And there’s the story of how, the night after Clinton was elected, Emanuel was so angry at the president’s enemies that he stood up at a celebratory dinner with colleagues from the campaign, grabbed a steak knife and began rattling off a list of betrayers, shouting “Dead! . . . Dead! . . . Dead!” and plunging the knife into the table after every name. 

These are not the earliest stories of Rahm Emanuel’s displays of intensity. According to an article on Bloomberg.com, at the age of 17, Emanuel cut his middle finger, known in Palmistry as the Saturn finger, while working at an Arby’s fast food restaurant. According to his mother, he refused to go to the doctor, afraid it would prevent him from attending his high school prom, after which the finger became infected. The tip of his finger had to be amputated in order to save his life. (Photo also from Bloomberg.com) 

In Palmistry, injuries to a particular part of a hand represent challenges in the corresponding area of life at the time of the injury. Saturn is the finger of responsibility, accountability and integrity. It’s also associated with structure, discipline and logic. It is the finger of Karma.

Saturn challenges take two forms. Underdeveloped Saturn energy manifests as insecurity, lack of discipline and fear of success/failure. A person with overdeveloped Saturn energy may appear cold, ruthless, and inflexible. Extreme ambition and inflexibility are two of its hallmarks. 

The workaholic and the ideologue are two Saturnian personality types.

Rahm Emanuel is often described as focused, disciplined and organized. He has been referred to as a super-achiever. Many in Washington call him “The Enforcer.” Other Saturn words that have been used to describe Emanuel include serious, relentless, fearsome, demanding and strategizing. The loss of his middle finger is the outward manifestation of the unmerciful drive that has propelled Emanuel upward in the equally unforgiving world of Capitol Hill politics.

In addition to the meanings ascribed to the middle finger in Palmistry, the raising of the Saturn finger at another has been considered an obscene gesture since the time of the Ancient Greeks. The Romans, who also favored this gesture, called the Saturn finger digitus impudicus, or impudent finger.

Rahm Emanuel is well known for his frequent use of the f-word. He says of himself,

Of all the fingers to lose! I could not express myself for months. I had to learn to talk with my left hand.

There are some who worry that Rahm Emanuel is a poor choice for Chief of Staff, calling him an old-school partisan politician, as far from Barack Obama’s message of change and hope as one could possibly find in the Democratic party. Others see Emanuel as the perfect partner for Obama, the bad cop to his good cop. 

Will Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel apply his will and his ability to get results in service to Obama’s vision? Or will he simply flip America the bird, missing digitus impudicus be damned?

Technorati Tags: Rahm Emanuel, Chief of Staff, Rahmbo, The Enforcer, middle finger, Palmistry, Saturn, f-word, good cop, bad cop

New data on John McCain’s time of birth places Aquarius on the cusp of his 12th house of Karma and Pisces on his Ascendant. (Click chart at left for larger image.) McCain calls himself a Maverick with a capital M, and his Aquarian 12th house reveals that this is not the first lifetime in which he assumed the role of the dissenter and the non-conformist.   

Pisces occupies the last six degrees of John McCain’s 12th house. While he was able to envision previously unforseen possibilities, in his past life McCain preferred dreaming to doing. When his visions failed to become reality, McCain relied on friends and associates to prop up his ego. 

Saturn in John McCain’s first house is also in the sign of Pisces. While the Karmic task of those born with this placement is to get in touch with deep compassion and understanding for those less fortunate, individuals with Saturn in Pisces often play the victim themselves. Whenever criticized, John McCain and members of his campaign have repeatedly cited his years spent in a prisoner of war camp as a counter to any argument, relevant or not. Bloomberg reports:

When Elizabeth Edwards, wife of former Senator John Edwards, rebuked McCain’s medical care proposal and noted that he’d always enjoyed government health benefits, McCain responded that he knows what it’s like to get inadequate care — “from another government.” 

