Presidential Election 2008

Election 2008

UPDATE: While much of this prediction was filled with the wishful thinking that accompanies many astro forecasts, I have left it up because I need to remember what it is that I got wrong. There are more recent posts on eclipses, for which I hold more hope, and I'llleave some of the ancient stuff until I have learned more about using it.

The Capricorn ingress, regardless of where you live in the world, had the Sun tightly conjunct Jupiter (the voice for change) and Mercury (attention to details), both of which had just entered Capricorn.

For the USA, the Capricorn ingress determines America's fortunes for the first quarter of the year.

In my (very experimental) brand of mundane astrology, the Sun represents the “image” and often the perceptions of a nation.

The Sun overpowers both Jupiter and Mercury in this quarter, and draws energy, attention, and influence from them.

Jupiter in Capricorn is trapped in Saturn’s (conservative reality) coldest and darkest domicile. Jupiter is unable to affect real change, unable to do very much, however transits of favorable planets through Jupiter’s domiciles (Sagittarius and Pisces) are going to give it a little shine and a bit of influence in what is otherwise a challenging quarter (and year for that matter) for those wanting to challenge the status quo.

Mercury in Capricorn is not as hamstrung as Jupiter, and is well accustomed to handing its influence over to the Sun. Mercury is deeply influenced by Saturn

So why are Obama, (the democratic voice for change,) Huckabee, (the bible-belt’s voice for change), and McCain, (the republican wild-card) having strong early showings if Jupiter is so badly placed?

The answer is probably found in Venus (queen of values and valuables) in transit over the quarter. Venus adds a bit of shine to whatever she touches in transit.

In the Capricorn ingress chart, Venus is in Scorpio, which is by no means her favorite place to be. However, in Warrior goddess (rising before the Sun) mode with her ruler in really bad condition (Mars retrograde in Cancer), she’s having a better time in Scorpio than usual.

Venus, emboldened with a sense of power and urgency, enters Sagittarius, the diurnal domicile of embattled Jupiter, and so she invigorates Jupiter for a brief season. Now remember that Jupiter is handing its influence over to the Sun, the perceptions and image of the nation, for the duration.

The long and short of it?

The “voice of change” will have two surges of popularity this quarter, the one we are experiencing now, which ends around January 24, and another around March 12 through March 20. The intervening period will see “establishment” candidates surging forwards.

This suggests that Clinton is likely to win Super Tuesday, and probably the Democratic nomination.

The GOP is harder to pick, but I think Giuliani will have a stronger showing than expected.

From the March 20 equinox to the September 22 equinox, the perceptions of the nation will be split. The administration will manage to avert a recession, however this delay in the inevitable will make things much tougher in 2009. The administration will “look good” overall.

In the meantime, the momentum for change will take on a life of its own, strong in the minds of the people and in the media, however no longer influecing the reputation and perceptions of the country.

It is interesting to note that Pluto returns to Capricorn for the first time since the inception of the US, meaning the entire world, and the US in particular, is in the process of redefining the word “establishment”. By September, Pluto will be back in Sagittarius. We will get a glimpse, however, of what these two can accomplish when they share Saturn’s nocturnal domicile.

I’m expecting some instability over the summer as the people become increasingly frustrated over their own power being eclipsed by the overwhelming influence of America’s political and religious institutions.

With the Fall Equinox on September 22, the final crunch for the presidential election is due. The GOP will pull out all stops, the debate will turn vicious and it will be about illegal immigration and social justice. The rhetoric will get really twisted and weird, it will pitch American against American, but the election will go, convincingly, to the Democrats.

So there you have it. From what I can see at the moment, Hillary Clinton will be the next president of the United States. I don't particularly endorse her candidacy, but I think she'll take it regardless of what I think.

Take Care

Rod