 1950 10 miles outside of Paint Creek, Texas at 10.40am. This time is not absolutely confirmed, but it comes from a Texas Astrologer, so the source seems like a good one

Ok What do we know about him?

Born in a rural cotton farm community where he lived and worked on the land with his family. Apparently it was a tough upbringing and on the cusp of the 4th house we find Virgo and also here is Pluto. Pluto infers the notion of being trapped or controlled. I can imagine that Rick’s home life would not have been a happy one.

As a boy we know he was an Eagle scout. In the 11th house we find the Piscean Sun, he will be a leader in groups and associations and social activities. Ricks friends will be a source of inspiration to him.

At school he studied animal science where he received a bachelors degree. On the Midheaven we find scientific Aquarius and in the house everyday routine and domesticated animals we find Neptune, conferring a real love for looking after them.

We know that Rick was trained to be a pilot and flew military jets while serving in the US Air Force in the Middle East and in Europe until 1977, he also very nearly became a commercial pilot. Mars is the planet signifying the military, and Mars in May 1950 was in social Libra, he was a military pilot turned social one. Mars sits in the 5th house of sports and physical activity and makes a trine to the Aquarian Midheaven conferring him with great technical skill in flying. Venus in the 9th brings fascination in travel and I am sure the chance to go abroad was one of the factors he used in choosing to go into the forces.

We know that Rick is an evangelical Christian. Jupiter is in Aquarius in the 10th house so Rick makes his faith an integral part of his public role. The Sun is in spiritual Pisces and his very conservative religious views are shown by stern Saturn sitting on the cusp of the 9th house.

We are now getting somewhere. Mr Perry’s appearance is always very clean cut, neat and sharp. Even at 61 years of age he looks like someone in their late 40’s which indicates someone who looks after themselves and their appearance, possibly a bit of vanity perhaps? Taurus ruled by Venus sits on the Midheaven showing that streak within him with Mars and Neptune now in the 9th. I understand Rick is a larger than life character and consistent with idea Jupiter is in square aspect to the Ascendant. This aspect reinforces the faith aspect tot his personality and gives him a bit of a lucky streak. 

Finally, here as they say in America “is the kicker”. Rick was encouraged to run for the presidency by his wife. Why did she have to persuade Rick to enter the race? It is because Rick lives under her thumb. Scorpio ruled by Pluto sits on the cusp of Rick’s 7th house. She controls (Pluto & Scorpio) him!! As I will show, her decision affected the race for the Republican nomination.

Right to the chart. Rick has a Sun in dreamy Pisces, the Moon in critical, conservative Virgo conjunct to Saturn, a Taurean Ascendant and a stubborn and erratic Aquarian Midheaven.

The Taurus Ascendant and Aquarius Midheaven give us a man who is a social organiser and a builder of his own little empire, it is in his nature. This is someone who has a very hard line and a severe public face. Rick is in favour of the death penalty, gun ownership, anti global warming and he wanted to go ahead with a $10 billion building programme of coal burning power stations, plans which were drastically reduced under the potential opposition of environmental litigation. All these issues, death, firearms, big business & heavy industry have been very controversial in nature, something that will follow him throughout his work life, he is a very divisive figure.

The basis of this chart are a couple of powerful oppositions. We have the Piscean Sun, dreamy and elusive in a tight opposition to the Moon and Saturn which is retrograde in the 5th house. A lot here to discuss. This opposition is across the 5th and 11th houses, the house of giving and receiving love. With Saturn in the 5th, this is a very reserved man emotionally. The Saturn/Moon combination tells me that Rick had a strict, hard working upbringing. Saturn and Moon together indicate a mother who was tough and critical on her son. Saturn retrograde shows that love was not forthcoming from his father either. Perhaps he was away a lot (unlikely as this was a family farm), or more likely he too was severe or maybe just cold on Rick as he was growing up. With the opposition to the 11th house Sun, I can assume that Rick’s self worth was severely dented as a child. The proof can be seen as Uranus in the 2nd house is exactly square to the Nodal Axis (otherwise known as the maternal axis). Here is a very cold and unpredictable relationship with his mother. The Moon in Virgo opposite the Sun in Pisces is a very sensitive, even shy combination, prone to being hurt and very self critical. In his soul, Perry sometimes lacks motivation, sometimes he needs to be given a kick up the backside to force him into action. It also makes one over-react, to do too much to overcome one’s weaknesses. The Moon in the 5th shows such an over-reaction. Rick’s will dramatize all his reactions, they will be severely over the top.

Being belittled as a youngster I believe forced Rick into action to join the forces, just to prove to his parents that he was worthy. It is telling that he held back in putting himself forward to join the race, almost as if that self-doubt in his chart was holding him back. It took his wife to push him forward to join the race. I believe that his charismatic nature we know is a front, a smokescreen (a very Piscean analogy) hiding a much more timid and deceptive personality out of the public gaze. That charisma comes from the other opposition on this chart. Jupiter and Mercury in Aquarius opposite to Pluto, forming a wedge with Neptune at the point. Jupiter and Mercury also make a trine to Uranus. This conjunction has great vision, big plans and Perry will be an electrifying, powerful speaker. Jupiter provides the scope, Pluto in opposition the depth, Neptune the grace and a poetic tone and Uranus in trine aspect allows sparks to fly. One thing to notice. This combination is great in rhetoric, but where is the detail behind it? Grand conservative social plans yes (Aquarius, Libra, Cancer) in a rather self-centred way (Pluto in regal Leo). There are no earth planets in this combination giving a grounding to the message. Uranus sitting in the 2nd house of finance rives Rick a rather reckless attitude to money in general. Is this exactly what The US needs in times of austerity? His record in Texas on the face of it does seem impressive, but drill below the surface and the picture is not so clear. The BBC says that Texas although the budget has been balanced still owes a lot of money in unpaid debts, the jobs that have been made are only low paid ones, probably taken up by immigrants and the standard of education has dropped through the floor in the state. Sounds remarkably like the situation in Britain, and see where that has lead us in the last couple of weeks!! Will all this be enough, and will the American system really focus in on what he actually has achieved?

