When Dick Cheney first placed himself in the number two position on Dubya‘s slick ticket to the White House, the move was hailed as a shrewd political decision. It was said that Cheney brought a steady hand and an experienced eye to the Texas Governor’s rather slim and mediocre resume. In the early days of the current Regime, jokes abounded that it was, in fact, “President” Cheney who actually ran the country.
After a glorious beginning, however, Cheney’s image began to tarnish. Legal battles with the GAO erupted when the Vice President refused to yield significant information to the public, including the sources of his benighted and regressive energy policy. Another serious stain on his reputation was his dismal performance on a Middle East trip, during which he unsuccessfully tried to convince the Arab world to support Bush’s reckless war plans for Iraq. Most recently, the damaging information surfacing about gross accounting irregularities at Haliburton while Cheney was CEO have simply added some very ominous dark clouds to the already stormy scenario. The SEC is about to investigate, Congress may look into the matter, and, meanwhile, the GAO and Judicial Watch are legally mining for information about the energy meetings.
The astrological indicators of Cheney’s recent difficulties are quite clear. For the past year, his converse progressed Sun has been quincunx natal Saturn, increasing in power until about July 1, 2002. This has been triggering a rather difficulty-prone natal Sun/Saturn square. This planetary combination often adds burden and frustration to a person’s attempts to fulfill his goals.
A second significant indicator of Cheney’s recent difficulties has been transiting Neptune conjunct his natal Sun, weakening his effectiveness and adding to the appearance of secrets, obfuscation, and dishonesty. This transit was quite strong during most of the past spring, including the time of Cheney’s failed Middle East adventure. Neptune will be returning to cross Cheney’s Sun again in January 2003, and for a long and difficult station of four months, from August through November 2003. These are likely to be periods of ineffectiveness, weakness, and potential scandal for Cheney. Health problems also cannot be ruled out, since the Vice President’s Sun sits in the Sixth House of health in his natal chart. Furthermore, Neptune always brings the potential for self-deception and/or the deception of others. The resultant disillusion and loss as these unravel is also quite possible in late 2003.
A third indicator of great stress and likely problems is the current square of Saturn to Cheney’s natal Moon. This transit had its first pass during the first half of July 2002. It will return for a long station, intensified on both ends by transiting Saturn semisquare natal Saturn, during all of January through March 2003. Because in Cheney’s natal chart Saturn is semisquare the Moon, any contact from Saturn either by progression or transit to his Moon is likely to cause some degree of emotional contraction and grief. With Saturn making its protracted station so close to the square of Cheney’s Moon, the coming winter months are likely to bring a very troublesome and painful time to the Vice President. Note that the January part of the Saturn square to Cheney’s Moon is accompanied by the above-mentioned, problematic Neptune transit to his Sun.
In addition to the difficult aspects in Cheney’s chart, we see a great deal of aggression and potential anger welling up from Mars activity during 2003. Whether this is in response to his own struggles or is a result of his intensified vice presidential duties is unclear. In a president’s chart so much Mars suggests war, and Bush has plenty of that as we move to later 2003 and early 2004. It is interesting that Cheney’s chart also suggests a great deal of aggression during the same period.
During January and into mid-February 2003, the same time highlighted by the Neptune and Saturn transits, Cheney’s converse progressed Moon will be conjunct his natal Mars. Natally, there is a square between these two, so once again, this aspect is significant. It suggests anger, irritability, tension, and volatile emotions - not what you might expect of our dour VP.
From March to November 2003, progressed Mercury will be square natal Mars. With a natal sextile between these two, this aspect in itself simply suggests an increase in mental activity and workload. But what triggers it substantially and adds a great deal of aggression to the mix is the transit of Pluto to Cheney’s Mars from June through October 2003. Pluto acts as a powerful catalyst to the Mercury/Mars progression, signaling a very forceful period of time, especially since Mercury is the ruler of the chart’s Ascendant. At least some of this angry and volatile energy, however, will manifest inwardly or at home, suggesting inner emotional turmoil or possible domestic strife. This is due to Mars’ position in Cheney’s natal 4th House, as well as Pluto’s rulership of the 4th House cusp. Again note the overlap from August through October 2003 of this transit with the Neptune transit to Cheney’s Sun.
Thus, difficult times are ahead for Vice President Cheney. The most significant periods seem to be June through July 2002, January 2003, and August through November 2003. Between the present and January 2003, there are several more minor difficult aspects that keep the ball rolling, but do not signify the more dramatic events in this ongoing saga of dark secrets and dirty laundry.
The most interesting transit of 2004 is the crossing of Uranus opposite Cheney’s Ascendant, suggesting upsets and sudden changes that impact him personally. Uranus opposes Cheney’s Ascendant in February and again in November 2004. Enough said.
