Monthly Archives: October 2020

Neptune and the 2020 Election

Astrology is not the best at determining outcomes.  We can always describe the astrological weather and types of events to expect, but predicting a result is a different matter.  It’s far more effective to describe what planets are operating and how they might alter the status quo.  Pluto relentlessly erodes what it touches, Neptune dissolves things, Uranus can shatter, Saturn gradually reframes, and Jupiter refreshes situations. 

For political elections, we are astrologically considering the likelihood of an outcome.  When we add personal bias and agendas to the mix, we can understand how challenging it can be to predict a result.  Analyzing the kind and amount of change an individual may expect is one way to approach it.  Another is by studying long-term planetary cycles.  An important combination this year is the progressed U.S. Sun leaving its conjunction with transiting Neptune. 

On election day in 2016, transiting Neptune retrograde at 9 Pisces 16 was very close to the U.S. progressed Sun at 11 Pisces 28.  These placements were also approaching a trine to the U.S. natal Sun at about 13 Cancer, allowing Neptune’s cloak to stealthily wrap itself around the country.  Neptune advances only a little more than 2 degrees each year.  On election day 2020, with the U.S. progressed Sun at about 15-1/2 Pisces and Neptune stationing at 18+ Pisces, the aspect is beginning to depart from the conjunction. 

This suggests that some of the Neptunian confusion and complications the country has faced in recent years will gradually begin to lift.  Neptune rules otherworldly transcendence, dreams, images, illusions, healthcare, drugs, contagion, disintegration, empathy, charity, idealism, isolation, the oppressed, secrets and deception, among other things. 

By 2000, the influence of pharmaceutical companies had already led to a national health crisis, and deaths from opioid overdoses peaked in 2017.  The coronavirus pandemic is a Neptunian development all its own, but it also exacerbated the opioid crisis and brought to light the flaws in the American healthcare system. 

The proliferation of the Internet, smartphones and other mobile devices, communications satellites, distance learning and web conferencing has kept people glued to screen images. 

Donald Trump, the real estate developer turned TV personality who was elected president in 2016, is truly a Neptunian character.  His administration popularized the terms “fake news” and “alternate facts” to describe media coverage, promoted a nostalgic return to fossil fuels, and issued executive orders limiting the rights of refugees (many of whom were incarcerated).  Through mixed messages and skepticism, he encouraged a mistrust of journalists and healthcare professionals, fueled conspiracy theories and further polarized the nation. 

Neptune and Pisces have surely been influencing many aspects of our lives. The country entered an economic slump caused by a trade war with China that became a recession with the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.  But feminist, LGBTQ and Black rights movements coalesced during this time.  

Another interesting feature of the 2020 election is that transiting Neptune in Pisces is activating all of the major candidates’ horoscopes.  It stations in square to Donald Trump’s natal 10th house Uranus in November; opposes his progressed Moon in Virgo the day before election day; and goes on to exactly square his Sun-Moon opposition in March of 2021.  The station squares Mike Pence’s Sun-Mercury midpoint in Gemini, exactly squares it in January and squares his prominent Mercury for the first time in April 2021. 

The Neptune station in November opposes Joe Biden’s Midheaven, exactly opposing it for the final time in February of 2021.  The station transits Kamala Harris’ 10th house as it opposes her natal Venus in Virgo and opposes progressed Mars in Virgo in October and January.  Which candidate has the vision for the future?  Ultimately it’s a judgment call. 

I’ve looked at the 2021 Inauguration horoscope, the Nodal Return cycle, and the candidates’ forecasts.  The tides comes in and tides go out, and so it is with astrological developments.  As it seems to me that Donald Trump resonates more strongly with recent Neptunian developments, I believe the tide has turned against him as a politician. 

2020 Vice Presidents

I always consider the Vice Presidential candidates when evaluating an election, checking on how they’re interacting with notable transits like Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn and their progressions.  Both Pence and Harris show important changes in their lives in the coming months. 

We unfortunately don’t have a time of birth for Mike Pence.  Declination moves  slowly, and his progressed Moon is on the less fortunate downslope, though offering the possibility to coast along in a position.  Are there any indications for a major change?  I think so. 

Pence has a notable Venus conjunct Mars in early Leo squared by Neptune in Scorpio in his birth chart.  These squares will become a T-square with the transiting Jupiter-Saturn conjunction between the crucial months of November and January, scattering his attention and hampering his efforts.  In addition, Jupiter and Saturn contraparallel his Mars in December, causing many frustrations.  The aspects are more notable since natal Mars is also inconjunct Saturn.  While Pence has nice sextiles from transiting Jupiter and Pluto to natal Jupiter, it may not be enough for re-election. 