The Sun and Moon opposition also contributes two more things to this chart. Firstly, Perry’s character and his emotions will work at cross purposes, so he will send out mixed messages, causing confusion in personal relationships. Secondly, the most obvious aspects often are overlooked on a chart as people are looking too deeply. We have Sun opposite Moon (conjunct to Saturn), a man versus a woman; a very powerful authoritarian (Saturn) one as well. One of Perry’s challenges will be to fight and defeat Michele Bachmann, who may take enough of the religious right and tea party support away from him, to let Mitt Romney who seems more moderate in his views take the centre ground. Finally before I move to look at current planetary movements, one last connection. Uranus sits square to the nodal axis. This indicates someone who generally is out of step with public opinion. When challenged why their views are so different, they tend to get irritated, insensitive or rebellious. Perry will have to hold his tongue in the Republican debates when his motives and especially his religious opinions are questioned.

I move to the transits and looking at what happened astrologically as Perry entered the race. Last week as Perry mulled over entering the fray, the transiting Sun and Venus were conjunct to Perry’s Pluto just before his announcement on Saturday 13th. A minor connection, but a significant one. With Scorpio on the cusp of the 7th as I suggest, the push from a female influence (Venus) on Perry’s Pluto persuaded him to enter the race. I think she fancies 4 years in the White House? As he spoke, the Sun was exactly quindecile to his natal Venus again highlighting the female influence on him. Transiting Jupiter was square the Aquarian Midheaven, Sun opposite his 10th house Jupiter and the transiting Moon conjunct it. Mars, highlighting communication in Perry’s chart (Aries on 3rd house cusp) was square to the nodal axis, putting his actions squarely in the public eye (sorry about the pun). The transiting Moon was also opposite to natal Pluto again highlighting his wife’s influence (Cancer on cusp of 7th) and his Scorpio Midheaven ambitions. 

How are things going to pan out. Well transiting Saturn is going to contact Rick’s natal Neptune in the middle of September which will be a debilitating influence. Natal Saturn sits in the 5th house and Neptune in the 6th, is this a risk he has taken that will suddenly go wrong, the 5th house is the house of affairs? The 9th & 11th houses are involved too, so does this situation have international connections with friends or groups? We shall see next month.  I believe this will be a critical time for him. In December 2011, Perry starts to pick up a transit that will last for him from that time through until the Presidential election itself. Transiting Pluto will square to Rick’s natal Mars and also square his Nodal Axis. Pluto is operating out of it’s own 8th house of change and transformation, Mars is in Rick’s 5th house of affairs, creativity and speculation and rules the 12th house of sacrifice and service. Pluto rules the 7th house of relationships, dealing with others and of open enemies. This square to the Nodes harks back to events in April 2011, when Pluto stationed exactly on Perry’s node before turning retrograde. This square is very destructive and accurately describes the wildfires which were affecting Texas at the time. Looking back, Perry was considered crazy by some at the time as he officially asked for spiritual help for Texas by declaring a 3 day period of prayer for rain as a cure for the disaster affecting his state. The divine intervention never came as the sun continued to beat down. Watch to see if Perry’s opponents jump on this weakness for using God as a panacea for all the ills and disappointments going on in America.

Looking at election day 6th November 2012 if Rick makes it that far, we have a mixed bag of transits for him. On the plus side, we have a nice sextile between transiting Jupiter and natal Pluto and a trine between Jupiter and Neptune. Jupiter will also square the Sun, Moon and Saturn opposition. I feel the effect of over-confidence on this aspect, and in the process he will get a hit to the self-worth profile. Transiting Neptune will be square to his Taurus Ascendant on election day, not a very happy one and dissolving any dreams he will have. Neptune transiting the 10th house of work is also not an auspicious platform for launching a Presidential campaign. This will be a time when Rick will be unsure of his direction in life, and any deceit that he has been party to will come out, or then again may be deceived himself. Transiting Saturn also will be square natal Venus, this will be an emotionally depressing time.

Having now got a definitive birth time, I am still not convinced by Rick Perry. As an outsider and somebody who is looking at this from a neutral perspective, I do feel that there does seem something false about his chart. A lot of bravado & charisma yes, but not so much substance. I also think he tends to hide behind his religious views too much. The other lingering doubt remaining with me is this. If he was so confident of winning, why didn’t he enter the race earlier, and why did his wife have to push him so much to get him to run? Something tells me he is hiding something. The less time you are under scrutiny, the less time there is to dig the dirt on him. As the competition heats up over the coming months, the planets will find out the truth.

**** Update 10th Nov 11 ****

I sort of knew it would happen somewhere along the line. During a live CBS debate, Rick Perry last night made a huge gaff when trying to remember all three government agencies he would cut if he became President. He remembered two, Commerce and Education but then he stumbled, and even asked his rivals if they could help. Fully 15 minutes later, he finally came up with the answer, the Energy agency. Fifteen minutes too late and his Presidential campaign seems to be falling apart. This happens as the transiting Nodes now are starting to square his Sun opposition to Moon/Saturn, Uranus was almost exactly square (0.04 degrees) to it’s own position and disorientating Neptune was approaching an exact square to his ascendant. I think we can now fully discount his chances (at least this time around) for him having any chance of becoming President in 2012.