Does George Washington hold the key to choosing America’s next President?

Last time there was a US Presidential Election (2012), I stuck my neck out and made some predictions about the outcome based on fairly traditional astrological methods. Although my predictions came true, this time around I wanted to do something different. There are already so many astrologers out there making predictions for the 2016 race so I thought it might be interesting to consider the situation from a different angle. Whilst reading up about the various ‘birth’ charts for the United States of America, I came across some interesting views made by Nicholas Campion.In The Book of World Horoscopes, he argues that the myth of American political sovereignty from Britain was not fully achieved through the 4 July 1776 declaration of independence:

“The notion of the ‘birth’ of America in 1776 is also no more than a convenient myth; for a 170 years, the American colonists had been part of British political life, participating directly or vicariously in Britain’s own revolutionary traditions…
The continuing influence of 17th century British political culture is evidenced in the power of the ‘Religious Right’ in the Republican Party. It was the puritans who fled discrimination in Britain who established the first models for north American political organisation in the 1620’s and 1630’s.” (pp 348-9)

To assert his point, he argues that there is no single legal or constitutional act that gave America independence – the reality is that each state had to declare itself independent individually, and the Declaration of Independence itself was not legally binding (ie ratified through an Act of Congress) – it was simply adopted and signed by all the members of Congress, probably sometime in August 1776. What’s more, there is much controversy over the exact date and timing of the finalization of the declaration that it makes life very difficult for an astrologer to be able to confidently settle on which data to use in order to draw up a chart.

Instead, Campion makes an interesting proposition: he suggests that the chart for the inauguration of America’s first president  – George Washington – could, in many ways, be considered a symbol of the culmination of the whole independence/constitutional exercise:

“The whole process [of forming a new country and government] became complete with the swearing-in of the first President, George Washington, on 30 April 1789 in New York, the capital [at that point]. Washington arrived at Federal Hall at 12:30pm, went straight inside, was introduced to Congress and took the oath” (BOWH, p. 373)

Given that we have a chart for this (Chart 378 in BOWH) , I thought it might be a more fruitful exercise to use it as a sort of ‘blueprint’ or benchmark of what an American President should be, and then compare the natal charts of both presidential hopefuls to ascertain who might be deemed a more suitable successor to the First President. After all, the issue of who might be more temperamentally suited to live in the white House has been a hotly debated issue during the 2016 presidential election, and this is a very special role – we aren’t just talking about any old president but the leader of the Free World – someone who could influence global politics for years to come.

Role model: The Archetypal US President

So, let’s start off by looking at the inauguration chart itself and what it can tell us about the qualities expected of an American President.

Leader of the Free World: Highly dignified chart

Now it’s fair to say at the outset that this is a pretty strong chart in its own right. It has Leo and Regulus, the king’s sign and star, rising (along with the other 3 royal stars of Persia on the other angles) and many planets either strongly dignified or in their ‘natural’ domiciles. Look at Mars in Aries, Venus in Taurus and the Moon in Cancer – all in their own signs. And then we have Jupiter in Cancer, the sig of its exaltation. The Sun, ruler of the chart, is also located in what the ancients termed ‘the House of God’  – the 9th house, the house where the Sun traditionally rejoices – almost as if blessed or ordained by the divine, in the tradition of the monarchs of Europe. Situated in the solid and steady sign of Taurus – the sign which also rules the Midheaven in this chart – he represents the quintessential archetype of a solar leader – reliable and constant but also confident, charismatic and a natural role model – the good shepherd and a safe pair of hands but also the popular ‘golden boy’.

Popularity and likeability are further emphasised by a Sun-Venus conjunction in Taurus – the ideal president should therefore exhibit charm, financial prudence and a respect for tradition, not to mention an approachable earthy practicality that bypasses snobbery and elitism to embrace the every man. As far as ideal leaders go, this is pretty lofty stuff!

Moon-Jupiter conjunction in Cancer

The Moon-Jupiter conjunction in Cancer is a pretty strong combination of planets – not only is the Moon in her own sign, but Jupiter is exalted in Cancer. Together these planets suggest a leader who exhibits a mixture of open-heartedness, generosity of spirit and a nurturing instinct, not only towards American society at large, but also towards fellow elected officials (11th house) who are seen as all part of a larger family (Cancer). A true ‘man of the people,’ as it were, with a big heart who is also seen as a ‘caretaker’ of the nation’s wellbeing.

