Astrology of the Voting Rights Act of 1965

On August 6, 1965 the Voting Rights Act, signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson ('LBJ'), came into effect so considering all the recent and current turmoil surrounding the suppression of voting rights in the US through Republican efforts to hobble voting rights as much as possible, a look at the 12:00 am horoscope of August 6, 1965 with a few current transits could be descriptive of forces that oppose the Act's provisions. Plus as you know, on June 25, 2013, SCOTUS delivered a 5-to-4 decision 'gutting' key provisions in the Act via Shelby County vs Holder. (That's Alabama, of course.) Yet 2013 was a Jupiter Return year for the Act! Perhaps this timed a change of beliefs, I suppose, at least for Chief Justice John Roberts and his fellow 'color blind' justices who decided the wrong way as if racism in the US was a thing of the past. Absurd!

Now you'll note among various contacts in the chart below, that the Act ('VRA') is in process as I type of a Nodal Return (cooperation; meetings), the May 26, 2021 Lunar Eclipse @5Sag25 eclipses the Voting Right Act's Moon (5Sag43 at 12:00 am edt so basically an eclipsed Lunar Return), the 5 North Solar Eclipse of June 10, 2021 falls snugly between 1965 and 2021 North Node in Gemini (NN conjunct Midas), and note that 1965 Jupiter @23Gem25 conjuncted US natal Mars, suggesting a fortunate period for taking action. Then as you know, 5 North themes = 'prophetic dreams and visions from the unconscious' (Brady) and 'wild card' eclipses usually offer society a major change of direction, plus, perhaps some interesting (or inconvenient) information may come to light. We shall see!

As usual, many factors are penned upon the chart which I hope you can read if you wish!

Now to me, multiple transits stand out which relate to the loss, erosion, weakening, or disintegration of the VRA's power, structure, and/or traditions to which I would include provisions in the law itself particularly since we know this has already occurred and may continue. You may spy more, but the earliest planetary contact I see in recent years (into 2023) is #3 of 3 hits by transit Neptune opposing 1965 Uranus (#3 exact February 18, 2018).

Then there are: transit Neptune opposing 1965 Pluto #3 of 3 (exact February 1, 2019), transit Neptune conjunct 1965 Saturn #5 of 5 (December 16, 2019), and soon transit Uranus in Taurus will oppose 1965 Neptune in Scorpio 3 times on: June 19, 2022, November 1, 2022, and April 9, 2023.

That's a lot of undermining energy with karmic implications, isn't it? And as you see, most of these influences have been 'under' the Republican administration of the 'former guy' but hopefully, the 'current guy' ("J'Biden") will manage to protect voting rights in America despite any ongoing attempts by the GOP to further skew the playing field in the 2022 Midterms and beyond for most folks agree that Republican policies, if revealed, can never win an election.

For a peek at the natal horoscope of LBJ go here where you can see that 1965 Midas @24Tau54 sits upon LBJ's natal Midheaven (conjunct passionate, enraged Algol!), assuming that President Johnson's birth data is accurate. Well, he did have a temper, or so I've always heard.

Finally, as always, leave your on-topic comments with this post if you dare, and please note that Google has updated Blogspot to the point that SO'W no longer shows up in Searches as before so your Shares of my posts are even more appreciated than before! Jude

DC Horoscope JFK Inauguration 1961: a Look Back

If you're curious, check out this Historic Footage: JFK Inauguration 1961 (7m23s). And below is the 1961 Inauguration Horoscope with John F. Kennedy's natal chart outside it (contacts between the planets are circled--1917 vs 1961). As usual, my messy notes are scribbled upon the charts and there are five primary contacts of note from the Inauguration 1961 chart to his natal planets--two are notable since they involve powerful Pluto but JFK's natal Saturn and Uranus are also activated by transit, plus, other transits and progressions occur as well, both positive and negative but these five are the ones that 'pop out' at me in this inaugural horoscope although you'll spy others, I'm certain, especially if you look at *future transits to the 1961 Inauguration Horoscope:

1. 1961 Pluto square natal Sun denotes potentials for a need to overcome those with more power and influence; loss-of-power issues; threats received; integrity challenged; benefits are gained but with much frustration and possible setbacks; determination is tested; achievement of ambitions may be delayed or transformed; willpower may be paralyzed temporarily.