Mike Pence’s controlled and low-key image is probably due to his natal Saturn in Capricorn contraparallel a Venus-Pluto parallel (all within about a half a degree).  Between late October and January, transiting Jupiter and Pluto will both activate the natal contraparallel.  This is another combination involving the year’s momentous transits that also suggests significant life developments.

Progressed Venus in Virgo has moved another degree closer to squaring Pence’s natal Sun.  While the Neptune station in November is about two degrees past an exact square to both, it activates them at a crucial time, creating another T-square, and T-squares are purveyors of change.  President Trump’s progressed Moon at about 18 Virgo is also moving away from Pence’s progressed Venus as both experience the Neptune transits.  Outside events, such as the pandemic or economic recession, may feel out of their control and impact negatively on re-election. 

The Vice President has the Sun conjunct Mercury in Gemini in his birth chart.  Mercury is prominent, as it’s placed Out-of-Bounds in declination and disposes all other planets but Saturn.  As a conservative radio host and politician, it’s allowed him to share his message.  But his progressed Sun will be about 15 Leo and progressed Mercury about 11 Leo by the 2021 inauguration.  In February and March, transiting Jupiter and Saturn in Aquarius will oppose his progressed Mercury, and by May, transiting Uranus will square it, creating a third T-square and suggesting significant new developments in life that may be unanticipated or contrary to his intentions. 

Transiting Jupiter opposes and contraparallels Mike Pence’s progressed Sun and Uranus in February, as Jupiter parallels natal Jupiter and trines his Sun.  He should be moving toward new vistas by then, and will certainly land on his feet.

We stand on firmer astrological ground with Kamala Harris, who was born in California, where birth records are available.  As other astrologers have noted, Harris has quite a strong birth chart.  Her Ascendant and North Node in Gemini form a grand trine with her Sun in Libra and Saturn in its ruling sign of Aquarius conjunct her Midheaven.  This shows a consistent focus on career and the ability to gradually move to positions of greater authority.  The pattern opens out to a rare Star of David or grand sextile, an active and dynamic pattern with nine planets and points and four oppositions involved. 

Like Mike Pence, Kamala has Jupiter at 24 degrees.  Transiting Jupiter through her eighth house will create a grand trine with her Venus in Virgo in September and Jupiter in Taurus in November.  This shows support for her efforts and events running in her favor.  Her progressed Moon, exalted in Taurus, has been activating her earth-sign planets, and will trine natal Pluto in December, oppose her Neptune in January and go on to trine natal Venus in early February.  This run begins and ends with favorable influences for success while her progressed Moon also double-approaches a conjunction with progressed Jupiter. 

From late October through December, the transiting Jupiter-Saturn conjunction also sextiles Harris’ progressed Venus at 26 Scorpio (close to conjoining running mate Joe Biden’s Sun). 

The candidate’s progressed Sun in late Sagittarius exactly conjoins her Descendant in December, bringing her before the public as it approaches a sextile to her natal Sun over the next four years.  At the same time, she’s experiencing a Nodal Return (exact in early October, see my earlier article on that here).  And finally, her progressed Sun conjoins her natal South Node in January.  While the South Node may not seem like a favorable conjunction to western astrologers, it could signify Harris being drawn along by karmic forces.  In any event, she is at quite an important turning point in her life and career.

Transiting Saturn squares Harris’ Sun and Moon in late November.  With so many oppositions in her chart and the Sun and Moon key components of her grand sextile, I believe this indicates new responsibilities.  In February 2020, when Saturn first activated the opposition, she called on the Trump Administration for a plan to combat the pandemic.  In August, shortly after the second exact squares, she was named the Democratic Vice Presidential candidate.  These themes would be consistent with her election.  Her progressed Moon also contraparallel natal Saturn in the tenth in late December is a similar influence which may include changes in residence, lifestyle and responsibilities. 

All the candidates this year have natal or progressed mutable planets or points that are activated by Neptune, which may relate to prevailing confusion over the coronavirus pandemic and their various approaches to it.  In Harris’ case, transiting Neptune stations in opposition to her natal Venus and progressed Mars in Virgo from October through January, bringing up issues in her natal chart.  Progressed Moon opposes Neptune at the same time.  These are difficult aspects to delineate, although Neptune goes on to more favorably trine her natal Neptune before election day. 

Kamala Harris’ Moon progresses Out of Bounds in declination, making for significant periods of time in her life.  It is now on the more fortunate upslope, but will peak in her early sixties, a time when she may attract even more attention or prominence – perhaps as the Democratic presidential candidate in 2024.

The two Vice Presidential candidates both have mixed aspects.  I’m influenced by Biden and Trump’s forecasts, as well as Harris and Trump’s Nodal returns and the 2021 inauguration horoscope.  What stands out in Pence and Harris’ analysis is that notable developments are promised for both, which would hold true for a change of administration.  Saturn rarely surprises us.  With hard aspects from Jupiter and Saturn for both candidates, the current trajectory of Trump’s team polling lower than Biden’s will probably continue, with Kamala Harris moving into a new job. 