No pushover – Mercury & Mars in Aries

Moving away from the more touchy-feely stuff, we have Mercury and Mars in Aries  – a placement that suggests a need for decisiveness and an ability to defend the nation militarily, if necessary, against outside threats, especially foreign ones (Mercury in 9th house). This makes sense: after all, when George Washington was inaugurated, the Americans had just won their independence from Britain militarily, so they weren’t going to want a compromising peacenik, now were they?! This suggests that the archetypal American president is well-rounded – soft and benevolent in peacetime, but no pushover when America’s enemies attempt to test boundaries. This is also someone who will act – swiftly and decisively in a time of crisis or peril.

Discretion and Tireless Dedication to the Job

Pluto, ruler of the IC, located in the 6th house in Aquarius, represents someone who keeps his personal life private and is prepared to work tirelessly to serve his people and improve their lot. As we have seen from the impeachment proceedings of both Nixon and Bill Clinton, Americans accept that their leaders are all-too-human, but do not want any weaknesses or indiscretions rubbed in their face.

The Candidates

So who of the two 2016 candidates measures up?

Before I start, I should point out that Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump were only born a year apart in 1946 and 1947, so many of their outer planets will be in similar signs or positions since these, by and large, indicate generational influences. However, the swifter so-called personal planets, from the Sun through to Mars, move through the zodiac much faster so there are bound to be more telling differences here. With that in mind, let’s move on to our astrological analysis…

Donald Trump

So how does his chart stack up? (For a more detailed breakdown of Trump’s natal chart, see my latest blog posting)

A King-in-waiting?

Firstly, Trump’s Regulus is conjunct GW chart Ascendant  – not only is it a universal hallmark of leaders but it is specifically implicated in the inauguration and other charts concerning US elections, leaders etc.

One can’t help remarking on the synastry between the house divisions too: The houses of both Trump and the GW chart do match up very well – both have the same signs on the angles, and  the four royal stars located close to the angles, so there is a lot of synergy between Trump and this chart.

Mars Rising: Too aggressive and power-hungry?

However, I can’t help noticing that Trump’s natal Mars is EXACTLY conjunct the GW Regulus. He says he wants to ‘make America great again’ and his fighting spirit resonates with those early founding fathers who fought the War of Independence in order to free themselves from Britain.

But will his ‘scorched earth’ manner of conducting elections and his need to win at all costs prove ultimately damaging to the country, both diplomatically and economically? After all, diplomacy and politics, unlike business, often requires a compromising spirit and a quid pro quo approach… Well, this Mars happens to trine the GW Mercury in Aries in the 9th, so it clearly chimes with what Americans believe about how winners should behave: take no prisoners and vigorously assert yourself and defend your beliefs.

However, Mars is also square to the North Node of the inauguration chart (Scorpio in the 4th house) suggesting that this approach runs counter to the path of spiritual growth and development for America. The wisdom of the nodal axis seems to be: “Yes, defend your beliefs and your borders but don’t do the same at home.” Here, the issue of the Second Amendment and gun violence springs to mind. Are brandishing weapons always the answer? The south node here suggests not…And as if to confirm this, Obama’s Midheaven happens to be conjunct the GW North Node, the implication being that his attempts to address this issue before he left office were right on the mark as far as what a Presidential leader should be encouraging from his people with regards to domestic policies.

Key leadership indicators – Sun, Saturn, Midheaven

Next we need to consider the Sun – the chart ruler and the most important indicator, aside from the Midheaven, of leadership abilities. Here we see a bit of tension. The inauguration chart Sun is square to Trump’s natal Pluto. Pluto is a planet that loves power and is amoral – Pluto’s motto could well be summed up as ‘the end justifies the means’. Pluto is also very extreme and obsessive and can lead to a desire to control that can become tyrannical. Hidden in Trump’s 12th house, this quality may not be apparent to others at first, but I’ll bet his family and those that know him intimately know all about it and are quite scared of him! This square may suggest that Trump is too power-hungry to inhabit the role of president in a balanced way…

Saturn: An Arch-Conservative?

