June 22, 2021: No Debate on Voting Issues - says scorned Venus

Wednesday June 23, 2021: As you've heard, yesterday all Senate Republicans voted No on a motion to merely debate Voting Rights issues that now challenge the very continuance of our democracy. Unsurprising of course, yet yesterday's political tableau is said to have been performed for the benefit of Democratic Senators Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Arizona's Kyrsten Sinema, to make clear to them the complete lack of cooperation of the Republican Party to anything the Biden administration wants to accomplish on behalf of the American people.

In looking at the horoscope of yesterday's vote, said to have begun at 5:30 pm edt on Capitol Hill, rising is 23Sco23 bringing along the natal IC of Donald Tr*mp. But there's a another factor that jumps out of the chart in relation to the proceedings - that yesterday's Venus @24Can47 (conjunct US natal Mercury Rx, a lovely transit for matters that require cooperation - by the willing) opposes Pluto in the horoscope of this, the 117th Congress (January 3, 2021 12:00 pm est; see horoscope, below). As you know, Venus is a money planet (actor, personage, archetype, lady) that can become enraged, venal, and vengeful when scorned (as the still-smarting, grudge-holding Herr Tr*mp has been).

A few astro-notes on the Venus-Pluto combination of energies seem to me to describe in large part many of the factors undergirding yesterday's no-vote and, besides the transit itself, who better to put Venus-Pluto in perspective than Michael Munkasey with his Hegelian form of potentials in Politics and Business:

Thesis: Extremes of private wealth hidden in secret places; genetic alterations; model or beautiful waste processing or disposal systems; persons who wish to transform the natural beauty of a country.

Antithesis: attracting elements of organized crime; a breakdown within the fabric of society; volcanic activity deep within the earth which causes great destruction of financial or agricultural centers.

Transit Venus @24Can47 opposes 117th Congress' Pluto 24Cap16 across the 4/10 axis of Security and indicates a period of obsession, jealousy, possessiveness, cut-throat competition, and underhanded manipulation. Alliances, partnerships, and joint ventures undergo vicious power struggles and conflict while past slights seem to gain importance even though they may have nothing whatsoever to do with present circumstances (grudges). With passionate Venus-Pluto in the picture there are issues of fanaticism involved, plus, tremendous wealth, possible bankruptcy, a need to hide criminality, and/or destructive impulses to destroy or ruin people and/or things (ex: We The People's right to vote - as part of an anti-democracy campaign to establish the US as a fascist state run by a betraying GOP).

Above is the 117th Congress Horoscope with June 22, 2021 planets (5:30 pm edt) penned around the chart and highlighted in green. Voting planet Mercury is stationing Rx and turned Direct 29M 52S later @16Gem07:37 - conjunct royal star Rigel. ASC @23Sco23 = Saturn-MC (conjunct 117th's 8th cusp) indicating hindered development. This degree in Scorpio also sports the 117th Congress's Nemesis, the unbeatable foe, but also divine retribution.

Astro-Notes: Louie Buller Gohmert August 18, 1953

Image above of the US Capitol Building in Washington DC

A Few Astro-Notes Concerning the Obsessive Mr. Gohmert

by Jude Cowell

If you're curious about the career path of Rep. Louie Buller Gohmert Jr (R-TX) and a few bio details, you may wish to check out his Wikipedia page where you'll see that Baby Louie was born on August 18, 1953 in Pittsburg, Texas but was "raised" in Mount Pleasant, Texas.

Assuming office in the House of Representatives on January 3, 2005, the former JAG attorney seldom ceases to amaze and not often in a good way. A current example is his frivolous lawsuit against VP Pence in an attempt to overturn the 2020 Election on behalf of Donald Trump on January 6, 2021. Glenn Kirschner has the absurd details and his usual measured commentary. Now Mr. Gohmert's lawsuit asserts that gavel-holder Mike Pence should simply 'declare' Trump president on January 6th instead of certifying Joe Biden as victor of the 2020 presidential election. However, VP Pence's position in Congress does not grant him such liberties. Ordinarily. The outcome of their farce remains to be seen and you may want to pop an extra bowl of popcorn on January 6th. (Note: The horoscope is set for 10:00 am est which may be too early for the proceedings but as you can see, the Sun @16Capricorn opposes Gohmert's natal Venus @16Cancer so that relationships, alliances, and legal matters proceed unfavorably for him; however, the Sun conjunct his natal Chiron Rx @16Cap02 so he may feel that he's on the right course to fulfill his life's quest! And his natal Venus-Chiron opposition suggests that a mentor is involved or that he is someone's mentor--R. Nolle.)

A Related Post: Astro-Notes on the 117th Congress.

So perhaps a very brief look at a few of the quirky Mr. Gohmert's natal planets would be of interest to one or two readers:

On August 18, 1953 the Sun was in the proud, vain, dramatic, 'natural leader' sign of Leo for the 24 hours (24--26) while the fluctuating Moon floated from 29Scor44 (12:00 am CST) to 12Sag28 (11:59 pm CST). So chances are good that Gohmert's natal Moon is in Jupiter-ruled Sagittarius with its 'idealistic thoughts guide action' quality (Ebertin) and this would make him a volatile double Fire personality, so certain of the rightness of his beliefs, rather than a steamy Fire-Water combo that can sterilize or scald.