When asked by Tonight Show host Jay Leno why it was that he could not remember how many houses he owned, John McCain again invoked the POW card, telling Leno that for 5 and a half years he didn’t have a house, didn’t have a table or a chair.

Today John McCain has many chairs in the eight residences he shares with his wife Cindy. McCain married Cindy, a former rodeo beauty queen and heiress to a beer fortune, one month after divorcing his first wife Carol, a model who became disfigured in an auto accident while John McCain was a POW.

Uranus is retrograde in John McCain’s second house of money, luxury and values. From a karmic standpoint Uranus retrograde shows that McCain placed too much importance on wealth, possessions and outer appearances in his past life. It’s clear he has continued this pattern in this life, making it difficult for him to complete Saturn in Pisces’ karmic requirement that he become an advocate for the underprivileged.

As the focal point of a T-Square aspecting his Moon and Mars, Uranus retrograde tells us that unmet needs and unexpressed emotions result in eruptions of anger. McCain is well known for his quick temper. In John McCain’s past life and in this one, Maverick becomes a euphemism for loose cannon. 

Despite these indicators of cosmic immaturity, there is good news.  John McCain’s past and present life challenges have offered training that allows him to gain the experience that is needed to become a leader and champion for the people. But it requires particular effort on his part.

Pisces Rising and Saturn in Pisces show that McCain came into this life with a deep sensitivity. His Moon in Aquarius reveals his craving for freedom. Its placement in the 11th house shows the potential for humanitarian action.

John McCain has the Sun conjunct Neptune in Virgo, the sign of service, located in the 7th house of partnerships. Mercury in Libra bestows the ability to see all sides of a situation and to play the diplomat. Because it is square his Moon’s Nodes, owning and actualizing this ability is a major part of his karmic task.

If he does the work to get out of his head and into his heart, John McCain has the potential to become the kind of leader who can envision a different way, motivate others to follow his dream and create sympathetic partnerships in service to humanity.

Do I think he can do this in time for next week’s presidential election? Of course not. But opportunities are arising for McCain to do his karmic work. Shortly after election day, Lord of Karma Saturn opposes McCain’s natal Saturn position. Transformative Pluto conjoins his Capricorn North Node in January of 2009, returning to activate it again from June to December. 

Win or lose, cosmic circumstances are in place for John McCain to mature into his natal promise of true maverick, visionary and leader of all the people, rich or poor, left or right.

Technorati Tags: John McCain, experience, natal chart, Karma, Maverick, past life, compassion, POW card, quick temper, Pisces Rising, presidential election, Capricorn North Node

Obama’s birth time was released fairly recently, so this is an updated chart from my previous article. (Click chart at left for larger image.)

With a birth time of 7:24 PM, the sign of Capricorn falls on Obama’s 12th house cusp. Issues of authority, security and integrity are the primary karmic concerns carried over from the past life. The first 18 degrees of Aquarius also reside in his 12th house, indicating that peer pressure would have complicated matters for Obama.

Barack Obama has two planets in the 12th house, Jupiter and Saturn. At 5 degrees apart they make a wide conjunction, and both happen to be retrograde. 

From a karmic standpoint, 12th house planets represent aspects of the personality that created unrest, anxiety or problems in the past life. Even if the trait was positive, its expression would have gone against the grain of the social or family expectations of the past life. Retrograde planets show challenges from the past life that were not resolved, requiring the subject to repeat the tasks or lessons associated with the planet(s).

Saturn in the 12th house tells me that Barack Obama is working out particularly difficult karma this time around. The fact that it is retrograde makes Saturn’s karmic load even heavier. People with Saturn in the 12th house have very strong personalities. Even in this lifetime, the soul faces many tests that help it to grow stronger. Obama’s past life was filled with greater than average responsibilities, and he was required to make a substantial sacrifice. Should he be elected, Obama may have to make similar sacrifices as he steps into one of the most problem filled terms any US president has ever faced. 