Saturn and Jupiter are also important to consider when looking at leaders. The former denotes an ability to be firm, disciplined and set boundaries where necessary, while the latter reveals attitudes to abundance, the rule of law and an ability to expand and grow one’s resources as well as tolerate people from all walks of life.We’ll look at Saturn first – Jupiter is reserved for the next section.

• In Trump’s case, he has Saturn conjunct the GW Jupiter. This suggests that he is closed and limiting where he should be more open, tolerant and expansive. Given the 11th house position of Saturn and its position in the sign of Cancer, this may well refer to the policy of exclusion he seems keen to implement if he gets into the Oval Office:  for example, the Wall he keeps talking about – designed to keep out what he deems to be undesirable immigrants (but whose young families are actually helping to rectify the skewed demographics created by an aging US population). It may also point to the other restrictive family planning measures he plans to introduce such as getting rid of Planned Parenthood and abolishing Obamacare – once again, hitting the poorest in society already affected by globalisation and technological advances that are taking away unskilled jobs.
• Both Trump’s Saturn & GW Jupiter are square to the GW Neptune, which is conjunct Spica and the Part of Fortune in the 3rd house of media, communications, negotiations, education and transport. Spica is a benefic star in the wheat ear of Virgo that brings wealth, success, renown, a love of culture and science (read: learning) and a sweet disposition, according to Vivian Robson. The square shows just what may be at stake if Trump does succeed – his focus is one thing: MONEY, MONEY, MONEY, so he clearly will have no time for anything else other than business – so bye bye education and arts funding, and any form of softly softly approach to the media …In fact, Trumps’ Moon-South Node conjuncts this zodiacal point, suggesting that his tendency to exaggerate and be overtaken with irrational, exaggerated emotional responses could be very damaging to the reputation of America in the world – bad PR, media leaks, data hacks, misjudged statements to the press and the perpetuation of falsehoods in the public realm are all definite possibilities with this aspect (11th – 3rd).
• On the other end of the nodal axis, Trump’s Gemini North Node, which also takes in his natal Sun-Uranus conjunction, is conjunct Chiron in the inauguration chart in the 10th house – er, not a good sign at all! A Sun-Uranus conjunction usually makes someone feel like an outsider and non-conformist – someone who operates beyond the scope of the establishment. The irony is that becoming President means that you become THE emblem OF the political establishment – the complete opposite of what Trump is here to do and learn in this lifetime (North Node), which is to be his own man  – a path that has brought him great wealth and riches (he has a natal Uranus-Jupiter trine involving the 2nd house). In my opinion, this suggests that he is temperamentally similar to Nigel Farage – he breaks things down and causes chaos – he is a rabble-rouser – a catalyst for reform and change but he is not able to complete the next stage of the process, which is to rebuild and create new rules and norms. Michael Moore recently described him as ‘a human molotov cocktail’ – I couldn’t have put it better myself – he breaks things down, but he doesn’t build things back up again – this is Uranus to a T. That is why I maintain that Nigel Farage was never cut out to be a politician – it probably explains why the two have been exchanging notes – they are cut from the same cloth. At best, Trump might be suited to be in political opposition, but his being president would leave America  vulnerable to policy miscalculations, data hacks from foreign governments and propaganda attacks (Chiron in Gemini) and would hurt the reputation of the Office of President. Not a good sign in his favour!

Venus: Down-to-earth charm and an appeal to family values

• On a more positive note, Trump’s Venus is conjunct the GW Jupiter. Venus rules the Midheaven of the inauguration chart, as well as the 3rd house. Does this suggests that the common people love his folksy, down-to-earth communications style and family values? More than likely – his ability to talk plainly about the issues that matter to everyday Americans certainly helps to explain his appeal to his grassroots supporter base  – perhaps more erudite and educated politicians may want to take a leaf out of his book for this because they may inadvertently be alienating themselves from voters because they appear remote, elite and unrelatable.
• Trump’s Venus is trine the GW North Node and sextile the GW Midheaven. In Trump’s chart, Venus rules his 3rd house of self-expression. So perhaps his brashness and very blunt criticism of what isn’t working in American society needs to be taken on board because what he is saying chimes with how many Americans feel? (Venus in Cancer in 11th) Like the many Brexit ‘protest’ voters, many are angry with the establishment and feel that American politics has lost its way, kowtowing to lobbyists and leaving honest hard-working people behind.   So, in a way, Trump’s purpose seems to be waking up the establishment to this uncomfortable truth and making them realise they need to get back on track (i.e. answering the call of the Scorpio north, rather than than the Taurus south, node = power to the people, not enriching the privileged few and maintaining the status quo).
• Furthermore, the GW Venus is trine Trump’s Mars, suggesting that they love his ‘fighting talk’, perhaps because he is so forthright and makes no bones about what he believes in, even if it sounds politically incorrect. So a big tick for brashness and boldness then!
• However, although these qualities may endear ordinary people (Moon-Jupiter conjunction) to him, one can’t help noticing that the GW Venus is also conjunct Trump’s natal Saturn and square to the GW Mercury. So under pressure (Saturn) he can switch to someone who is harsh, patriarchal and offensive, especially to women (see my above explanation of why his Venus seems to set him up to behave like this). At this juncture, he begins to lose people’s respect and support.

