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"The natal chart is like a seed and progressions are the unfolding in time of that into the plant it is to become. Transits, are like a daily weather report. In political astrology, these three factors have to be taken into account!"
Comments, questions, suggestions? Let us know what you think. Email wolfstar@neptunecafe.com
Recent NewsScope columns
Jan 2, 2012 - Obama-Clinton in 2012?, Iran's Revolutionary Guard, Maryl Streep as the Iron Lady
Jan. 9, 2012 - Rick Sant-orum, Eris and the job market, Stephen Hawking's State of the Universe
Jan. 16, 2012 - Corporations are people, Americans Elect hold online nomination, the glamorous Marlene Dietrich
Jan. 23, 2012 - Gingrich wins in SC, the Costa Concordia disaster, Eris and Madonna: Chaos as art
Jan. 30, 2012 - Gingrich's 12th house Mars, top five astro-events for february, and the journey of OR-7
February 6, 2012 - Pluto stimulates the U.S. economy, Israel tempts fate, a UFO in the Baltic Sea
Feb.13, 2012 - Santorum and Super Tuesday, Whitney Houston slips away, Linsanity spreading
Feb. 20, 2012 - Xanax: addictive and profitable; Assad and the Lunar Eclipse; Bobby Brown
Feb. 27, 2012 - Obama's progressed Mars, Top Five Astro-events for March, will Jeb Bush save the GOP?
March 5, 2012 - Obama's Interview, the swing state Ohio, Maria Menounas - something to talk about
Reader feedback
re: election - You had me completely prepared/depressed about Romney's election as President. Thank you for helping me be so happy today. I keep remembering how you called the 2008 election, and predicted really good things for Hillary and Bill Clinton after the election. That's part of the reason I've trusted you so much. So the next question is: Will Obama do the same with Romney -- give him a significant cabinet post/responsibility that will effectively use Romney's managerial skills? It's something I would love to see.
A. As for Romney, yes, I missed that one, but it sure was close going down to the wire. If Hurricane Sandy hadn't shown up, or the unemployment rate was still at 8.0 percent instead of 7.9 percent, it could very well have gone the other way. Neither of these last minute, random events were visible in the candidates' charts.... Obama may ask Romney to come onboard, but I don't know if Romney would accept. It might be a very useful tactic to get some bipartisan action, and Obama does like to make a Team of Rivals.
re: election - Love your column. I now think that the more a candidate has of 25 degree natal planets/bodies, that determines the winner rather than progressed. Obama has the most. Thus Romney lost...thank goodness for our nation's sake!
A. I'm glad you feel the Scorpio Rising chart is the best way to assess a candidate's chances.
re: election - In your anaysis of how the election would go, you kind of set aside Obama's aspects to the US chart and the Moon, and instead reached for Romney's progressed aspects, some already past, to predict him the winner. You did not mention that Obama has his progressed Mars tightly trine the US natal Moon.on Election Day! In my book, that is a far more powerful indice than asteroids, and a square from progressed planets. That same progressed Mars, squares the US Pluto, ruler of the US first house. Interesting. Okay, then.
A. Your insights about Obama's chart and its comparison to the U.S. Moon (uniquely at 25 AQ in the U.S. Scorpio Rising horoscope) may be the best interptretation of why he won. I would add that Obama's progressed Mars does indeed trine the U.S. Moon, but it's about 1/4 degree past the exact trine, which makes it a waning influence. Still, he did tout his strong resumé as Commander-in-Chief. Yes, his progressd Mars in diplomatic Libra goes on to square the U.S. Pluto in 2014, which may very well bring a marshalling of U.S. allies against a recalcitrant foe, such as Iran.
re: election - In NewsScope Q & A, you recently wrote: "If he [Romney] becomes the Commander-In-Chief, It likely won't be long before the U.S. is engaged in a major military conflict, and a potential devastating one." QUESTION: Now that Obama has been re-elected, does the above forecast still stand, or was that forecast strictly unique to Romney's chart?
