The Government Shutdown
"What are your thoughts on the government shutdown?" a reader asks. Many astrologers gave reasons for the shutdown after the fact, and based largely on their interpretation of transits to the Sibley chart (with Sagittarius Rising). But this shutdown was foreseen well before the fact using the U.S. Scorpio Rising chart and was described in NewsScope's August 19, 2013 issue.
The main indicators were the progressed Sun squaring Uranus in the 8th house of budgets, transiting Lilith conjunct the U.S. Sun, and the New Moon aligned with the ongoing Uranus-Pluto square. Pundits are currently seeing October 17 as the end of this crisis, since that’s when the federal government defaults on its debt. Everyone agrees it would be economically catastrophic to go beyond that date.
The problem is that the progressed Sun-square-Uranus astro-event is exact on October 29, indicating that this crisis could continue past October 17. What House Speaker John Boehner does could decide the fate of the nation around that time, since he’s mediating between Republican moderates and the Tea Party faction. Boehner (November 17, 1949) was born with a Sun-Mercury conjunction in Scorpio square Pluto which thrives on these kinds of power games.
Boehner’s Pallas, the political strategy asteroid, conjoins his Libra Moon, with both sextile his Pluto. This adds the political dimension to his persona: transiting Jupiter was exactly squaring his Pallas on October 1 when the shutdown arrived. On October 17, transiting Mercury is slowing down as it nears its retrograde station, and is exactly squaring Boehner’s Pluto. One can only hope that this leads to a shift in position that raises the debt ceiling.
The Republican Party Split
Initially founded as an anti-slavery movement, the Republican Party held its first political convention on July 6, 1854* in Jackson, Michigan. This date (set for noon) can be used as the foundation horoscope for the Republican Party and features a Sun-Lilith conjunction in Cancer at the same place as the U.S. Sun. The GOP Sun sextiles Uranus in Taurus, creating a fundamentally conservative political party.
Several additional planets in the GOP horoscope align with the national Scorpio Rising horoscope, which has helped secure its place on the national scene. Most significantly, Ceres at 16º Aquarius conjoins the U.S. 4th house cusp, adding to the liberty and freedom themes prominent in the GOP domestic agenda. Ronald Reagan, with his Sun at 16º Aquarius, most clearly personified the role as caretaker of these ideals.
Ceres forms a sharp square to Uranus in the GOP chart, which emphasizes the theme of self-reliance rather than government hand-outs. Currently, the GOP progressed Juno is adversely aspecting this natal Ceres-Uranus square, leading to a split within the party concerning how to defund Obamacare. We can see how well this chart responds to current conditions since transiting Saturn was exactly squaring the GOP Mercury when the shutdown went into effect.
Lilith in the GOP chart might be identified as the Tea Party with all its self-righteous rage and outcast status. Lilith is like a dark shadow that hangs over the party identity (Sun). Next year the transiting Uranus-Pluto square hits the U.S. Sun as well as the GOP Sun-Lilith. This celestial coincidence indicates the Tea Party -- as the minority faction within the minority party -- will go on to create more chaos in the political arena. Pluto brings extremists into play, and Uranus foments rebellion, unruliness and independent action.
Ronan Farrow and Ol’ Blue Eyes
In the latest issue of Vanity Fair**, actress Mia Farrow discusses her relationship with Frank Sinatra, who she says was the love of her life. When her son Ronan was born, she was ostensibly in a relationship with Woody Allen, but admits that she and Sinatra never really broke up. Might Ronan actually be the son of Frank Sinatra? "Possibly," said Mia.
Ronan Farrow was born with his Sagittarius Sun conjoined by Uranus, Mercury and Saturn (December 19, 1987; 10:49 am; New York, NY), which is an extraordinary stellium due to its alignment with the Galactic Center at 27º Sagittarius. Ronan made his mark at an early age, becoming Bard College’s youngest graduate at age 16. Since then he has gone on to become a recognized humanitarian and now works for the Obama Administration in Afghanistan.
If Frank Sinatra is indeed Ronan’s father, he would have been 71 years old when he impregnated Mia Farrow in pre-Viagra times. Astrologically, Frank’s imprint on Ronan’s chart is clear: Frank’s studly Mars at 27º Leo exactly aligns with Ronan’s Aquarius Ascendant, and trines his Sagittarius Sun. Frank’s Sagittarius Sun is close to Ronan’s Sagittarius stellium, but most significantly, is exactly trine his Jupiter in Aries. Ronan’s Jupiter gives him the infamous Sinatra swagger.
Mia Farrow (February 9, 1945; 11:27 am; Los Angeles, CA) was born with Venus in the 12th house of secret affairs. Venus here forms a trine to Pluto, which rules the 7th house of partners. Venus-Pluto aspects are frequently involved in trust issues, and Pluto has real problems in letting go. When Ronan was conceived in March 1987, Mia’s progressed Moon was conjunct her Pluto, activating this old alliance. And transiting Jupiter was in her 12th house and conjoining her Venus, giving her plenty of opportunity to have a tryst with Sinatra.
* For background and sources, see http://www.socastee.com/politics/history_gop.html
** See http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2013/10/mia-farrow-children-family-scandal
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