Jupiter – the Nub of the Matter & the Real Reason for Trump’s decision to run?

But we haven’t yet talked about Jupiter. Now here is where things get really interesting, and perhaps reveals what Trump’s real purpose in the grand scheme of things might be…

Trump’s natal Jupiter is in Libra (2nd). So, in Trump’s personal life, this Jupiter helps to offset any potential damage caused by his trademark rudeness/abruptness/refusal to play by the rules. Not only can he turn on the charm when he wants to convince others of his worth, but he also has an army of lawyers employed to make sure that anyone who might potentially cause trouble for him is buried under a mountain of litigation. (Some organisations have even gone so far as to call him a ‘litigation bully’.)

• Now,  Trump’s Jupiter squares the GW Jupiter in Cancer (11th), so what works for him on a personal level will not sit comfortably with the role of president. According to the chart, this requires an open-hearted, expansive and socially tolerant attitude (GW Moon-Jupiter conjunction in 11th). It is a placement which suggests that a leader of the Free World should believe in inclusivity, social diversity and helping others, rather than boasting about how rich and successful he is, or always needing to be right/the best/the most etc.  American families, no matter what their background, need hope – they need to be believe in the American Dream – and it is the job of the President to make them believe it is attainable if they work hard and are good citizens. Trump cannot do this because: he is a rebel by nature so doesn’t set a good example, is too self-involved (Leo rising), intolerant (Saturn in 11th) and obsessed with being seen as successful (Jupiter in 2nd) i.e. a ‘winner’. Except that his idea of winning is ‘I Win – You Lose’ whilst the American Way, according to the inauguration chart, is all about ‘Win-Win’.

So if altruism isn’t behind his motivation for running, what is his REAL motivation for doing so? Jupiter again, seems to provide an answer…

• There is a Grand Trine in this chart involving the GW Pluto (6th) & Chiron (10th), and Trump’s Jupiter (2nd) and Sun-Uranus conjunction. Ironically, this suggests that his bid for presidency stands to benefit TRUMP financially and boost his career, rather than the other way around. This certainly seems to confirm the rumours that he is really in this race to build up his personal brand, boost his public image and make money, possibly by starting up a right-wing media channel similar to Fox News (Gemini in 11th = mass media, PR, advertising, politics and propaganda). According to one media strategist:

“Losing in November would be the best thing that could happen, from a business standpoint.It would only increase the passion of his most hard-core supporters, and it would give them a juicy target to rail against for the next four years.” Daily Express

• The problem is that with Chiron at the apex of this astrological aspect pattern, Trump’s involvement could have a potentially damaging effect on the whole electoral process  – so a major conflict of interest. Or a healing one, depending on how noble and honourable everyone involved is and whether they choose the high or low road when it comes to their voting choices: Will they vote out of hate and anger or because of the change they really want for their country? This is the pivotal question, as I explain in my conclusion below. And, like the Brexit chart, I think it will boil down to how people respond to/channel Uranus.

With that, let’s turn to Mrs Clinton to see what we can glean.

Hillary Clinton

There is much speculation about the former first lady’s time of birth. In the astrological world, there are at least 3 working birth times for her, as well as lots of stories about what she has said about her birth time to various people over the years. Although many people go with a Scorpio Ascendant, I think there might be some truth in the rumour that she told a chiropractor in Martha’s Vineyard that she has Leo rising. To me, it totally fits with her lion-like appearance (look at her mane-like hair and catlike smile) as well as her confident bearing.

