ELECTION 2012 ASTROLOGICAL PREDICTIONS

PART 2:  THE POLITICAL PARTNERS

No one runs for president of the United States by themselves… although sometimes we may think they should. The vice presidential candidate can either bring strength or weakness to the ticket and this year’s election shows a great contrast of personalities.

Here is the birth chart of current Vice President Joe Biden:

Biden’s Sun-sign is Scorpio, an intense sign known for passion and insight—not to mention secrecy and behind-the-scenes diplomacy. Biden, of course, is a renowned wheeler-dealer. Biden’s Sun is in his 12^th House of karma and possible loss, along with three other planets. In fact, all the inner planets except the Moon are in Scorpio in the 12^th, intensifying a pattern that says that Biden’s life has been about coming to awareness through suffering.

His well-off father lost his job, moved the family to Delaware from Pennsylvania and never really recovered his previous prosperity. Scorpio represents the sting of death, and Biden lost his first wife and son in a car accident after being elected in his first Senate race in Delaware. He went through much anger and religious doubt. But Scorpio energy can be relentless, and Biden has had a long and distinguished career. His Moon, situated in Taurus (another fixed sign) indicates that stick-to-it-iveness is one of his strengths.

Biden is a foreign policy expert, indicated here by the presence of Pluto (power), Chiron (healing and healing crises) and the North Node (life destiny point) in the 9^th House of international affairs. Saturn (accomplishment) sitting in his 7^th House of partnerships signifies that his greatest victories may be in conjunction with a partner. He has credited his second wife, Jill, with saving him emotionally and of course he is Vice President due to his political partnership with Barack Obama.

Biden’s most cringe-inducing trait is also explained astrologically—his tendency to put his foot in his mouth. Joe has Sagittarius rising, a sign renowned for this very thing. So when Biden makes a verbal gaffe, blame it on his Sagittarius Ascendant! He just can’t help himself. Jupiter (blessings/expansion) rules Sagittarius, and therefore his entire chart. It’s a blunt and big-picture energy, and Biden often gets in trouble for speaking the raw truth as he sees it. He may be looked upon as a bit of a clown, but his gaffes are seen as amusing, not cynical or wicked. That’s Jupiter at work.

Biden’s opposite number in this election is Paul Ryan. Here is Ryan’s chart:

Ryan’s Sun-sign is Aquarius, making him an independent “I think for myself” sort. His Sun sits in the 3^rd House of communications, and Ryan definitely articulates, in great detail and intensity, what he wants to say. These verbal faculties are strengthened by the nearby presence of Venus, the ruler of harmony. Whether or not his subject matter is endearing, Ryan has felicitous phraseology. He has taken inspiration from author Ayn Rand (also an Aquarius) and one could call Paul Ryan a conservative iconoclast… essentially a Libertarian.

Ryan’s Moon is in Libra, the sign of artistry, partnerships and social justice. It’s situated in the 11^th House of community, associated in politics with Congress. Ryan loves to network and express his deeply-held personal views to as many people as possible.

Ryan’s Ascendant is (like Biden’s) the sign of Sagittarius. The quest for truth is doubly evident in Ryan because of the presence of Neptune, the God principle, sitting precisely on the degree of the Ascendant. Neptune here is very strong, even though it is a diffusive and often confusing energy. (Ryan’s budget plan has been viewed as vague and deceptive.) Neptune clearly indicates that Ryan’s religious views—again, like Biden, he’s a Catholic—play a big role in his life and indeed in his self-image. He’s a devout, orthodox Catholic who is totally against abortion, even in cases of rape or incest. From the looks of his chart, this to him is Divine Revelation.

Paul Ryan has the charisma, but also the religious bent, of the crusader. His politics are essentially an outgrowth of his morals and religion. With Mars (aggression) in its home sign of Aries opposing Uranus (volatility) in Libra, Ryan is someone who won’t back down from a fight. A positive aspect of this is that he is health conscious and runs marathons. Negatively, he is prone to disputes which he could avoid with a little less impulsiveness.

Pluto (control issues) is also in a wide opposition to Mars from the late 10^th House of status. Pluto in Virgo gives Ryan his love of detail regarding taxes and such, but it also keeps him focused on small-picture items like budgetary figures rather than larger humanitarian concerns. Paul Ryan’s chart has a bit of the obsessive-compulsive energy one finds in addicts (which Neptune rising could also indicate). If he is elected Vice-President, expect him to defend Romney’s views vociferously.

COMPOSITES

These two men are, of course, each part of a political team. In astrology, the synergy between two people can be seen in the composite chart, made up of the midpoints between the angles and planets when one chart is compared to the other. This third chart paints a revealing picture of the energy at work in the relationship and here can be used to discern the essential energy and focus of each political ticket. It can show us a successful or unsuccessful pairing.

Here is the composite chart for the team of Barack Obama and Joe Biden:

The Sun in this chart is in Libra, sign of harmonious relations. It’s a give-and-take relationship, with an emphasis on 9^th House energy. This sector is about international affairs and one of Obama’s top priorities has been to deal with the winding down of two wars on foreign soil (Mars, god of war, is here as well). Sun in the 9^th also means that Obama’s international reputation would be important. Obama was given the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009 essentially for not being George W. Bush.