Jupiter is one of the few good news planets when it falls in the 12th house. Karmically, it indicates that Obama chose to return to earth at this time because of a great love of humanity and a desire to see it live up to its highest potential. It’s no surprise that Obama has chosen “Hope” as his campaign theme. This karmic connection of Jupiter with Saturn shows his soul’s willingness to take on heavy burdens for the sake of the betterment of humanity.

But this is where the good news stops.

The retrograde condition of idealistic and freedom loving Jupiter, along with its proximity to conservative and rule-bound Saturn, shows that Obama’s past life ability to inspire hope and give structure to his vision of the future was clouded by compromise. He allowed the influence of others to color his definition of what it meant to be a leader. In his past life, Obama’s love of humanity may have actually become a hindrance as he worried too much about bridging the gap between the past and the future, the left and the right, and those who agreed with him and those who did not. 

The key to overcoming these karmic challenges is shown in Obama’s North Node in Leo and the placement of his Part of Fortune in the second house.The Part of Fortune is a point in the chart that represents the path to success and good fortune. Obama’s Part of Fortune in the second house reveals the importance of discovering and following his own values rather than waiting for clues from others in order to decide the best course of action.

Persons with the North Node in Leo have spent many lifetimes concerned with the goals and visions of the group. They operate from the standpoint that knowledge is power, and therefore seek counsel with others and look to understand the facts before moving forward. In this lifetime, Obama must balance these past life tendencies with the ability to know and follow his own will.

Leo is the sign of individual identity. The job of Leo is to follow the heart, to live passionately in the spotlight, to share the true self with others, to rule with conviction and generosity, and to have fun in the process. Obama’s Sun (core self), Mercury (style of thinking and communicating) and Uranus (drive for freedom and innovation) join his North Node in Leo, emphasizing the need to govern from his own heart in this lifetime.

Obama’s North Node is situated in his 7th house. It is in the 7th house we meet our partners and allies, and also our enemies. The 7th house is also the realm of harmony, diplomacy and balance. The more confidence Obama develops in his own guiding truth, the more likely it is that he will emerge as an agent of peace.

Whether he is successful in his bid for the presidency or not, the most important life task for Obama is to further develop the soul qualities of leadership, self assurance and warmth. As he does, the potential for him to grow into one of the greatest diplomats of our time is enormous.

Technorati Tags: Barack Obama, past life, Obama’s birth time, karmic, Saturn, retrograde, president, good news, hope, North Node, peace, karma, astrology, chart, natal chart, election

According to his Natal Chart, this is not the first lifetime where Dennis Kucinich has been dismissed as insignificant. (Click chart for larger image.)

Kucinich has natal Saturn in Leo in the 5th house. In terms of the karmic challenge, Saturn represents a fear, weakness or area of limitation from a past life. For Dennis Kucinich, Saturn in Leo represents a past life where his knowledge and leadership skills went unrecognized.

Saturn’s conjunction to Pluto complicates matters for Kucinich, suggesting past life power struggles with those deemed to be in authority.

On the flip side, Saturn conjunct Pluto indicates that Kucinich is here to tear down and transform the existing power structures. But if the media and even his peers won’t give him the time of day, the question is, “How?”

Dennis Kucinich is a very smart man. If we look to his South Node in Sagittarius, we could even say he is wise. Karmically, the person with a Sagittarius South Node has spent many lifetimes in search of truth, so many that he or she no longer has to keep seeking. The pitfall for Kucinich would be in taking himself too seriously. Saturn in the 5th house confirms that development of a sense of humor and a light and playful heart is one of his assignments for this lifetime.

As both an astrologer and a political observer, I believe that Dennis Kucinich is speaking from a place of integrity and higher truth. Having his South Node in the 8th house tells me that his wisdom emanates from a source that is ancient and deep, and that his commitment to that truth is passionate. When you add in the compassion of a 12th house Moon in Pisces, it is difficult to deny that he is the real deal when it comes to his desire to create a better America.

However, it is the North Node that one must follow, no matter how strongly it appears that the South Node skills can be put to good use.