For those who are interested,  you can also read my separate post in which I do an more in-depth analysis of my proposed natal chart for Hillary to see if you agree with me.

So, how does Hillary’s chart stack up against the George Washington blueprint?

Regulus & the rise of female power

Hillary’s chart is similar to Trump’s in terms of house positionings (based on my rectification) so there are bound to be some overlaps with ‘The Donald’s synastry when compared to our benchmark – the George Washington inauguration chart.

For one thing, the fixed star, Regulus is again rising. However, what’s interesting is that in November 2011, thanks to precession, Regulus ingressed into Virgo, a mutable feminine sign associated with the constellation of the virgin,  an event which some see as the advent of the era of the goddess and the rise of sacred feminine. One astrologer goes further, suggesting that Regulus in Virgo epitomises the ‘Bitch Goddess’ who doesn’t take any nonsense from others – and who better to embrace that archetype than the much-vilified but business-like Hillary Clinton!

Now, as it happens, this Regulus, still in the early degrees of Virgo, is conjunct Hillary’s natal Regulus, but also sextiles her natal Sun in Scorpio. Does this mean that she has been chosen to be the first woman president of the US? After all, the Sun is a major indicator when it comes to leadership roles and abilities. In addition,  we do seem to be entering a period in history where many female leaders are making it to the top of politics – look at Nicola Sturgeon in Scotland, Theresa May in England and Angela Merkel in Germany…So could Hillary be next? We’ll have to wait and see.

In the interest of fairness, though, I do have to add that Donald Trump’s Sun also recently progressed into Virgo, so this sign change for Regulus doesn’t entirely exclude him from proceedings. However, I think it is fair to say that he is not someone who embodies the concept of ‘servant leadership’, which Regulus in Virgo is all about…but perhaps the weight of office, if he is elected, may yet change him? I, for one, have my doubts.

Anyway, let’s look at the rest of Hillary’s synastry  with the  inauguration chart of America’s first president to see how she measures up overall…

The Sun conjunct Midheaven – Playing the Long Game?

Give that Leo is rising in both charts, and given the natural affinity of Leo to leadership and the Midheaven, it does seem like a good omen that the George Washington inauguration chart Sun happens to conjunct Hillary’s Midheaven – has she been working towards this moment all of her life? Her biographers would probably say so –  after all, she has been involved in politics since her school days, and this aspect certainly suggests so. Hillary’s MC is in Taurus, so it’s a case of the tortoise eventually winning out over the hare – will slow, steady and determined work in her favour?

So, is it her moment to shine?

Another aspect suggests so. Destiny may well be at work here. Why do I say that? For one thing, Hillary’s Taurus North Node is conjunct the GW Midheaven, while the GW North Node is conjunct Hillary’s stellium of planets in Scorpio. This looks a very positive sign in terms of her suitability for the role, and indeed, does hint that she could do great things if given the opportunity to lead the country.

However, Hillary’s Sun opposes the GW Venus, which suggests a lack of charm and low likeability ratings. Put another way, Hillary may not appear to embody the values of the country and so may struggle to be a credible representative for the American people. I say ‘appear’ – note that the nodal contacts are all with planets below the horizon in the private area of her chart, which not many people get to see in public. This is a problem for her – her public image has become something of a pantomime villain – and one can see how a Sun Scorpio – someone who is very private, secretive, perhaps to the point of paranoia, and who is not very open about her true values, motivations or agenda – could well be misconstrued and perceived as untrustworthy, even when she hasn’t actually done anything wrong.

It’s a classic Scorpio problem – being silent and emanating a mesmeric but intimidating aura can lead people to create all sorts of projections and assumptions which opponents and critics can seize on.Emphasising this problem is an opposition between Hillary’s Midheaven and the GW Part of Fortune in the 3rd house of self-expression and media relations. So we cannot underestimate the damage this could do for her campaign and her career ambitions (MC)  – after all, people can only base their decisions on what they are allowed to see in public, so in terms of voter perceptions, this could well lose her the election if she is not more open and forthcoming – Venus does, after all, rule the GW Midheaven. Chiron – Vulnerable to vicious gossip and rumour mongering

Further compounding the problem is an opposition between the GW Sun and Hillary’s Chiron, suggesting that being in office makes her vulnerable to rumours and gossip, flames that may be fanned by the media and hich has the potential to churn up old wounds – no kidding! Placed in Scorpio in the 3rd house of media, this Chiron can already be seen in action.  During this campaign, hardly a nice word has been said about Hillary in the news media. Writing in Newsweek,  Kurt Eichenwald remarks:

When it comes to the teapot tempest that is the Hillary Clinton email imbroglio, the real controversy isn’t about politics or regulations. It’s about journalism and the weak standards employed to manufacture the scandal du jour.