2. 1961 Mars Rx conjunct natal Pluto indicates a period when karma comes into play as energies are intense, purposeful, and require patience and direct channeling for best results; male relationships are prominent and one male in particular (brother Bobbie, one assumes--see Mercury @10AQ03 in 10th house with the presidential Sun) may be a guiding or a driving force; negative conditions can involve provocation, blow-ups, jealousy, and/or revenge, plus, investing assets and deep research are on the menu.

3. 1961 Uranus Rx in Leo opposes natal Uranus at station in Aquarius three times from September 1960 through July 1961--this is the "mid-life crisis" transit of disruption when one may behave uncharacteristically and generational clashes occur with 'no meeting of the minds'; however, well-handled changes are beneficial and are not too disruptive, with moving forward the objective;

4. 1961 Saturn @21Cap54 opposes natal Saturn three times from March 1961 through December 1961 indicating a harvesting time when rewards may be reaped if hard work has been done in the past and responsibilities have been met; past mistakes, if any, need correcting, and legalities may temporarily get in the way of progress.

5. 1961 Venus square natal Venus suggests potentials for imperfect timing; wrong or unpleasant settings or environments; something amiss but not entirely useless; values are blocked in some way or are not quite appropriate; or, things don't work out as they should but they'll 'have to do'.

Note that both the Prenatal Solar Eclipse Saros Series ('PE') for 1961 and for JFK's birth and their themes are listed on the chart, lower left (1961) and lower right (1917). And if you're looking for any hints of the tragedy to come, may I suggest the usual suspects--Mars (to natal Pluto), Saturn (conjunct 1961 IC of Endings), Uranus (oppo natal Uranus, a time of instability and perhaps unusual characters in the environment--plus, 1961 Uranus is apex in a YOD crisis pattern suggesting Jack Kennedy's 'special task' of moving our nation toward a new direction which quite a few folks took great exception to); then there's hidden hand Pluto blocking his natal Sun (goals) while Venus, possibly scorned, adds her hints of jealousy and revenge.

In addition, we must include masking, deceptive, shady Neptune--both 1961 Neptune in intense Scorpio (angular and conjunct natal Eros, the piercing) and JFK's 1917 Neptune in Leo opposing his PE in the 9 New North Series.

*Two transits I'll mention here between the 1961 Inauguration Horoscope and the JFK Assassination Horoscope of November 22, 1963: in progress was a Nodal Half-Return across the Cancer-Capricorn security axis (see my scribble in the center of the bi-wheel concerning Sun-Saturn = MC) suggesting broken relationships, and transit Uranus which had met and crossed the 1961 Pluto-North-Node conjunction (the "tiger by the tail" duo) and thereby formed a midpoint picture of: "big upsets within the community; and, emotional suffering through separation" (Ebertin). Yes. That.

A Closely Related Post: Horoscope: LBJ Sworn In November 22, 1963.

Horoscope: The Vietnam War August 4, 1964

September 17, 2017: In a 10-part, 18-hour documentary, the Vietnam War receives the Ken Burns and Lynn Novick treatment beginning tonight on PBS. Below is the horoscope for the start of the Vietnam War set for the alleged assault (pretext) of the second Gulf of Tonkin incident. The resolution giving President Johnson authority for use of force was voted on in Congress and passed the House by a vote of 416 - 0 and the Senate 88 - 2.

The two senators who voted against the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution were Wayne Morse and Alaska's Ernest Groenig. "When the resolution passed, Morse declared that Congress had surrendered its authority, and therefore the authority of the people it was elected to serve. Morse also deplored the open-ended nature of the approval and condemned Congress for giving the President and the military a “blank check” which would be cashed with taxpayer’s money and citizens’ lives."