Biden 2020

What are Joe Biden’s astrological chances of winning the November 2020 presidential election?  His natal horoscope is certainly not as fortunate as President Trump’s, and the incumbent always has an edge. 

Biden was born during World War II, and the era’s characteristic Saturn-Uranus conjunction straddles his Descendant as it opposes his Sun, Venus and Ascendant.  The oppositions are probably responsible for the ups and downs in his life and career, but six planets in fixed signs give a consistency of purpose.  Neptune in his 10th trines and sextiles the oppositions, balancing the energies and making him a career public servant.  A yod with the Moon at its apex and inconjunct aspects to the Ascendant, Venus and Neptune may have also added to the elusiveness of his presidential bids in the past.

But as we near election day in late October, transiting Jupiter trines his Midheaven, while Pluto stations conjunct Jupiter near the trine, helping him promote his message.  In November and December, the approaching Jupiter-Saturn conjunction sextiles his rising Sun and Venus and trines progressed Uranus and Neptune, an unusual combination.  Transiting Uranus also sextiles his progressed Moon and trines progressed Mars in November.  While sextiles are not the strongest aspects in the world, they facilitate things, and the great Jupiter-Saturn mutation into air signs is favorable to Biden.

Donald Trump struggles under the weight of oppositions from the momentous transits in Capricorn while his opponent profits from their aspects to both his natal and progressed charts.  Jupiter and Saturn go on to square Biden’s Moon and trine his 10th house Neptune by the end of the year, suggesting both a change of residence and new career vistas.  (His progressed Moon square natal Saturn, exact on January 1, has similar resonances.)   

Biden’s progressed Mercury at about 25 Capricorn falls right on the progressed U.S. Moon, South Node and Pluto in Capricorn combination as well as the Jupiter-Saturn-Pluto transits in November, which appear to be keeping him in sync with important developments in the country.   

Biden’s progressed Sun in Aquarius will be less than a degree from trining the U.S. Mars and a few degrees from conjoining the U.S. natal Moon (using Evangeline Adams’ Gemini rising chart), showing a closer relationship with the country.  His progressed Moon and Venus in early Pisces are both drawing close to trining the U.S. natal Sun-Jupiter midpoint, which also seems a favorable connection. 

The candidate’s progressed Midheaven at 9 Sagittarius falls in his first house near an opposition to his natal Saturn and U.S. natal Uranus.  This could potentially signify an upset, but given the preponderance of other flowing aspects, I feel it suggests a new phase in his life, along with new responsibilities. 

The U.S. progressed Venus is about a half a degree from conjoining Biden’s natal Moon in Taurus, indicating a close connection. 

The powerhouse in Joe Biden’s chart is Ascendant-ruler Jupiter exalted in Cancer in his 8th house, which trines his Sun, Mercury and Venus.  Not the most fortunate of placements, it has nevertheless helped him win supporters and raise campaign funds.  Progressions of the heavier planets move very slowly, but in an unusual combination, Biden’s progressed retrograde Jupiter in Cancer is within two degrees of conjoining U.S. progressed Jupiter.  At the same time, it trines the U.S. progressed Sun at about 15-1/2 Pisces in a double-approaching aspect (about a degree and a half from exact), and also conjoins the natal U.S. Sun (at about 4 degrees).  His progressed Jupiter is also close to trining his Mercury-Mars midpoint in Scorpio, creating a grand trine with U.S. progressed Sun near his IC, a fortunate combination for considering the outcome of an election. 

The Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in Aquarius shows Biden in the right place at the right time, and that his momentum continues into 2021.  The conjunction transits his 2nd house, and in January (inauguration month), exactly trines 7th house Uranus while sextiling his Ascendant.  Jupiter also trines natal Saturn in the 7th, which should help in dealing with the public and important partners.  Since Jupiter and Saturn are always close in declination when conjunct, they both also parallel Biden’s Sun and natal 1st house Venus in January, aspects often signifying notable career developments. 

An unusual transit is Neptune stationing closely conjunct Biden’s fourth house cusp in November.  An angular Neptune can be difficult to interpret.  Certainly transiting Neptune closely squaring both Mitt Romney’s Gemini Ascendant and running mate Paul Ryan’s Sagittarius Ascendant in 2012 seemed a strong testimony that they would fail to win their bid for the presidency.  Here it may suggest the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the country and a sense of “shifting sands” underfoot.  As it also closely trines Biden’s natal Mercury in Scorpio (ruler of his 10th and 7th houses), it might be less onerous than otherwise.  On some level, though, it also has the potential to undermine him.  Perhaps the idea of people voting against Trump rather than for Biden is symbolized here. 