A. I was definitely concerned that Romney would lead us into a major military conflict due to his progressed Mars in Aries and that his military advisers were 70 percent taken from Bush's neocons. The U.S. progressed Sun will be squaring natal Uranus next year, and that will likely present a military challenge. Hopefully, Obama's progressed Mars in Libra is better equipped diplomatically to manage that crisis.
re: election - I am so glad your prediction about Pres Obama did not come true!!! I am looking forward to your column this weekend to read what happened astrologically!!!
re: election - I'm sure you've gotten mail from many readers about the election. I'm so glad you were wrong. I was convinced Romney was going to win, very much in part because of your predictions and reasons why but also because of my own beliefs that the Republicans will do anything to steal an election and I fully expected it. Perhaps what you're seeing on Inauguration Day for Romney involves something entirely different in his life.
re: election - Just as I predicted! A Pisces Sun can no longer be elected president.
re: election - Thank you for your great column each week. I have not missed any article for several years. Even though Mitt Romney was not elected president, you are probably correct in predicting than Romney enjoys a better transit than Obama on inauguration day. Mitt Romney will have a much easier time than Obama, who will face the daunting task of the fiscal cliff.
re: election - As to the election results, I fully agree with you that the answer to who would be the winner was exceedingly difficult this time around. I voted for Obama because I am greatly concerned about climate change and Romney offered nothing but the "drill baby drill" rhetoric. I emailed you back in the summer on the possiblity that Obama might lose and that we could only hope for a miracle to change the tide. Looks like that miracle was Hurricane Sandy: Obama was in his finest presidential mode and climate change is back in the spotlight once again.
re: election - Even the best can sometimes get it wrong. It just goes to show how hard real astrology can be. Looking forward to the next newscope.
re: Neptune - You were obviously on-the-money as to Neptune playing a pivotal role in the 2012 presidential election.Superstorm Sandy’s massive devastation on the eastern seaboard may well affect an individual’s ability to get to a polling place and vote.
re: trioctile - You said in the Top Five Astro-Events Oct. 2012 that Jupiter and Saturn form a Trioctile... I was wondering if that Trioctile is the same as the Sesquisquare? Anyways... love your site... thanks.
A. yes, same thing - 165 degree aspect. And an octile is the same as a semisquare. I prefer the terms "octile" and "trioctile" because they're clearly aspects made by dividing the circle into eighths, while "sesquisquare" is such an archaic tongue-twister...
March 12, 2012 - Billionaire Sara Blakely, Rush Limbaugh and the feminazis, yoga teacher Kristin McGee
March 19, 2012 - the Goldman Sachs elite, journalist Chris Hedges, George Clooney arrested
March 26, 2012 - Afghan War chart, April's top five astro-events, Hunger Games star Jennifer Lawrence
April 9, 2012 - Ann Romney and Gender Gap, Trayvon Martin and George Zimmer-man, Matt Damon's guru
April 9, 2012 - Ann Romney and Gender Gap, Trayvon Martin and George Zimmer-
man, Matt Damon's guru
April 16, 2012 - The Chiron-Pluto Generation, Bobby Petrino's issues, and Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie
April 23, 2012 - The Secret Service scandal, May's top five astro-events, and the Titanic 100 years later
April 30, 2012 - China's Uranus cycle, France's next president Francois Hollande, DWTS' Katherine Jenkins
May 7, 2012 - Romney blames Obama, Michelle Obama's rectified birth chart, writer-director Joss Whedon
May 14, 2012 - Same-sex marriage, Venus and the financial markets, and Tom Gabel's transformation
May 21, 2012 - FB's IPO, Will Greece leave the Eurozone?, Wis. Governor Scott Walker's recall
May 28, 2012 - Mohamed Morsi - Egypt's next president, June's astro-events, Jupiter and the SE
June 4, 2012 - Obama or Romney? Spain's financial T-square, cyberwarfare's General James Cartwright.