With a Gemini North Node, Dennis Kucinich is being asked to bring his truth down to earth and package it into a format with mass appeal. He is being required to develop the ability to listen, be flexible and meet others halfway.

In his campaign appearances, Dennis Kucinich likes to point out that he is the only candidate with a plan for single-payer universal health care. He tells us that he is the only candidate…

who voted against the war on Iraq and who consistently opposed it. I am the only candidate who sued the President to try to prevent him from going to war without a declaration from Congress. I am the only candidate who will repeal NAFTA and withdraw from the WTO, replacing these agreements that have cost us so many hundreds of thousands of jobs with fair bilateral trade agreements that protect jobs, workers’ rights, human rights, and environmental quality principles…

His list of where he stands apart from the other candidates goes on. He may be just a little too far apart to satisfy his Gemini North Node.

Change is scary. The level of change that Dennis Kucinich is advocating, while not uncalled for in these “interesting” times, is profound and even possibly radical. Radical change is the hallmark of his 8th house South Node. Slow, steady, step-by-step change that preserves a sense of security is what is called for by his 2nd house North Node.

In order to get recognition for his wisdom so that he can successfully bring about change, Kucinich needs to look to his heavily populated 7th house and his Libra Sun. The keywords associated with both are balance, co-operation, give and take, and charm.

Kucinich does not have to change his vision or abandon his principles. But with a karmic set-up like this one, he will find that it is easier to catch flies with honey than with vinegar. Or hot sauce. The louder he shouts at his critics, the more stubbornly he asserts his way as the “only” way, the less he will be listened to by those in positions of authority, and the harder it will be for him to truly live his passion.

Technorati Tags: Dennis Kucinich, debates, Presidential candidate, Natal Chart, past life, astrology, karma, Libra

Jerry Falwell’s natal chart (click thumbnail for larger version) provides real insight into his controversial style. I have seen his time of birth as both 12 noon and 12:01 PM, though I have not seen any references as to the source of that information. There being no real difference between the two, I have run the chart using 12 noon as his time of birth.

From a karmic standpoint, Falwell’s chart tells the tale of a past life of strong opinions and rigid thinking, a lesson on learning to cooperate and a purpose of service for the good of all of humanity.

One of the most important markers in Falwell’s chart is retrograde Saturn in Aquarius which falls in his third house. Natally, a retrograde Saturn indicates that the individual became rigid in their past life and did not grow. With Saturn in the third house, the rigidity would have occured in the areas of thought, opinion and communication style. In Jerry Falwell’s case, this may not be the first life where he was dealing with fundamentalist ways of thinking.

Saturn in Aquarius often denotes a past life where the individual suffered ostracism and rejection, possibly having been outcast from the “tribe” or community. In this life, it shows up as a dislike of freedom and/or fear of being deemed an outsider. Compensation for this fear may manifest as intolerance, dogmatism, and insensitivity to others. These behaviors typically stem from a feeling of not being good enough. Decrying those who are different as being “less than” creates a false sense of self-esteem to cover up the fear.

Saturn’s message is reiterated in the square aspect (challenge) between Jerry Falwell’s Mercury, ruler of the third house, and Uranus, ruler of Aquarius. For Falwell, the task represented by this configuration would have been to develop tact, diplomacy and objectivity. New ideas which may have seemed foreign and frightening at first, if embraced, could have become the vehicle for personal and spiritual growth.

In his small but wisdom-packed book “The War of Art,” Steven Pressfield makes the case for adoption of fundamentalist principles as a reaction to the fear of freedom. He writes that:

…The human being isn’t wired to function as an individual. We’re wired tribally, to act as part of a group… We know what the clan is; how to fit into the band and the tribe. What we don’t know is how to be alone. We don’t know how to be free individuals.

In speaking of those who find the path to individuation too duanting, who find it difficult to be separated from the tribe, Pressfield says:

Fundamentalism is the philisophy of the powerless, the conquered, the displaced and the dispossessed…

The fundamentalist (or, more accurately, the beleaguered individual who comes to embrace fundamentalism) cannot stand freedom. He cannot find his way into the future, so he retreats to the past… He gets back to basics. To fundamentals.

