After three years of being marginalized, out-maneuvered, and simply laid flat by the Pennsylvania Avenue bully boys, Democrats are delighted to see the Chief Thug of Washington's political streets battered, bruised, and on the defensive. The combination of a largely united and well-publicized assault by the Democratic primary candidates, as well as several hard, right punches to the chin by victorious nominee Senator John "Street Fighter" Kerry, has served to destroy the myth of Bush's invincibility. Moreover, generally mounting and obvious incompetence and dishonesty by the Commander-in-Chief himself has thrown the White House reelection campaign wildly off its political stride. Even Republican leaders are squirming at the recent avalanche of ineptitude and obvious deceit streaming out of the White House. It seems that every step Bush takes to garner support leaves him with a black eye instead.
Like trying to minimize damage from a leaky roof in a storm, the Bush Bumblers run from one misstep to another, clarifying, backtracking, and mumbling. The State of the Union was a flop. The proposed Lunar colony and Mars voyage were quickly vaporized. The Meet the Press interview was an embarrassment. The Constitutional amendment against gay marriage was dead on arrival in a Republican Congress. The first campaign ads celebrating Bush's war heroism were deemed offensive and in poor taste. And the newly appointed job czar was quickly recalled when it was discovered that his business success came from outsourcing jobs to China. In a world of rapidly cycling news, the last two months have seemed like an eternity of disasters for the Bush political machine.
Although the Lunar metropolis nonsense came in mid-January, the real downward trend began with the State of the Union speech on January 20, as Neptune began a series of transits that augmented the deceptive, evasive, self-deluding, confused, and weak traits inherent, but often hidden, in this administration. In succession, Neptune was quincunx the US Sun and then Bush's Sun, thereafter moving into a square with the Inaugural Ascendant where its strength waxes through April 1, 2004. In late May, the succession of debilitating Neptune transits will intensify again in impact through August, returning for their final thrust in late October 2004 through January 2005.
As mentioned in a previous article, the Bush administration's dishonesty and disconnect with reality are painfully telescoped for the world to see when the harsh lessons of Saturn coincide with the self-deception and obfuscation of Neptune. During the current period from late January through March 23, 2004, we are witnessing such a combination. Saturn's station sits in an exact semisquare to Bush's natal Venus, the planet that, when unimpeded by restrictive Saturn, creates an aura of charm and attraction. Needless to say, this transit, like a bucket of ice water, has signaled a diminishment of Bush's popular appeal and an increase in unflattering media scrutiny of his unsuccessful policies and purposeful distortions.
The striking thing about April and May 2004 is the confluence of Jupiter aspects in both Bush's chart and the US chart. Contrary to the mood of failure in February and March, these suggest optimism, expansion, and success. Saturn's more restrictive energy will move to the background from late March until June 1. In addition to the increase in Jupiter's more uplifting tone, Pluto's opposition to US Mars will go back into high gear from March 24 through May 25, 2004. This combination of Jupiter, Pluto, and Mars suggests a time of increased military confrontation or aggressive tactics that, on the whole, are successful and bolster the US mood and the president's popularity. One possibility is that Osama will be captured during this period. I don't see any other time during Bush's term, astrologically speaking, when this seems likely. The relevant Jupiter aspects are: transiting Jupiter station conjunct Bush's Mars/progressed Sun (4/4 to 5/22); progressed US Moon conjunct natal Jupiter (4/12 to 5/12); transiting Jupiter station square US Uranus (4/8 to 5/9).
The Pluto transit opposite US Mars (21Gemini23) actually covers the period from January through November 2004 and brings with it an increased agitation within the country, as well as an intensification of aggressive, war-related activities in foreign policy. Escalating power struggles with enemies are also included within this transit. From April 22 through May 5, 2004, this aspect will receive some very strong triggering from several planets suggesting quite unstable and disruptive events. This two-week period begins with a transit of Mars conjunct US Mars and opposite transiting Pluto from April 22 through 24, implying a burst of some kind of violence that impacts American interests somewhere in the world. The Mercury station (21 Aries), which lasts from April 23 through May 5 will be trine Pluto, augmenting the Plutonian qualities of fear, paranoia, and power struggle, but also bringing a feeling of stuckness and potential slowdowns or immobilization in the areas of transportation and communication. Also stimulating the US Mars/Pluto aspect are: the Sun, which will be semisquare US Mars on April 25 and 26, and Venus, which will be conjunct US Mars on April 29 through May 1. It is important to note that the recent coordinated and brutal terrorist bombings in Madrid came during a Sun/Pluto square. The coming Mars/Pluto opposition on April 22 through 24 will be in much closer orb with US Mars and suggests a significant aftermath due to the prolonged Mercury station, trine Pluto, which follows. What exactly it will bring is anyone's guess.
Despite these likely dramatic events in later April, Bush's popularity will get a decided boost from the Jupiter station that sits on his Mars from April 4 through May 22. It may be that these events distract the citizenry from the extraordinary melange of lies, distortions, and failed policies that currently swirl around the White House and instead focus the camera lens on the image of Bush as war leader. Another possibility would be some significantly improved economic trends emerge. However it unfolds, Bush will benefit from this balmy breeze until the winds shift yet again in late May. At this point, the Oval Office Commando Squad will begin to feel a gathering storm on the horizon.
As the generally successful Jupiter energy departs around May 22nd, there will be a waxing of the Inaugural progressed Moon semisquare to natal Pluto, which suggests mounting tension and anxiety in the White House through mid-June. This may not be apparent to the public until June, but the administration will be already stressing over and attempting to conceal something fairly significant by late May.
In addition, due to its retrograde motion, Neptune will move back to a waxing square with the Inaugural Ascendant around mid-May, beginning three and a half months of Neptunian deceptiveness, evasiveness, deceit, and ineptitude. Once Saturn comes into orb with the US Sun on June 2nd, these issues will begin to come under public scrutiny, and the administration will be increasingly assaulted with criticism and condemnation from all sides. The fallout from this transit, which goes to mid-June, will then seep into the national dialogue through July as evidenced by a series of Saturn transits that hit the administration almost continuously during June and July 2004. Bush's popularity and credibility are likely to plunge around this time.
The final blow to an already crippled administration will come in early September 2004, when Saturn begins its nine-month transit square Bush's Midheaven, semisquare his Mars, and conjunct the US 8th house Mercury. The initial acute phase of this transit will be during the first 10 days of September when we are likely to see some profound exacerbation of problems in the area of currency and investment, as well as related employment and foreign policy issues. These difficulties will seriously impact the nation at least through June 2005. Moreover, they will cloak Mr. Bush's presidency with an aura of failure and broken promises that diminish his stature considerably. During the final months of 2004, the grandiose dreams of Bushworld will dissipate into the unforgiving mists of history.