Pointing out the hypocrisy and double standards of the media was Salman Rushdie who recently (and rather eloquently) pointed out on Facebook how the media seem to have one set of rules for Clinton; and one for Trump. To say she has been victimised and treated very poorly would be an understatement!

Adding fuel to the fire are the following difficult contacts:

• The GW Pluto sits on Hillary’s Descendant – this suggests a Medusa-like effect – she appears scary, intimidating and uncompromising to others – as Michael Moore says, she looks like she could kick some ass. But maybe that’s a good thing – it means she’ll get things done. And let’s face it, she isn’t running for a beauty pageant, she’s running to be President.After all, this is the woman who was Madam Secretary when Osama Bin Laden was captured and killed – isn’t that someone you’d want on your team?
• Or it could mean that her marriage to Bill might be the deal breaker. Given that the GW Saturn sits on Hillary’s Moon, this latter scenario looks like a distinct possibility – people, for whatever reason, can’t seem to forgive her for taking Bill back after everything that he did. His impeachment and affair with Monica Lewinsky could well be a cross that she is going to have to bear her entire career.

That being said, the GW Venus is also trine to Regulus in Virgo, and therefore also with Hillary’s Ascendant in the late degrees of Leo, so she can turn this image problem around, perhaps appealing to women in general as a female candidate. And indeed, this approach has so far yielded results – just look at the hashtag #ImwithHer and how it is trending. Given how much Trump has done to offend this particular voter demographic, a push in this direction could well swing it for her.

Data Leaks and Nasty Shocks – Uranus

Another problem for Hillary’s leadership bid is her ability to contain potential data and information leaks – otherwise, with the GW Uranus square to her Sun – she’ll constantly be in for nasty shocks   – just like the so-called ‘October Surprise’ in which more emails relating to her campaign are alleged to have been leaked (although experts are saying that these may actually have been faked by Russia).

With Fomalhaut, a fixed star associated with the winter solstice and secret societies, square to Hillary’s Jupiter in Sagittarius, it is possible that hidden forces may be working against her (Fomalhaut is in the 7th house of enemies), so she has to be scrupulous with regards to her personal life and perhaps keep her private beliefs and thoughts off paper & electronic records, and confined to a very tight-knit circle of confidants if she wants the ‘Top Job’. Hubris is a particular nemesis of this fixed star, as is the notion of ‘selling your soul to the Devil’, so let’s hope those Clinton Foundation accusations turn out to be baseless too, or this could come back to bite Hillary just when she could be celebrating.

Interestingly, Fomalhaut is  also a star associated with immortality – in the sense of one’s name going down in history – could this be as a result of fame or notoriety? Fomalhaut in the GW chart is trine to Hillary’s Uranus, which, when transposed onto the GW chart, sits in the 10th house of career and public office, so perhaps she might make it to the oval Office after all? If she can keep the focus on altruism and social reform, and if her fans in the entertainment industry continue to sing her praises and make her seem cool to young people, then she may well be able to swing opinion polls  -and votes – in her favour. A testimony of good fortune to this end is a fortunate trine between the GW North Node and Hillary’s Uranus, which suggests that her idealism and desire to improve lives for all Americans chimes well with the highest aims of the Presidential Office. So this suggests that the less she focuses on herself and the more she emphasises her policies, the better she stands to do at the polls –  – a strategy she seems to have been using quite effectively in recent months, perhaps because natally she has Spica trine to her Uranus and sextile to her Saturn.

Health and Star Power – Spica and Jupiter

Now, health is another issue that has plagued Hillary at certain points during her campaign, especially when it emerged that she had a bad case of flu and didn’t feel she could tell people that she was sick. In the past, ill-health has also plagued a number of former presidents, including Ted Roosevelt and John F Kennedy, who had a terrible back problem and hid it with amphetamine shots and a brace. So how does her health shape up in relation to the Presidency?  As it turns out, Hillary’s health seems set to improve if she gets into office – with Spica, a very bright and fortunate star in the constellation of Virgo, sextiling Hillary’s Ascendant and therefore her 1st house of health, it looks to me as though she would thrive in office.