June 11, 2012 - Part Two of Who will win - Obama or Romney? A deeper look at each candidate's chart
June 18, 2012 - Pluto and the billionaries; Putin and the patriarchs, and the NBA finals with Kevin Durant
June 25, 2012 - The Vatican's protector of predator priests, July's top five, Larry Ellison buys Lanai
July 2, 2012 - Roberts and Obamacare, European leaders reach accord, Katie Holmes files for divorce
July 9, 2012 - Michelle Obama and Ann Romney on Election day, Henry Higgs and the UR-PL cycle
July 16, 2012 - Ceres and commodity prices, Condi Rice rumors, Woody Guthrie, dustbowl troubadour
July 23, 2012 - Black Moon Lilith Rising, James Holmes' split personality, celebrity CEO Marissa Mayer
July 30, 2012 - Romney's gaffe at the Olympics, August's top five events, Kristen Stewart's love life
Aug 6, 2012 - The Dawn Mission, Oscar Pistolius the blade runner, and James Holme's timed chart
Aug 13, 2012 - Paul Ryan wins the Veepstakes, the U.S. progressed Moon-Mars,Angelina wedding day
Aug 20, 2012 - The activated Uranus-Pluto, Russia's Black Moon, Jessica Alba's busy life.
Aug 27, 2012 - Romney's victory and the fiscal cliff, September's top five, Lance Armstrong's career dives.
Sept. 3, 2012 - The clash over Medicare, Clint East-wood talks with a chair, Mariah Carey's horoscope.
Sept. 10, 2012 - the astrology of QE3, Black Moon in Israel's chart, Leann Rimes and Patsy Cline
Sept. 17, 2012 - Chaos in the Middle East and Peace Day; women doing well; Kate Middleton's dilemma
Sept. 24, 2012 - Romney's 47 percent video, October's top five astro-events, Lindsay Lohan's attitude
Oct. 1, 2012 - Special Black Moon Lilith Issue, Romney's progressed Lilith; Iran's Lilith; Lilith celebrity profiles.
Oct. 8, 2012 - candidates' progressions, Turkey's Grand Cross, Miguel Cabrera wins Triple Crown.
Oct. 15, 2012 - Ohio, the bellwether state to win; Malala Yousafzai, freedom fighter; Ben Affleck's Argo...
Oct. 22, 2012 - Cyber Pearl Harbor, November's top five astro-events, and Justin Timberlake and Jennifer Biel
Oct. 29, 2012 - Neptune and the election, the Solar Eclipse hits Ohio's Neptune, and Queen Elizabeth II
Nov. 5, 2012 - Hurricane Sandy, the astrology of hurricanes, and Taylor Swift's philanthropy
NewsScope for November 12, 2012
By Michael Wolfstar
Paula Broadwell,
The Other Woman
The attractive, green-eyed biographer was given unprecedented access to General Petraeus. The Huffington Post phrased it this way: “She was embedded with the general in Afghanistan from July 2010 to July 2011.” Petraeus resigned abruptly last Friday, admitting his work at the CIA was compromised due to an extramarital affair. The next day, the media reported that Paula Broadwell was the other woman.
Paula Broadwell was born with a Sun-Juno conjunction in Scorpio (November 9, 1972; Bismarck, ND; time unknown), a combination that strives to make one’s way through life with a long-term marriage partner. The Sun-Juno pair is quincunx Saturn, which tends to cement the primary relationship, but may make it feel stagnant or too ordinary. This is especially the case in Mrs. Broadwell’s chart since she has a highly stimulating quest for danger and excitement, as shown by her Mars-Uranus conjunction.
Black Moon Lilith can be a troublemaker when it comes to marriage, since this sorceress does not like to be tied down. Broadwell’s Lilith is located at 29º Scorpio where it's conjunct her Neptune, the planet of deception. During the phase when she was embedded with the general, her progressed Venus had conjoined her Lilith. Venus, the love planet, had teamed up with Lilith in secretive, sexual Scorpio.
News of the affair broke last week when Mercury turned retrograde right on her Neptune. Currently, her progressed Juno is at 29º Scorpio – exactly conjunct her Lilith! When Juno and Lilith meet, the tension between the conventional married woman and the enchantress becomes unbearable. General Petraeus (November 7, 1952) similarly has his Scorpio Sun in close aspect with Juno, and a Mars-Uranus aspect. His progressed Lilith at 1º Virgo is being opposed by transiting Neptune, the planet that brings scandal and self-undoing.
Election Results
A reader asks: “I’m sitting here right now in front of some nice, fragrant, steaming hot Humble Pie and I was wondering if you might like to share a slice with me…. I mean after all, I was buying into the Romney win.” Yes, only a week before the election the polls were telling us that it was a statistical dead heat and could go either way.
