Regular readers will know that I don’t usually bother to
predict US elections, I like to focus on countries as the country chart will
continue regardless of who is leader. Sometimes the country chart does show a
big shift especially when there is a sudden change of leader but it is more
important to see how the dynamics within the country play out economically and
politically than it is to see who is leading at any time.
However, this election is fascinating everyone so I thought
I would have a look.
Obviously then I am faced with the question of which charts
to look at. Much has been written elsewhere on which election day chart to use
and whether the inauguration chart is more important. Some people have also
considered the chart of the potential VPs.
I have decided to concentrate on the two presidential
candidates and the inauguration but I also plan to look at a chart for early on
the morning of 4th November as I think this should show the mood
after any results. I am also going to look at the charts for the Republican and
Democratic formal parties, although with caution as these are not timed charts.
US Country chart
But, first, let’s look at what the US chart might be
suggesting. Most astrologers of the US agree that the next few years are likely
to be difficult as the country reaches its first Pluto return ( Pluto returns
to its position in the Independence chart). The whole period seems to contain
rumblings of unrest and what may well be economic challenges though 2022 seems
the worst of the coming 4 years. But this tells us little about the incoming
President as we all know the country is already very divided.
More useful is to look at the journey of the US sun over the
4 year term. And this is interesting. Aspects to the sun and progressed sun are
far less prominent than they were in the first few years of Trump’s term ( 2020
has been a bit of an exception as he has been a victim of circumstance rather
than an initiator). Also during 2017-20
all significators suggested a country divided over the leader himself.
2021-24, on the other hand show the leader as less important. That doesn’t mean
that the country stops being divided merely that the President is not the focal
point any more.
Furthermore there is an interesting sign in December of 2023
almost as if there is shift in the leadership- could this be when a VP takes
over – certainly with both current candidates this could happen. Such a change
is not accompanied by any particularly hard aspects so one assumes it would be
by agreement.
On balance, although not totally conclusive, these future developments suggest the leader
is more likely to be Biden than Trump. If it is Trump he will be less prominent
in his second term.
Now let’s see if looking at their charts suggests the same
or a different conclusion.
Candidates vs election
There is little to be gained from spending too much time on
the underlying charts of the candidates – Trump has been President, Biden has
been Vice President so potentials in the charts have already been fulfilled. It
is more useful to look at the transits and progressions to these charts.
However reading these charts is not easy. Both have
negatives and positives in relation to the charts of the election and the
inauguration. Not entirely unexpected – it is a serious job and gaining it
won’t be all sweetness and light. So what are we looking for?
In the election (actually post election day) chart I think it is
the mood we need to look at, the Moon and Mars in particular as well as Jupiter
for success. Yes the Sun and Saturn will be important when the individual
assumes office but when you’ve just found out you’ve won you are probably back
at the basic instincts of victory and feeling good. We should also look at the
chart angles.
When it comes to Mars we can see some differences. Biden’s Mars
is at 12 Scorpio and his progressed at 7 Capricorn. Uranus is trine his
progressed Mars and the Sun is conjunct
his natal Mars. Both are positive indicators. There is also an interesting “
double whammy” with transiting Mars trine his progressed Sun.
In Trump’s chart we actually see a moderate opposition of
transiting Mars to his progressed Mars. We also see that the major Capricorn conjunction
and specifically Saturn is quincunx his natal Mars. This isn’t entirely bad as his natal Mars is
very strong and both transiting Mercury and the Moon are moderately supportive
too. But on balance it seems the competitive planet favours Biden.
So, next, what about their Moons?
Trump’s moon is opposite his Sun Uranus NN and sextile his
Jupiter, progressed Venus and progressed Mercury. Immediately after the
election we see that the transiting Moon opposes his Moon picking up all those
planets. On balance this seems positive for him. His progressed Moon , however,
is approaching a square to this configuration and more seriously is closely
opposed by Neptune. That may well presage disappointment .
Biden’s natal moon is at 0 degrees Taurus and not heavily
aspected in his chart. His progressed Moon, however, will be conjoined with his
progressed Venus square his Saturn and quincunx his Pluto as well as sexile his
progressed Mars. Transits on the day make little connection with his natal Moon
but Uranus will sexile his progressed Moon/Venus though this does also mean a
square with Pluto. While not universally positive there is also a lack of that
nasty Neptune.
However it should be noted that Neptune is doing a long
transit to Biden’s IC not usually a sign
of career success at all but this may just be an indicator of the campaign to
discredit him through his family ( Hunter).
Finally Jupiter, which
turns out not to be so helpful. Biden has Jupiter at 25 degrees of the
cardinal signs and progressed Jupiter at 16. Trump has Jupiter at 17 of the
cardinal signs and progressed Jupiter at 24. Little to separate them then
though Trump’s Jupiter is favourably aspected by the transiting Moon while
Biden’s is not. We know Trump is lucky so maybe this could swing it his way.
So to be honest adding up all the pros and cons it is
difficult to call the result based on these charts alone.
Another matter to look at is Mercury changing direction on
the election day. It is retrograde and turning direct in 2020 as it was in 2000
when the famous recount happened. But in 2000 what made it extra interesting
was that by the end of the day after the election Mercury had already changed
signs and moved in Scorpio. In 2020 it will be changing direction at 26 degrees
of Libra and will not reach Scorpio until 10th November, a whole
week later. It’s the same but different! ( In 2012 it was turning retrograde instead
and did not change signs until 14th November and is thus a bit of a
red herring).