According to Vivian Robson, Spica bestows ‘success, renown, riches’ and if paired with Saturn, it can indicate a person who is ‘apt to be suspicious, sharp or rugged but does much good’. This suggests that she may well be able to overcome her image problems and act as an instrument for good as president. In contrast to Trump, who has Spica square his natal Saturn-Venus conjunction (success followed by a downfall due to another sex scandal?/popularity problems?),  Hillary’s Saturn is sextile Spica. Since Saturn is rising, and the ruler of her 6th house of work and health,  this aspect seems to indicate that Hillary will dedicate herself wholeheartedly to working for the American people, thereby possibly leaving behind a shining legacy that will become a part of history for years to come.

It may be worth noting that Spica was prominent (rising) at the time of the last solar eclipse in Virgo, which sets the agenda for the next 6 months ;and in the chart that I cast for 7am, November 8 2016 (when the polls open), it is sextile Venus and trine the Part of Fortune. A good omen for the first woman president? Perhaps. But Spica is also opposite Uranus (and is trine Trumps’ Sun-Uranus conjunction), so Hillary’s plans could still be upset by those so-called angry and disgruntled ‘Brexit’ voters, stirred up by Human Molotov Cocktail, Trump, who may well lodge a protest vote against the political establishment, to Hillary’s (and the country’s) cost – but to Trump’s benefit.

So who is better suited to become US president?

Well, if you look at their synastry grids, the two candidates pretty much match up as far as positive aspects with the George Washington chart are concerned: 38 -43 in favour of Trump. In terms of negative aspects, they are exactly matched, with 30 each. So it looks like they both have qualities that chime well with the role.

Whatever happens, I think that the key overarching theme to take from this particular election can be summed up as follows:

• The GW Pluto trines Trump’s North Node & Sun-Uranus conjunction, suggesting that his main karmic purpose in all of is to shake up the electoral process. everyone in American seems to agree that the old ways of doing business and conducting politics may have become too outdated and removed to seem relevant or relatable to people, which may be why voter apathy prior this election was at an all-time high.If we consider that the GW Pluto rules the 4th house of the people, it seems likely that one of the consequences of this election will be to increase voter turnout and see people re-engage with the political process, mainly because they see how it can affect their everyday lives (Pluto, ruler of 4th, in 6th).
• The planet, Uranus: that this election many well be designed to shake up the country as a whole: shocking the US political establishment into re-engaging with voters and waking voters up to their role in making sure democracy works – every individual counts and perhaps, given the growing power of social media activism, perhaps voters will once again realise that every individual vote counts and start exercising their democratic right and participating once again in the political system.

Much, I think, will come down to the whole Regulus ingress – is Hillary the woman  of the moment? Or is America still not ready to move away from traditional ideas about male-dominated leadership? The irony here is that, contrary to the way she has been portrayed, Hillary is actually the change candidate – not Trump, who is actually a member of the 1% that the ‘little’ people  – the 90% – have come to despise and resent. As Bernie Sanders recently said – if people choose to vote for Hillary, they will be voting for more than just a candidate – they will be voting for one of “the most progressive party agenda in American history.” We can see this echoed in the GW Pluto, which is sitting on Hillary’s Descendant (= candidate for change) and the GW Uranus, which trines her Jupiter (= positive change and reforms). His plea to the American people then is:

At this pivotal and dangerous moment in American history, our job is not just to elect a new president, but to bring people together to transform our country and create a government which works for all of us, and not just the 1 percent.

It’s fair to say, then, that this election is likely to be a close-run thing. Looking at the planets at work at the time of the election, I would say that voters are likely to decide who to vote for based on:

• How angry they are about immigration and how abandoned and dispossessed by the system they feel (Uranus***)
• Healthcare policies, especially Obamacare (Pluto**)
• The economy (Jupiter*)
• The candidate’s attitudes and policies towards women (The Moon***)

And with a dramatic Mercury-Pluto sextile taking place today, and a corresponding Sun-Pluto sextile on November the 7th, developments or decisions over the next few days could prove decisive. The world is watching. Let’s see what the American people decide…

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