The 23 Sagittarius solar eclipse on December 14, 2020 is strongly placed in Biden’s 1st house of identity, and squares transiting Neptune and his MC, while sextiling his progressed Ascendant in Aquarius.  This spotlights his message, but there may be upcoming events that we cannot anticipate as yet. 

See my earlier posts on Donald Trump and Kamala Harris’ nodal returns, the 2021 Inauguration chart (suggesting a change of party) and Donald Trump’s forecast for more. 

I do believe that Joe Biden will win the U.S. presidency in November 2020. 

Trump 2020?

In evaluating presidential candidates, I look at several astrological factors.  Whether they win or lose is basic, but can be complicated, although there are often clear indicators for success or failure.  Does it look like they’ll have a change in responsibility or residence?  And what about their continuing relationship with the country? 

The natal chart is the most important element.  Donald Trump attracts attention with his Sun conjunct Uranus birth eclipse.  It brings surprising successes, but, I’ve always felt, will include equally notable falls from grace.  Belinda Lai has included a detailed analysis of Trump’s birth chart on AstroPastures and I agree with her analysis that the mutable pattern tends toward one-shot situations, rather than long-term appointments. 

Trump has many challenging transits in the coming months.  Between October and February, transiting Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto all oppose the president’s Venus.  Jupiter and Pluto exactly oppose his Saturn in November and December, close to the election.  (They will trine his Midheaven near that time, too, but since Venus rules his MC and Saturn relates to career, I feel the oppositions carry.)  Pluto also opposes his natal Venus for the first time on February 18, 2021, drawing him to begin a new life direction.   

Progressions may be more notable in terms of where a person is going in life.  The president’s progressed Mercury in Leo, near his Mars-Pluto midpoint, sextiles natal Uranus in late September, and transiting Uranus sextiles his Mercury in late October.  Mercury co-rules his 10th house and is prominent in the 11th so this could point toward unexpected support.  But his natal Mercury lacks dignity, and none is added by the sign or 12th house placement of the progression.  He can expect help from loyal associates behind the scenes, and there may be a court decision in his favor.  But I feel that the challenging aspects outweigh the rest of the picture. 

Trump’s progressed Ascendant at 29 Libra 57, denotes the end of a phase in his life.  His progressed Venus, Jupiter and Ascendant in Libra will all take exact squares from the heavy Capricorn transits from late October through December.  (These may also explain his catching the coronavirus in early October.)

His progressed Midheaven, showing his status and career development, is equally afflicted.  The Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in Aquarius will oppose both his progressed Midheaven and progressed Saturn in January of 2021 from the bottom of his progressed chart (traditionally the “end of the matter”).

Trump’s progressed Moon in Virgo squares his natal Uranus in the 10th in October.  The transiting Neptune in Pisces station squares natal Uranus in November, while progressed Moon opposes transiting Neptune close to election day, creating a T-square.  Transiting Neptune’s continuing aspects from the 7th house aren’t yet exact, but will include squares to his Sun, Moon and Nodes, forming a grand cross and eroding his popularity.  The December 14 solar eclipse at 23 Sagittarius also activates the grand cross. 

In addition, the progressed Moon is within a degree and a half of conjoining the Midheaven of Joe Biden’s 8:30 a.m. birth chart!  It’s as if he’s ready to hand over the reins of government.  Or we might say that his work ethic and health situation enhance Biden’s reputation. 

The progressed Moon in declination may show periods of time when one achieves great popularity or notoriety.  Trump’s Moon progressed Out of Bounds in declination between the ages of 69 and 71, presenting a very unusual period of time when he won the 2016 election.  His progressed Moon is now on the downslope and has not been OOB for a few years:  he no longer enjoys the responsiveness from the public that he did four years ago.

Trump has some positive progressions, including progressed Moon approaching a trine to progressed U.S. Moon and his progressed Sun near a trine to U.S. progressed Ascendant.  However the most notable thing is the number of progressed to progressed aspects that are departing (I count 13 of them under 4 degrees), showing his path moving away from the country’s.  The U.S. progressed Moon at 22 Capricorn, South Node at 26 Capricorn and Pluto at 29-1/2 Capricorn are all reinforced by the transits in the same sign that afflict his birth chart. 

All of this is within the context of the bigger picture.  Donald Trump is experiencing a Nodal return, which often coincides with a life-changing time.  See my earlier post on Trump and Kamala Harris’ Nodal returns.  And the Inauguration chart, with its prominent Saturn square Uranus, also suggests a change in the party in power.  My earlier Inauguration 2021 post shows that this has historically been the case with many new administrations of the past. 

I do not believe that Donald Trump will begin a second term as President of the United States.  If he’s somehow re-elected, I expect he will face very difficult challenges indeed.   I hope to post about Biden’s horoscope soon.