Louie Gohmert's Solar Eclipse in Leo: For karmic Progress Avoid Egocentricity

His Prenatal Solar Eclipse in the 9 New South Saros Series manifested on August 9, 1953 @17Leo, is also his Syzygy Moon, and contains themes of 'bringing to the surface longterm worries about health or loved ones, or about issues that concern paperwork and/or communications; responsibilities with paperwork could come home to roost, and any news has a sense of fate or destiny attached' (paraphrasing Brady's Predictive Astrology #ad). Note that the last 9 New South Eclipse occurred on September 11, 2007 @18Virgo, the next will occur on September 21, 2025 @29Virgo, a critical 29th degree.

Now in his natal chart and psyche Rep. Gohmert 'enjoys' a few planetary pairs - conjunctions, that is - with the concentrated energies and potentials they suggest: Saturn-Neptune in Libra (21-23) indicates that he's a performer (as lawyers and politicians tend to be); Mercury-Mars in Leo (7-13) denotes strong political opinions with Leonine ego involvement; Venus-Uranus in Cancer (16-21) describes a strong insistence on retaining his freedom and independence, especially within relationships and alliances.

Last but not least by any means is Gohmert's power-craving Sun-Pluto conjunction in royal Leo (23-26) which provides him with intense, obsessive qualities that yours truly would call zealotry.

What would you call it, dear reader?

December 2020 Government Shutdown Timed by a Full Moon?

December 29, 2020 Full Moon in Cancer: Trump Fears Losing the Dream

by Jude Cowell

As you've undoubtedly heard, the quixotic Mr. Trump may cantankerously decide to gift the American people with a partial Christmas Government Shutdown 2020 laced with his unique brand of sour-puss politics over the omnibus Covid-relief-and-government-funding bill he'd hinted all along that he would sign.

Instead, he has balked. And has basically ruined Christmas in America by abusing his power.

Meanwhile, the House, to be called briefly back into session by Speaker Pelosi on Monday (12/28/20), will vote in an override attempt to bypass Trump's massive objection and if that effort is successful, the Senate could vote to override Mr. Whimsical's bulky recalcitrance on Tuesday (12/29/20), the day of a Full Moon @8Can53 (10:28 pm est; see horoscope in linked post, above). Now as you know, Full Moons signify a culmination stage of activities, perhaps a fulfillment of plans seeded at the previous New Moon (or before) and in this case, that would be the New Moon @23Sag08 - in other words, the difficult 4 South Solar Eclipse of December 14, 2020 (which hit Inauguration 2017's 8th house Saturn, karmic planet of authority and accountability). So we find that 4 South themes ('strong emotions over money and/or relationships; an urge to suddenly end relationships' - Brady) are intimately involved in Trump's balking posture which may be appreciated via the 4 South Eclipse conjuncting his natal Sun-NN opposing Moon-SN across the mutable, changeable Gemini-Sagittarius polarity where truth and ethics matter.

Add to this the fact that December 14, 2020 was the day of the Electoral College Vote which didn't go his way and so We The People are being made to suffer under a cluster of cosmic and earthly factors now burrowing under the vengeful skin of his royal Balkiness, with his natal Leo Mars always opposing US natal Moon in Aquarius.

Significantly, all the year-end financial fuss is rather closely timed by the December 29th Full Moon which, as the Cosmos would have it, shines its bright rays revealingly upon the natal Mercury of Donald Trump (@8Can51 - only a two-minute orb!). And where his natal Mercury goes, along must trail his fantasy-spinning, error-prone Mercury-Neptune square.

Now as you know, astrological Mercury's many roles in the realms of Commerce include trading, negotiating, and making deals, and who can forget that Mr. Trump is well known for considering himself an expert in the making of them. However, in our time of crisis, we find that Despite His Boasts, Trump Again Is No Deal-Maker as Congress Seeks Pandemic Relief Bill yet the "brooding lame duck" seems to pride himself on his late-comer status in the year-end legislative process as he throws his typical monkey wrench into the works from the sandtraps of his luxurious Florida golf course.

While US taxpayers once again foot the bill for Herr Spanky's Christmas vacation, no matter how bad-tempered it turns out to be.

For a peek into January 2021, you may wish to see 117th Congress Opens.

NASA image above: Mercury

117th Congress scheduled to open January 3, 2021

Speculative Astro-Notes Concerning the 117th Congress of 2021

by Jude Cowell

September 8, 2020: If all goes according to plan, the 117th Congress will open on January 3, 2021, and unless Election 2020 in November results in leadership changes, Mike Pence will continue as President of the Congress.