I believe that, in a past life, Jerry Falwell may have indeed made an attempt to break free from dogmatic and insular thinking, but suffered for his choice. Both Chiron in Gemini and Saturn in Aquarius indicate that his ideas were not accepted by those he considered his brothers. With Libra on the 12th house cusp (delineation of karmic theme) and Chiron, the wounded healer, in his 7th house of partnerships and relationships, the pain of separation may have seemed too great to be overcome.

Not knowing how to be alone, Jerry Falwell used his charismatic Sun in Leo to create a movement where he would always be at its center. But being surrounded by hundreds of thousands of followers didn’t seem to be enough to allay his fears. Falwell continued, until the very end of his life, to publicly denounce any and all who didn’t adopt his beliefs or join his camp.

Had he been able to set himself free, Jerry Fallwell could have become a force for peace and brotherhood. Instead, he convinced others to join him in his fear, ultimately alienating more people than he inspired.

Technorati Tags: Jerry Falwell, Tinky Winky, gay, natal chart, karmic, Fundamentalism, freedom, astrology, karma

Despite continued assurances by the White House that President George W. Bush has complete confidence in Alberto Gonzales, calls for the attorney general to resign grow louder by the minute. Bets and even investment trades are being placed not on IF Gonzales will resign, but WHEN. Speculation has already begun as to who the White House will choose as his successor.

No time of birth is available for Attorney General Gonzales, but his astrological chart (shown here as calculated for sunrise) is nonetheless revealing. From a karmic standpoint, Gonzales was born with Saturn in Scorpio, indicating a lesson in the right use of power. He also has a stellium in Leo, the sign of leadership and pride. Saturn is squaring his Leo Sun, Mars, Mercury and Jupiter, which tells me that, in a past incarnation, Gonzales’ karma was complicated by an overblown ego and a tendency to stretch the truth in order to gain and maintain power. The exact conjunction of his Sun and Jupiter may have been especially problematical in terms of an exaggerated sense of self.

When we look at the Attorney General’s index or Jupiter finger, we see that the top phalange is grossly oversized. It is so top-heavy that it appears to be keeling over from the weight. Jupiter is the finger of ambition and the upper phalange is the realm of big dreams. Gonzales’ finger shows that his dreams are not only grandiose, they are compromised by the inability to be upright in their expression. When I see a Jupiter finger like this one, it suggests to me that the owner may be suffering from delusions of grandeur.

In the past year, transiting Saturn in Leo has touched every planet in Alberto Gonzales’ Leo stellium. If Nancy at Political Astrology Blog is correct in her estimation of his birth time, Saturn is currently opposite his Aquarian Moon. (Lynn at Astrodynamics also has some insights on the Attorney General’s astrological ailments.)

When Saturn comes to call in such a big way, it is doing a karmic bed check. For Alberto Gonzales, Saturn is delivering a heavy dose of reality and a lesson in humility. It may turn out to be a rude awakening.

Technorati Tags: Alberto Gonzales, Attorney General, astrological chart, karma, Jupiter finger, palmistry, resignation, U.S. attorneys

In addition to this recent honoring by the The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Al Gore has been nominated by two members of Norway’s Parliament for the Nobel Peace Prize and is rumored to be among the finalists. (The prize is usually announced in October.)

It’s clear that Al Gore’s star is on the rise. Even the Washington Post is saying that Gore “may be America’s coolest Ex-Vice President ever.” It was not so long ago, however, that he was dogged by a reputation for being wooden and boring, an image that the Republican machine used to its advantage during the 2000 presidential elections.

So how did Al Gore go from stilted to superstar?

Let’s start by taking a look at Al Gore’s palm, specifically his Apollo finger or ring finger. Apollo was the God of the Sun in Greek mythology, and in astrology would be likened to the sign of Leo. The words “Know Thyself” are inscribed in the wall at Apollo’s temple at Delphi. Apollo is the finger of individuality and self-knowledge. A strong Apollo indicates confidence and an ability to stand on center stage.