It may be that a result is called then overridden or that
there is a delay in determining the winner. If so I’d guess that Trump thinks
he’s won and then in the final reckoning it turns out he’s marginally lost.
Candidates vs inauguration
But perhaps the inauguration can help us. This time we are
not looking for winning or emotion but for power, identity and communication;
so the Sun , Mercury and perhaps Saturn (given that Jupiter is not a useful
differentiator). Obviously the outer planets will be in similar positions to
November so we ned to focus a little more on the inner ones.
Let’s first talk a little about the inauguration chart
itself. All such charts have the Sun at 0 Aquarius on the MC, but this one has
the Sun conjunct Jupiter and Saturn. And
Pluto dangerously close to that MC. A nasty little Uranus Mars Moon conjunction
hides in the wings behind the Ascendant as well. To say this is setting up for a challenging
Presidency is an understatement. I don’t think there is an astrologer around
that disagrees on this point. The event itself may be challenging too though if
the Covid situation continues it may well be held on-line which would certainly
cover the novel sun conjunction.
So the first thing we see in Trump’s chart is that there is
a trine between the inauguration chart mc/Pluto and his MC. Obviously this has
already played out in the previous inauguration but it is a positive indicator.
However his natal Sun and Moon do not make such a good aspect and this is
accentuated by a square from his progressed Moon.
We also see that the inauguration Moon is trine his
Ascendant. That’s a big plus.Or it would
be if it wasn’t also opposite his progressed Ascendant. And the latter is key.
It has moved into Scorpio. His circumstances are changing. A fact reinterated
by a North nodal return on his Uranus. This does not suggest things will carry
on as they have before.
We also note that Mercury opposes his progressed
Mercury but his natal Mercury is
positively aspected by the Mars Uranus configuration, as is his progressed Sun.
More changes?
Certainly if Trump is being inaugurated it is a very
different presidency.
Of course, Biden’s chart for the inauguration is equally
complex. First we see that the Pluto MC is conjunct his progressed Mercury and
opposite his Jupiter as well as sextile his Sun and Mercury. Added to which the
inauguration Mercury is conjunct his progressed Sun. It almost sounds as if he
could be making a speech.
But of course it isn’t so simple with the Mercury and
progressed Sun also being quincunx his MC ( which we know is opposed by Neptune
at the moment). And just for good measure the Node is square that MC.
On the other hand we see that the Mars Uranus conjunction is
trine his progressed Mars and sextile his progressed Venus and Moon. And the
transiting Moon ( which is square the sun – definitely representing the
President in this chart) is conjunct his Moon. Yet all that could just mean he
embodies the people who aren’t supporting the president. It is a conundrum!
So can the charts of the Parties tell us anything more
concrete? I am treating them with some scepticism as although there are foundation
dates they are untimed and only partly represent the real origins of the two
parties.
Nevertheless they both include significant synastry with
midday 20 Jan charts so I think we can use them. This time I will stick to the
post election chart, so it’s back to our friends Mars, Moon and Jupiter.
One of the first things to note is that the Republican party
have a Jupiter return[i].
Almost everyone will tell you how great Jupiter retuens are (though I’m popping
my cynicism cap on ) but the reality is that there was also a Jupiter return in
2008 and 1996. Add in a dash of Pluto and Saturn transit and we can’t rely on
that one to pay dividends this year either.
When we look at the Moon however things are a lot better.
Mars at election time is stationed trine the Republican moon and forming a
grand trine with its progressed Venus as well as a sextile to its progressed
Saturn. This definitely suggests the mood of a win.
But we’d expect this to be backed up by nice transit to the
Republican Mars and instead there are none. Perhaps the mood is not a win but a
common feeling of anger? Interesting
that it will be activated on inauguration day…
What about the Democrats? The triple conjunction of Pluto
Saturn and Jupiter picks up this chart in a big way. It is conjunct the
Democratic Uranus, opposite both Progressed Saturn and progressed Sun and
square the progressed Moon a well as approaching a trine to the Moon. It is a
key year; what’s news?. The square to the progressed Moon is not a particularly
good sign but the rest does not have to be negative ( bearing in mind that by
progression the Sun is trine the natal Moon). So it’s a mixed picture. Dramatic
but mixed.
Turning to the Democratic Mars we see that the transiting
sun is conjunct the Mars Jupiter conjunction sextile Neptune and trine Saturn.
That looks promising until you realise that it will be to some extent every
election. And this time we see transiting Mars square Neptune and Saturn. It’s
another mixed bag.
This time the Sun in the charts may also be important as it
represents the leader. But in the
Democratic chart it is mixed and in the Republican it is mildly positive but
not especially noteworthy.
No one single one of these charts is conclusive.
So we can conclude it is close – but we know that really. We
also know that it is possible to win the popular vote but not the Presidency
and that it is possible that recounts may be required.
So based on all the analysis it doesn’t look like there is a
clear winner on 3rd/4th but that Trump at least probably thinks he
winning. I expect it goes down to the last counts and Biden just pips it on the
basis of the inauguration chart comparison and the US chart which both suggest
that we will have a different kind of Presidency and that Trump’s situation is
going to change.
But I wouldn’t put money on this either way.
[i] [i]
I also note in a slight digression that the party have recently had a Neptune
return and are now approaching a Uranus return as well. Regardless of the
outcome of this election the Republican party are actually going through a
period of fundamental change and while to date it might have been relatively
gentle it is likely they need to find their direction again and the next few
years might see some of the biggest disruptions.
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