The Mars-Neptune conjunction (action regarding caregiving) is the most elevated aspect in the chart and speaks to the important role his health care law has played in his administration. This is actually somewhat double-edged: a political ticket with an elevated Neptune is almost certain to be idealized, and if those great expectations are not met, disillusionment follows. This also points up something strange: facts don’t seem to matter when Obama’s opponents talk about his administration. There seems to be a (Neptunian) glaze of sorts over objective facts.

Is Obama’s administration on the level? Astrologically, we could read Neptune’s position either as Obama being too idealistic and/or pulling the wool over people’s eyes, or being the subject of outright fantasies from his opponents. Either way, it’s hard for people to see this administration clearly. And Obama has sometimes not been the best messenger for his own policies. Lack of clarity has hurt him. But Neptune in the higher sense is compassion, and Obama projects caring for the common folks, which helps him politically. Neptune in the 9^th also means that both Obama and Biden are essentially spiritually-minded individuals.

We find the Moon (responsiveness) in Taurus (fixed focus/money issues) in the 4^th House associated with the homeland and personal security. Obama has suffered because his economic policies have not made people feel more secure, and people blame him for their not having a job. Still, Taurus is a fertile and steady sign; it sits in a flowing trine, or fortunate angle to the Ascendant in Capricorn, the sign of business. This is a good sign if he wins reelection that the economy may indeed rise again.

That Capricorn Ascendant shows an ultra-serious image with emphasis on practical matters. Capricorn being associated with government per se, arguments over the size, shape and programs of the government play an important role in their mutual image. On a personal level, this shows that maturity (Biden’s near 60 and Obama looks like he’s aging quickly) plays a big part in decision-making. A ticket with Capricorn rising is actually quite traditional, for good or ill, and not the radical change many have hoped for—or feared. Saturn, ruler of Capricorn, often limits one’s options, and here it sits opposite the Sun in fiery Aries. This describes Obama and Biden having to deal with policy limitations from a feisty Republican Congress.

Volatile, change-prone Uranus, sitting on the 7^th House cusp of relationships, speaks to the initial “hope and change” image this ticket had in 2008, and some policy disagreements may crop up between Obama and Biden. But overall, it’s a harmonious relationship, with Jupiter (good fortune) in the 4^th House at the foundation point and making a flowing angle to Pluto (power) and the Moon’s North Node (the destiny point). This is a powerful aspect for success. Obama’s political partnership with Joe Biden also looks to be long-lasting.

Now let’s look at the composite chart of Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan:

The first thing we see in this chart is that the Sun is rising in Pisces, directly on the Ascendant, making this an exact sunrise chart. This immediately speaks to mutual empowerment, a strengthening of their mutual identity. Whether or not one agrees with the candidates and the Republican platform, this is a strong ticket. Romney’s Sun-sign, of course, is Pisces, so it especially benefits him. Pisces is the sign of merging one’s identity in a larger cause, and both men are extremely religious. This ticket is about a Cause with a capital C.

But exactly what cause is this ticket trumpeting? Neptune rules Pisces and therefore the entire relationship. It represents all things transcendent and also confusing on the rational plane. Deception and illusion come under this heading, as well as glamour and charisma. The promises Romney has made so far are vague (Neptunian). Oil is also given to Neptune and Pisces, and the Koch brothers, plutocrats who are vitally invested in oil, are essentially bankrolling the campaign. Romney has clearly stated he will do well by the oil industry. Expect that to happen should he win.

The Moon in Scorpio (the men’s personal connection) sits near Neptune on one side— reiterating our theme—and Jupiter (wealth) on the other. There is really no doubt about whose interests this ticket will represent. Scorpio represents the banking industry, power and secrecy. The Moon’s placement here, however, is basically benevolent and casts a bit of a media glow over their campaign.

Pluto, ruler of Scorpio and representing power itself, sits near the 7^th House cusp, opposite the Sun and on the angle of partnerships. Yikes! This is a very nasty indication of power plays and manipulation. Should this ticket win, there will be a focus on power issues with regard to allies. Pluto also represents violence and terrorism, and it’s tough to look at this aspect and think positively about the possibilities. There may be issues between Romney and Ryan themselves.

The major focus of the chart lies in the 12^th House, the place of hidden things. What is spoken about may not be all that is present here. Communications (Mercury) and values (Venus) are sketched out rather than given in-depth treatment. Caregiving is also 12^th House territory and both Romney and Ryan plan to repeal “Obamacare.” Should they win, expect a major emphasis on this topic.

With Mars rising in the 1^st in Pisces, there is an aggressive quality to the ticket and an appeal to the emotions. That can work for a ticket if there is a popular response to their assertions. The emphasis on a new approach to jobs (Uranus in the 6^th House of employment) is a strong sell, but Uranus sits in opposition to Venus in the 12^th, not a sign of agreement when it comes to money or personal values. Romney and Ryan disagree on social issues and have different approaches to policy making.

The Romney-Ryan ticket has the astrological markings of a shotgun wedding, and it remains to be seen whether or not their entreaties to the American people strike enough of a chord to catapult them into the White House. But in a close election, all bets are off.

READ PART 3: PRESIDENTIAL WINNER PREDICTED!