Unfortunately, there are already several examples of brazen voter suppression erupting in the 2004 election season. In both Nevada and Oregon, Democratic voter registration forms have been purposefully destroyed. Several states have reported intimidation of minority voters. And Greg Palast, who uncovered the nefarious Florida voter purge of 2000, claims that most of the unfairly expunged voters of four years ago have not yet been reinstated on the eve of the 2004 election. Given that the presidential race is in a dead heat nationally, as well as in many battleground states, these numerous assaults on our democratic process may have enormous ramifications.
After much consideration of the many astrological factors, I am predicting that we may well have a post-election power struggle that will culminate between November 20 and 25, with John Kerry the winner. Our present-day increasingly vicious cultural civil war is likely to be ruthless, fierce, and deeply disturbing during these three weeks. Unfortunately, though the Kerry victory will be immensely important, it will not herald the end of this bitter war between two opposing and mutually exclusive world views. One can hope, however, that with appropriate presidential leadership, some of the excesses of this ongoing battle can be muted in the coming years.
Despite the more widely accepted 8:03 AM birth time for John Kerry, I have begun to look more and more favorably on the originally given 7:10 AM time. The latter chart very accurately describes the exact period of the dip in Kerry’s momentum and the very debilitating (and likely quite painful for Kerry) Swift Boat controversy that began in mid-August. These difficult times came very precisely during the converse Moon square to Kerry’s Saturn, a reliably unhappy and emotionally stressful time for someone with a natal Saturn/Moon conjunction. Two days after the Saturn/Moon aspect had begun to wane, Kerry gave his highly energized September 20th foreign policy speech that can be seen as the real turning point away from the moribund energy that was hovering over his campaign. By the rousingly successful first debate on September 30, the debilitating effect of the Saturn/Moon aspect had completely evaporated. In the 8:03 AM chart, on the other hand, the Saturn/Moon influence would have remained intensely strong through October 3. There is no conceivable way this could be so. After the first debate, the candidate and his troops were miles away from the doldrums that had gripped the campaign from mid-August through mid-September.
There are several other indicators that the 7:10 chart fits events quite accurately. The second crossing of Uranus square to the Ascendant in that chart, compounded by the opposition with Mars and Mercury in mid-August, came exactly at the time the Swift Boat ads appeared and Kerry’s post-Convention momentum (with Jupiter on the MC) ended. This was clearly a surprise attack (Mars/Uranus) that reversed everything very quickly and unexpectedly (Uranus). The final crossing of Uranus square to that chart’s Ascendant will come in January 2005, before, during, and after the Inauguration, when Kerry’s personal status is once again transformed suddenly and irrevocably as he becomes the next President of the United States.
The significant aspect in the 7:10 AM Kerry chart for the final weeks of the campaign and into mid- November is the exact month-long crossing of Pluto square to the chart Midheaven, 21Virgo10. This aspect, which began in late December 2003, suggests an impassioned power struggle with a fierce opponent and an all-consuming battle for survival, resulting ultimately in a profound transformation. That its final intensified phase continues through November 20 before it begins to wane, suggests that a sense of brutal struggle may continue until that time. Amazingly, November 20 will bring a Mercury Pluto conjunction, the same aspect that sealed the fate of the 2000 election on December 12, 2000. It remains to be seen if this aspect will play a role in finalizing the 2004 election as well, though it will surely be a trigger to the fervent Pluto energy agitating much of the country at that time.
While Kerry is under Pluto square to his Midheaven, the country will be under the final crossing of Pluto opposite natal Mars (21Gemini23) which will peak on November 25 before it begins to dissipate. This aspect, which also began in December 2003, has brought both the escalating struggle with the Iraqi insurgency of the past year and the strengthening cultural/political war in our midst at home, played out increasingly in the presidential and Congressional campaigns. It seems likely that one or both of these fierce struggles will intensify in November before the aspect begins to wane at the end of the month. Pluto’s stimulation of Mars’ position in the US 7th house throughout 2004 suggests ferocious battles with an open enemy. In addition, Mars’ dual rulership of the 4th and 12th houses suggests struggles with secret, hidden enemies (12th house), as well as the instability and anger at home relating to the battle (4th house).