In fact, both candidates had strong plusses and minuses, and after weighing the various factors to come up with a reasonable forecast, I picked Romney. To be sure, Obama’s chart featured transiting Pluto trine natal Pluto, the ruler of his Midheaven, and transiting Saturn rising toward his Midheaven. These are positive indicators for his win, as I noted in my comparison of the two charts.
However, all things being equal, Romney’s progressed Midheaven trine natal Pluto seemed to trump Obama’s Midheaven conditions. And Romney’s progressed Sun at 25º Taurus squared the U.S. Moon, describing how his economic plan and business sense (Taurus) appealed to voters and their security needs (Moon). He gained momentum after his first debate with Obama until voters realized that the unemployment rate was slowly but steadily improving.
A rather obscure factor is Black Moon Lilith, which I’ve only recently begun to investigate. Romney’s progressed Midheaven adversely squares Lilith, and as noted in NewsScope’s October 1 issue, Romney’s progressed Moon would square his Lilith on October 30. Hurricane Sandy made landfall on October 30, and then two days later Obama went to inspect the damage. To me, the election was over when voters saw New Jersey's Republican governor working seamlessly and thankfully with the incumbent president.
The bottom line is that predicting a presidential winner is tricky business and there are many complex and even inconceivable variables to consider (like Hurricane Sandy). Probably the most important determinant in this election cycle was not how either candidate’s chart fared on November 6, but the state of the national economy. And that’s not something that can be pinpointed in either candidate’s chart.
Perhaps the economic conditions can be foreseen by using the Scorpio Rising national horoscope. In NewsScope February 6, 2012, I noted that transiting Pluto sextile the U.S. Scorpio Ascendant “continues to promote a healthy economy, and consequently, Obama’s re-election.” However, seeing the Uranus-Pluto square shaping up, the “fiscal cliff”, and Europe’s contagious problems, I wasn’t prepared to state that the U.S. economy would continue to improve.
It’s noteworthy that astrologers were nearly unanimous in predicting that the results would be delayed or contested due to “voting irregularities,” since Mercury was turning retrograde on Election Day. On that score, we were all wrong. Of course we’ll continue to try and predict the future, especially since this kind of astrology is infinitely more interesting and realistic than Sun Sign astrology.
Lincoln’s Team of Rivals
Steven Spielberg’s historical drama “Lincoln” is getting unqualified, unanimous praise from critics. The film shows the 16th president as a political horse-trader and story-teller who must work with his opponents to get the 13th Amendment passed. Daniel Day-Lewis plays Lincoln, and “eases into a role of epic difficulty as if it were a coat he had been wearing for many years.”
Numerous birth times are floating around for Lincoln, but the one that seems to work best is 8:36 am* (February 12, 1809; Hodgenville, KY). This puts his Aquarius Sun and several other planets in the 12th house, perhaps reflecting his bouts of depression and isolation. Notice that his Sun conjoins Pallas, the political strategy asteroid, which underscores his ability to make backroom deals.
With Aries Rising, Mars becomes the ruler of his chart, and it’s located in the 7th house of rivals. The film is partially based on Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book “Team of Rivals”, which also happens to be one of Barack Obama’s favorites. Lincoln stitched together legislation by partnering with his political enemies. His Mars at 25º Libra is exactly trine the U.S. Moon in Aquarius, which helped him energize and manifest the basic American ideal of equality.
One of Lincoln’s greatest acts was the Emancipation Proclamation, an executive order issued on January 1, 1863. At the time, transiting Pluto (executive power) was exactly opposite his Uranus, the planet symbolizing freedom. Since Lincoln’s Uranus, located at 9º Scorpio, conjoins the U.S. Scorpio Ascendant, his decisive action became an historic turning point. His progressed Midheaven at 25º Aquarius was uniquely conjunct the U.S. Aquarius Moon. The Emancipation Proclamation was the first step in passing the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery in the United States.
* AstroDataBank sources on Lincoln include this note: Independently and in different years, T. Pat Davis and Manly Palmer Hall rectified the time to 8:36 AM.
There's three examples of Mars located at 25º Libra in this week's NewsScope. Can you spot them?
* For more on progressions, see What are progressions?