Take a look at this early campaign photo (sorry, I don’t have a date for this, but from the looks of it, this was taken well before Gore became Vice President). The middle phalange of Al Gore’s ring finger appears to be pinched and thin. When the middle section of Apollo is compromised it indicates that the owner of the hand has not yet found his or her niche. Wooden Gore.

In this close-up from the more recent photo above, we can see that, like the rest of him, Mr. Gore’s Apollo finger has filled out. It fits with his hand as a whole. Mr. Gore has clearly found his niche in his campaign to educate the public on the dangers of climate change.

It’s also clear from this photo that Mr. Gore’s middle or Saturn finger is shorter than average, indicating a person who dislikes rules and restrictions. In his newfound role as environmental evangelist, Al Gore is not constrained by the concerns of any political playbook.

What I found most fascinating about Mr. Gore’s hand is his head line, which is difficult, though not impossible, to see in the photo. Like me, Al Gore has the head line of Persephone. As shown in this diagram, the head line curves downward all the way into the wrist.

According to Greek mythology, Persephone was the daughter of Demeter, Earth Mother and goddess of grain and agriculture. In Roman mythology she was known as Ceres.

When her daughter Persephone was carried away to the underworld by Hades, who had fallen in love with the young maiden, Demeter went into such a state of mourning that the earth began to die. It was only when Mercury, god of communication and negotiation, convinced Hades to return Persephone to her mother that the world began again to flourish.

Al Gore’s natal chart confirms the story being told by his hand. (Click chart for larger image.)

Mr. Gore has Natal Saturn and Pluto conjunct in the first house, both in retrograde condition. From a karmic standpoint, retrograde planets in the natal chart indicate unfinished business from a past life and/or areas of life that were challenging or conflicted.

Retrograde Pluto in the first house is the karmic marker of someone who, in a previous incarnation was reserved and did not let their true personality shine through. Wooden Gore in a past life. Pluto in the chart also shows where, through willingness to grow (and often through trial by fire, or in Gore’s case, by electoral college failure), we find transformation and the attainment of wisdom. Pluto, by the way, is the Roman equivalent of the Greek god of the underworld, Hades.

Likewise, a retrograde Saturn in the first house shows a tendency to be too serious. Karma is alleviated by developing a good sense of humor and expanding the personality in ways that gain the respect and admiration of others. The establishment of proper goals and right life direction is also required.

Al Gore’s North Node, one of the major indicators of right life direction, is in Taurus in his 10th house of leadership and public recognition. Taurus is often associated with protectors and preservers. The symbol, a circle with a semi-circle above it, suggesting the head of a cow or bull, is a symbol of the life-giving earth mother.

Along with the North Node, Al Gore’s 10th house is populated by Venus, the ruling planet of Taurus, Ceres, the heavenly body that was recently upgraded from asteroid to dwarf planet, and the Part of Fortune (a point that indicates the road to karmic success and happiness) in Aries conjunct the Midheaven.

The Part of Fortune in Aries tells me that Mr. Gore will be most successful when he accepts his role as a pioneer, directing his courage and zeal toward leading others to new ways of acting in the world, a role he has certainly embraced in his current fight to save the planet.

Ceres in Taurus is the ultimate significator of the earth mother. With a conjunction to Venus, it shows love of the land. Conjoined to the karmic destiny point of the North Node, it seems obvious that Al Gore has found his niche as ambassador for planet Earth.

Let’s return to Mr. Gore’s hand and his Persephone head line. It is important to note that Peresephone, the mythical daughter of Ceres/Demeter was, upon her return from the underworld, given a healing gift. Hers was the role of awakener of the dead. Those who possess the Persephone head line are also here to be healers, to wake up those who are sleepwalking through life, to lead them back into a conscious relationship with life on the face of the Earth.

