The Astrology of Barack Obama

Simultaneously, Obama’s progressed Mars is heading into some strong headwinds. The conditions of a president’s natal and progressed Mars often reflect his role as Commander-in-Chief. Currently, Obama’s progressed Mars is at 25º Libra where it forms a square to his natal Saturn. This aspect becomes exact on April 5, so that military tension tends to escalate between now and then. The adversaries are already in view: Syria and Iran.

Adding fuel to the fire is Obama’s progressed Juno opposite natal Mars (exact in late July) and his progressed Mars and Ascendant opposing each other (exact in mid-August). These indicators intensify the potential for significant military conflict, and how alliances play out in these developments. Iran’s willingness to blockade the Strait of Hormuz is pushing up oil prices, and Obama has to figure out when to act and how to involve other nations. We can be sure that these geopolitical dynamics are shaping up now.

NewsScope; September 19, 2011. Fundamental transformation of the political scene relies on the outer planets to overcome Saturn, the natural ruler of the status quo. Pluto in particular empowers the individual to carry out the will of the masses, if the people do indeed seek meaningful change. How do the two leading GOP candidates stack up when comparing their Pluto factors?

Historically, transiting Pluto has been a major factor in the winning candidate’s election. A few examples… Eisenhower won in November 1952 when transiting Pluto was trine his progressed Sun (orb 0º04’). JFK won in 1960 when transiting Pluto was square his natal Sun (orb 0º02’). Reagan won in 1980 when transiting Pluto was conjunct his Midheaven, while both Bush presidents won while transiting Pluto was trine natal Pluto.

Transiting Pluto will be sextile Mitt Romney’s Mars and square his Neptune during the campaign season – not great Pluto factors. However, connections to the U.S. Pluto are also common, and this is where Romney has an advantage. Currently, his progressed Ascendant and progressed Mars are squaring each other while aligning with the U.S. Pluto. On Election Day – November 6, 2012 -- his progressed Mars is about ½ degree from squaring the U.S. Pluto.

Transiting Pluto trines Obama’s Pluto, the ruler of his Midheaven, on Election Day. This closely parallels the Pluto factors that got George Bush (senior) elected in 1988 and George W. Bush in 2000. And Obama has strong connections to the U.S. Moon (at 25º Aquarius), both natally and by progression during the 2012 campaign. Obama’s natal Vesta at 25º Taurus squares Uranus and trines Saturn, which are at 25º Leo and 25º Capricorn. In 2012, his progressed Mars is at 25º Libra, while his progressed Ascendant is at 25º Aries. All these connections to the U.S. Moon indicate good rapport with voters.

Obama had been a cautious observer, but that’s not a reflection of his Mars in Virgo. After all, George W. Bush and Lyndon Johnson had Mars in Virgo, a placement that feels comfortable working with the armed services. In each case, Bush and LBJ became enmeshed in warfare when progressed Mars made challenging aspects. LBJ escalated the battle in Vietnam just as his progressed Mars opposed Saturn, a frustrating, obstacle-filled blend.

Bush intervened in Iraq as his progressed Mars was squaring his Sun, an unusually aggressive combination. For Obama, his progressed Mars is now heading into a square with natal Saturn, which is reminiscent of LBJ’s plight. However, LBJ’s Saturn was in headstrong Aries, while Obama’s Saturn is in cautious Capricorn. Since Obama’s progressed Sun and Mars are in cooperative, diplomatic Libra, he prefers to work with other countries to bring Gadhafi to justice.

Obama’s progressed Mars is making a simultaneous sextile to Uranus, indicating potential success if he plays his cards right. On April 10, Obama’s progressed Moon will oppose his Mars, and is well within orb of the action planet now. This has led to the current U.S. military strikes in Libya. Next year, Obama’s progressed Mars becomes highly energized (by his progressed Ascendant), and his progressed Moon will be in combative Aries. This likely indicates Obama will be a fully engaged Commander-in-Chief through the next election cycle.

A plantary cycle coming into play in 2012 has favored the Republicans over the last century, and this is transiting Saturn in Scorpio. During The last three times Saturn was conjunct the U.S. Scorpio Ascendant, Ronald Reagan, Dwight Eisenhower, and Calvin Coolidge were in office – all conservative, business-friendly Republicans. The previous Saturn cycle was won by Democrat Grover Cleveland in 1896, but at that time the Republicans were known as the Party of Lincoln, and Cleveland ran on a pro-business platform.