Now I won't write much about the speculative January 3, 2021 chart set for Capitol Hill Washington DC and "noon EST" (in lieu of an announced hour - even the date could change), but below are a few general observations concerning the day's planets, plus, here's a view of the horoscope of the 117th Congress' Prenatal Solar Eclipse ('PE') for which we do not need a correct opening hour in order to ascertain the opening's 'PE' for as long as the 117th Congress opens in January 2021, its 4 South PE remains the case with a 'fated' theme intact - plus, it's also the PE of Inauguration 2021:

117th Congress: January 3, 2021 noon est Capitol Hill shows 19Aries04 rising, the exaltation of the Sun degree. Naturally, the Sun (leadership) @13Cap32 conjuncts the noon Midheaven ('MC') while opposing US natal Sun (July 4, 1776) suggesting a period when government goals and objectives should be reassessed and, if necessary, a change of direction may be taken. This is due to the fact that annually, January 3rd (or 4th) is the Executive Branch's "un-birthday." So with Mars-ruled Aries rising, Mars is chart-ruler (@28Ari32 and rising in 1st house) and makes three applying Ptolemaic aspects in the chart: 1. square Saturn (@1AQ56 in career 10th house conjunct bold Altair the eagle) causing difficulties, delays, stalling, lack of preparation or planning, frustration, challenges to authority, and with a potential for anger; 2. square Jupiter (@3AQ24 in 10th house) suggesting overreach, exaggeration, risk-taking, empty gestures, and/or sloppiness with details; 3. conjunct Uranus Rx (@6Tau46 in 1st house) which indicates unusual or nontraditional actions and circumstances along with an explosive and/or shocking quality. First house denotes early expression of these restless energies with society's current anarchistic, protesting, even rioting activities also indicated--for discussion or possibly legislation in Congress, if not actual physical expression. Unexpected events may occur!

The Mars-Uranus Conjunction becomes exact on January 20, 2021 @6Tau44 and rises in the Inauguration 2021 Horoscope, as you know. And obviously whenever Mars and Uranus combine their highly charged energies, violent measures may be taken, risky or dangerous behavior can complicate issues and bring unfortunate consequences, and/or accidents may occur. For more dangerous indications, add to this the fact that the transiting Uranus-Pluto midpoint not only opposes their Great Conjunction degrees of 1965/66 (mid-Pisces) and stimulating street clashes, Civil Rights demands, and upheaval as before, but Uranus-Pluto also conjuncts the destructive January 3, 2021 Mars-Saturn midpoint (aka, the 'death axis'--Ebertin). "Not a pretty picture" hardly describes the mundane possibilities of this pile-up especially considering the vicious form of politics and vengeance being practiced.

So however the Inauguration 2021 ceremony goes, We The People can expect the unexpected with a desperate Uranian chaos-creator Trump involved and what for him will be a major test of nerves and strength.

Closely Related is the First Lunation of 2021 - a New Moon @23Cap13 of January 13th which falls in the middle of the 117th Congress' Mercury-Pluto Conjunction (22-25Cap), and as we know, is within the overly stimulated "Capricorn corridor", super-sensitized ever since January 12, 2020 when karmic Saturn and Pluto conjoined @22Cap46 - conjunct Trump's natal Vertex (22:51) of fated encounters. (Actually, January 3 2021 is almost a Mercury Return to the Saturn-Pluto Conjunction Horoscope's Mercury - exact January 4th at 4:07 am est with an exact Moon-Neptune opposition hinting at scandals, illusions, and a deceptive environment); meanwhile, Venu$ @23Cap48 activates the Capricorn New Moon linked, above! So apparently, new activities are being seeded and planned in the realms of Mercury-Pluto and finances, and at some point we'll be able to blame or credit the 117th Congress for the consequences.

Now several potentials are indicated for the combination of Mercury and Pluto such as 'political talk that offers abrupt changes to some functions; high security and intelligence activities; communications satellites; news of space exploration, orbital weapons, or toxic gases'.

Other possibilities include: 'secrets involving business or transportation systems; hidden activities; self-destructive impulses in business; and/or breakdowns in road networks (and one wonders: in cyber networks? hacks and leaks? grid or voting machine attacks?). 'Paranoia about secrets', plus, 'ruthless investigations' are also suggested (Munkasey) along with 'propaganda, persuasion, the power of suggestion, overzealousness, sly cunning, sharp criticism, a famous orator, plagiarism, demagoguery, fraudsters, and/or diplomacy (Ebertin). I'll add, malicious scheming, plus, the fact that Mercury is out-of-bounds ('OOBs') so there's no telling what he or she is up to - or what outrageous things may be said, reported, or what may be stolen. Then as always, running in the background is America's natal Mercury-Pluto opposition of total awareness, surveillance/spying, confidential information, mind control, censorship and publishing which affects all such matters in a challenging way. But all results must depend upon which political party comes out victorious in House, Senate, and White House, and that's a secret even the Universe is keeping close to her vest.

Update October 6, 2020: please note that the above post was published prior to Trump's recent hospital stay allegedly due to contracting coronavirus and his superspreader status making those around him ill. jc