With a karmic tool kit like this, Al Gore is right to avoid another run for President. His destiny this lifetime is not to lead a country, but to lead a global movement, a movement to save the globe.

Technorati Tags: Al Gore, draft Gore, Nobel Peace Prize, Know Thyself, North Node, Persephone head line, President, astrology, Gore natal chart, palmistry

The Boston Herald reports today that new polling data, to be released later in the week, shows that “McCain’s popularity among New Hampshire’s independent voters has collapsed.” In fact, in a January poll taken at the annual meeting of elected Phoenix area precinct committeemen in McCain’s home state of Arizona, McCain came in fourth, behind former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia, and a relatively unknown San Diego area Congressman, Duncan Hunter.

McCain is fast becoming known as the most hawkish of the potential candidates. A former prisoner of war in Vietnam, he supports an even larger troop escalation than the president himself. In a January 10th interview on the US invasion of Iraq, McCain told MSNBC’s Tim Russert, “I said the military operation would be easy. It was easy. We were greeted as liberators.”

One has to wonder about John McCain’s memory. Perhaps this “idealized picture” of the unmitigated disaster that is the occupation of Iraq is caused by the (dissonant) square of Jupiter (beliefs) to Neptune (dreams, illusion) in McCain’s astrological chart. (For a more detailed analysis of John McCain’s natal chart, you may also want to check out Lynn’s article on why “John McCain Will Never Be President” at Astrodynamics.)

Coming planetary transits to John McCain’s natal chart affirm that his star is not on the rise in the runup to the 2008 presidential elections. (click chart thumbnail for larger image.)

Saturn will be making the first of three conjunctions to his Sun in October of 2007, indicating that there will be limits to how much McCain can shine. With his natal Sun in Virgo, a sign of service, in the 11th house of group ideals, the Saturn transit will likely show that he will become even more cut off from the desires and direction of the public he is trying to serve.

McCain’s Jupiter is in Sagittarius, which means he will shortly be experiencing a Jupiter return. With his natal Jupiter trining his natal Mars showing an expansive, almost religious belief in Martian principles, it is likely that McCain’s Jupiter return, often thought of as a lucky time, will only serve to intensify his stand on increasing the size of the US military and “finishing” the job in Iraq.

Looking at John McCain’s hands, we see that his Jupiter finger, the finger of leadership, is short. Traditionally this is seen as a lack of power, a challenge earning respect, and/or other issues with authority. In addition, the upper phalange appears compromised, a condition that I have examined on the hands of other political figures. (See my posts on Condoleeza Rice and John Bolton.) Mythologically, Jupiter was the defender of principles and protector of the people. When the upper phalange is bent, shrunken or otherwise misshapen, it is an indicator of abandonment of principles and shows challenges regarding right use of power.

(Lest you think I only find this condition on the hands of Republicans, never fear. I will be posting some analyses of Dems who also suffer from damaged Jupiter syndrome. What I do find amazing is how often this condition is found in politicians in general.)

As we move closer to the election, Uranus will be sitting on top of McCain’s Natal Saturn, and transiting Saturn will oppose it, indicating a time of karmic examination. I agree with Nancy, when she says that McCain could be facing health issues at that time. Saturn in the 6th house is often found in the charts of those whose karma is revealed through the body.

With his Saturn in the sign of Pisces, McCain’s karmic challenge is to find a true sense of peace and compassion through earthly service. Neptune, the ruler of Pisces opposes Saturn natally, increasing the karmic message. In late 2008, Saturn moves from a conjunction with his Sun to a conjunction with Neptune. With a series of karmic transits in the runup to the election, McCain could be facing a time when he may have to redefine what it means to feel secure, peaceful and connected to all of mankind.

Technorati Tags: John McCain, McCain Doctrine, troop escalation, power, Politics, 2008 Presidenial Race, Hawk, polls, karma, astrology, transits, election

Mars and Pluto represent Force and Power. When they come together you can get some pretty explosive energy. When you put that explosion at the Galactic Center, it is likely to affect everyone on the planet.