If we think of Scorpio from the angle of political astrology, this sign refers to capitalism. Scorpio Rising on the U.S. horoscope says “The business of America is business.” Scorpio is about leveraging assets, and in the U.S. chart, the four planets in the 8th house of pooled finances reiterates that the U.S. system is all about capitalism. Transiting Saturn in Scorpio tends to get very protective about business. If Obama plans on winning in 2012, he will have to find a way to appease the corporatocracy. This means making some headway in reducing the long-term federal debt so that the U.S. government maintains its AAA credit rating.

At the same time, he must guarantee the basic support programs provided by the government. Transiting Pluto in Capricorn sextiles the U.S. Scorpio Ascendant in 2012, and this tends to favor the status quo. Obama will win if he can paint the Republicans as the ones who want to upset the voters’ entitlements.

Obama’s chart in 2012 looks extremely confrontational. His progressed Ascendant and Mars are opposing each other while squaring his natal Saturn. This configuration paints a campaign season filled with hardball politics, dirty tricks, and cruel rhetoric. More than that, it may suggest physical attacks at some point, and the political astrologer would be remiss in not saying that his life may be endangered.

On Election Day, November 6, 2012, Mercury turns retrograde while in Sagittarius. Since Mercury squares Neptune and Chiron in Pisces, this suggests some irregularities in tallying the votes or other snafu that holds up the process. In Obama’s chart, Mercury is in his 10th house of outcomes. Transiting Mars at 22 Sagittarius squares Obama’s Mars, so he may have reason to be angry on this day. With simultaneous Uranus-Pluto square, it’ll make for interesting political theater. However, Saturn in Scorpio near the U.S. Ascendant assures us that stability and order will soon follow.

From this discussion, we can see that no political party can be represented by a single planet. Astrologers in general tend to lean left toward the progressive or liberal wing. From this vantage point, it’s easy to see Republicans as hardnosed, mean-spirited Saturn types, while Democrats are futuristic, progressive Uranus or Jupiter types.

This election cycle, those identifications are reversed. The Republicans are the Uranians who want government off their backs and to do away with the deficit at any cost. Democrats are associated with Saturn, the planet that keeps those paychecks coming in from dear old Uncle Sam. Saturn creates the sense of security and reliability that we associate with this planet’s better half.

The issues aren’t as black and white as transiting Uranus and Pluto like to portray. The question voters must ask is, will Medicare and other growing entitlement programs undermine American credit? The most responsible platform will preserve the social safety net, cut unnecessary entitlements, and make some headway in reducing the federal deficit. Without this balanced approach, we can expect major economic problems in 2013 through 2015 as Uranus and Pluto align with the U.S. Sun.

This chart features Sagittarius Rising with Ceres, the caretaking asteroid, near her Ascendant. Ceres is much enhanced by a tight trine to Jupiter, the ruler of her chart, but under developmental pressure from squares to the generational Uranus-Pluto conjunction. Her various roles as a mother, organic food gardener, advocate for homeless shelters, and her campaign against childhood obesity all reflect this prominent Ceres.

Ms. Obama’s Moon at 25º Aquarius is exactly conjunct the U.S. Moon, which she has expressed as being able to fulfill the American Dream. She married Barack on October 3, 1992 when her progressed Sun, Mars, and Saturn were all conjoined at 25º Aquarius. Also, she had a progressed Juno-Pallas conjunction on her Ascendant, indicating a marriage (Juno) with a politician (Pallas). When Barack was elected on November 4, 2008, transiting Saturn was conjunct her Midheaven.

Since she entered the White House, much has been made of Michelle’s fashion sense. With Venus squaring her Ascendant natally, Michelle works hard to look relaxed and elegant. And with Mars sextile her Ascendant, she’s not afraid to assert herself, both politically and stylistically. Transiting Neptune is conjoining her Venus and squaring her Ascendant throughout 2012. From this, we can expect the fashionistas to be in full critique mode, while fans and pundits speculate about her own presidential campaign down the road.