Another indication in the US chart of the strain that its citizens are currently under is the transit of Saturn quincunx US Moon (27Aquarius12) which runs from October 4 through November 19. Although a quincunx is not a major aspect, this configuration nonetheless indicates increased angst, sorrow, and feelings of burden, which certainly describes the pre-election feelings of many. That it continues through November 19 could easily indicate a prolonging of those insecure feelings in the general populace. The alternative, though not mutually exclusive, view would be that this Saturn/Moon aspect suggests a population increasingly upset about the war and the economy. Unexpected events could certainly add to concerns in those areas, but these are unlikely to lift after late November as would a belatedly finalized election.
A consideration of other elements in Kerry’s chart contrasted with the general mood of Bush’s chart further clarifies the picture. Although Kerry is going through what is likely to be the power struggle of his political life (Pluto/MC), there are several other aspects that suggest a positive outcome during the same period. Progressed Venus is quincunx the Moon (8/04 through 6/05) and transiting Uranus is trine to his natal Venus (9/1 through 12/24/04). In addition, Jupiter, his ruling planet now in Libra, will be trine or sextile his Ascendant, Sun, Mars, Uranus, Moon, Pluto, and Mars at varying times over the next few months. The strong Venus influence suggests that the candidate will be surrounded by supportive and adoring crowds, and the Jupiter aspects indicate feelings of success and optimism.
Bush, on the other hand, will be unable to avoid the failed consequences of his irresponsible policies, as reality continues to relentlessly nip at his heels over the next several months. With Saturn opposing the Midheaven in the Inaugural chart and both square the Midheaven and conjunct its own place in Bush’s own chart, and these aspects continuing with great strength through early December (Bush’s Saturn return) and early January (Saturn square Bush’s MC), I see no significant relief in sight for him. It is true that Jupiter will cross his Moon, December 19 through December 26, and cross his natal Jupiter, January 1 through January 11, 2005, normally an uplifting set of aspects for him. But the Moon/Jupiter can be ascribed to the Christmas holiday spirit, and the Jupiter return is concurrent with Saturn exactly square to Bush’s Midheaven and semisquare his Mars, which would seem to cancel much of Jupiter’s optimistic and celebratory energy.
There are two other significant aspects that are currently impacting Bush, both triggered by Pluto in November. The first of these is Bush’s progressed Ascendant square to progressed Uranus (21Gemini32), triggered by transiting Pluto from November 2 through November 30. This aspect is likely to bring upsets, surprises, and reversals that can affect Bush personally (Ascendant). It suggests that the results of this election may surprise Bush and quite suddenly change his personal position in life. The Mercury/Pluto conjunction square the Moon on November 20 may act as a strong activator of this energy.
The other noteworthy aspect in Bush’s chart is the converse progressed Mars conjunction to his Ascendant (7Leo07), which has been making him increasingly irritable, impatient, and angry in recent months. This progression goes well into 2005, but it is also triggered by Pluto in the immediate future. Pluto will be sesquiquadrate to Bush’s Ascendant/converse Mars progression from November 19 through December 16, and further stimulated by Mars on November 20 and 21. It seems likely that November and early December, especially the 20th and 21st of November, will be a time of great irritability and anger for our Resident in Chief.
After almost four years of the radical Bush Presidency, the country is deeply stressed and fearful. Besides the deteriorating and violent conditions in Iraq, oil prices are soaring, the Stock Market is sinking, job creation is stagnant, we are swamped in debt, and our only allies, other than Great Britain, are the world’s dictators. The solitary thing that the Bush administration has excelled in has been its self-serving propaganda, and its manipulative control of the national conversation has been extraordinary. Half of the country continues to believe the Great Deceiver on a wide array of subjects despite an inordinate amount of evidence to the contrary.
Much of the battle for John Kerry has been to penetrate this fog of illusion and present the American public with an alternative view of reality, one that is far closer to the truth than Bush’s myriad of fairy tale deceptions. The debates were a great aid in this regard in that the Senator was able to dismantle the caricature created by Bush and his toadies over the previous month. It remains to be seen, however, what November will bring in terms of post-election turmoil and how Bush’s Machiavellian propaganda machine will disfigure what should be a clear election victory for Senator Kerry. The planets indicate to me at least three weeks of some kind of struggle that seems likely to relate to the election results. It is hard to imagine that Bush will graciously concede defeat and abandon his addiction to power for the greater good of the country. He has never done so before.