Lynn at Astrodynamics wrote:

One has to wonder if a Mars/Pluto conjunction was the best time for the US to attack Al-Qaeda targets in Somalia resulting in mass civilian casualties. The conjunction of Mars and Pluto is exact on January 13 but we are definitely beginning to feel its effects, and there is likely to be a strong buildup of intensity over the next few days.

Kathryn at Collaborate with Fate posted an interesting essay on how the Pluto/Mars cycle can be seen in current events, not only world affairs and the actions of US President George W. Bush, but also in the revival of film character Rocky Balboa, whose creator, curiously enough, has the same birth day as Bush.

Nancy, on her Political Astrology blog, takes into account the square of Jupiter to Uranus when looking at the current situation. Writing in the run up to George Bush’s speech about his “new” plan for Iraq, she states:

We are likely to see a wild, angry, rebellious response stretching from the halls of Congress to the media punditry to the streets of the nation.

With two days still to go until the exact conjunction of the God of War with the Lord of the Underworld, the news has already been filled with reports of escalating violence.

Bloomberg reports that on January 11th, 5 AM local time, US troops raided Iran’s consulate in Iraq, detaining five staff members. While I am no political scientist, I do remember learning in high school civics class that an embassy is sovereign territory, which would make this raid an act of war against Iran. Steven C. Clemons, in the Washington Note, asks, “Did the President Declare ‘Secret War’ Against Syria and Iran?” My all time favorite journalist, MSNBC’s Keith Olberman comments:

Only this President, only in this time, only with this dangerous, even Messianic certitude, could answer a country demanding an exit strategy from Iraq, by offering an entrance strategy for Iran.

While much of America was getting ready to fall asleep last night, someone lobbed a rocket at the US Embassy in Greece. At this time, there are no confirmed reports of who was responsible, and no way to link this attack to our escalation of war in the Middle East. However, with Mars and Pluto at work behind the scenes, anything is possible, and it is likely that this is just a coming attraction for the real fireworks.

I agree with Nancy’s statement that we may see action and reaction in the streets of the US. I have long predicted that the end of this war will be brought about not by the republic, but by the public it serves. If our government continues to create situations which threaten the safety of US citizens, and it the newly elected Democratic congress does not step up to fulfill its promises of change, the United States of America may find itself in its own civil war.

Remember, it was about 250 years ago, when Pluto was last visiting the Galactic Center, that the first steps were being taken toward breaking free from the tryanny of another George, King of England.

How does that saying go? Oh yeah. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

Technorati Tags: Mars/Pluto conjunction, Galactic Center, Iraq, God of War, Lord of the Underworld, Iran, exit strategy, Greek Embassy bombing

If you have followed my previous posts on Donald Rumsfeld and the karma in his natal chart, you may have noted that I believe Rumsfeld, and not in fact Dick Cheney, to be the true Wizard behind the curtain, the man who pulls the president’s strings.

Now, with Uranus exactly square to Rumsfeld’s Ascendant, Toto has pulled back the curtain. Over the past year, Rumsfeld’s doctrine of a streamlined military dependent on high tech, has been revealed to be as impotent as the levers used by the great and powerful Oz. The wizard used those levers to set off thunder and smoke pots, L. Frank Baum’s archetypal forerunner of Shock and Awe. I find it interesting that the Wizard’s control room looks much more like a voting booth than a conference room in the Pentagon.

Sweeping Democratic victories in yesterday’s midterm elections have finally sent the message that the citizens of this country want a change. Perhaps our county can finally reclaim its courage, its heart and its brain, and like Dorothy, can return to its roots.

Previous posts on Donald Rumsfeld:

Rummy’s Karmic Job Security
Rumsfeld’s Fickle Fingers of Fate
Follow-up on Rumsfeld’s Natal Chart Analysis
Donald Rumsfeld’s Natal Chart

Technorati Tags: Donald Rumsfeld, natal chart, midterm elections, resignation, Wizard, Toto