And as my generation has known for decades, Senator Morse was all too correct, wasn't he? For more info, see The Wayne Morse Center. And here's another source of information on the Vietnam War.

So here is the Vietnam War horoscope set for August 4, 1964 at 21:30 -7:00 (9:30 pm USZ6 -7:00) at Vinh, Vietnam, the naval base from which the alleged assault on a US ship was launched. Please enlarge to read chart notes which include an unaspected Jupiter (Jupiter The General, large amounts of money, financiers, politicians, etc). The Great Benefic's unaspected condition denotes those who are disconnected from moral or religious standards, live an 'Ivory tower' existence, but are zealous toward the matters of Jupiter's house--here, the 2nd house of Money and, in the US, our National Treasury, from which the funds for weapons and war issued, thanks to US taxpayers (see Senator Morse's statement, above).

When North Vietnamese troops entered Saigon, capital of South Vietnam, on April 30, 1975, the Vietnam War came to an end. On that date, Venus @19Gemini27 was unaspected, a 'wallflower' condition for the usually sociable Venus. This condition of Venus suggests unusual perspectives, sporadic or unrestrained expressions, and an obsessive single-mindedness. Another April 30, 1975 cosmic condition of interest is karmic Saturn @13Can54 conjunct US natal Sun (POTUS = Nixon). This repressive transit indicates a time of disappointment, discouragement, and resentment toward limitations, rules, and regulations. It marks a period when past mistakes must be corrected so that moving forward is possible, aka, making karmic progress.

Tragically, through subsequent wars and their flimsy pretexts, Congress' continued negligence of its war-declaration duties and shady money management, Pentagon and CIA shadow activities, fear-mongering propaganda against We The People, and Washington's obvious plundering and global conquest obsessions, we see that 'the powers that think they be' (Max Igan's phrase) continue their Ivory Tower existences while perverting the course of our nation as 'global cop' and lining their pockets via several means including the racket that is war.

War Profiteering

Besides the Vietnam War's Jupiter in a Money house (and fraudulent Neptune in the 8th house of Corporations and Big Business), note that the IC (Foundation, Basis, the HOW? point, The Drain) of the war chart reveals, as you see, America's natal Jupiter @6Cancer: "Game Birds Feathering Their Nests" (Jones).

2 New North: Collapse of 'The Tower'

One more prominent chart factor to note is the Prenatal Solar Eclipse (PE) series under which this particular hell of war was unleashed, the 2 New North, which manifested @17Cancer27 (4th house) on July 9, 1964. Themes of 2 New North, also called 'The Tower' (see Tarot card #16) are: changes of direction, sudden collapse of plans, lifestyles, and/or an existing structure; confusion reigns but after the dust settles, reshaping and rebuilding have far-reaching effects (Predictive Astrology, B.Brady).

Also note that unaspected Jupiter is apex planet of a midpoint picture--the karmic Sun-Saturn pair = Jupiter: break-up of a value system (Tyl), plus, Jupiter @23Tau28 conjoins the difficult cluster in Perseus, Capulus ('the sword hand of Perseus'- Devore), star of intense male energy, blindness, turbulence, ruthlessness, penetrating action (Brady's Fixed Stars). Capulus is partner to the intense feminine star, Algol.

The last occurrence of 2 New North was @8Leo on July 31, 2000 (not quite 9/11's PE, but obviously still of influence). The next occurrence is @19Leo on August 11, 2018; 19Leo is a sensitized degree from the King of Alarm Solar Eclipse of August 11, 1999, aka, the 'Nostradamus Eclipse' with its mid-degreed Fixed Grand Cross as described in the Scriptures' Book of Revelation. And on 9/11/01, transiting Venus activated the 19Leo degree and thus 1999's King of Alarm Eclipse.

3 Related Natal Horoscopes:

Lyndon B. Johnson; Richard M. Nixon; Ken Burns.

Vietnam War horoscope/data: The Book of World Horoscopes, N. Campion; chart #429.

Medicare-Medicaid's Mercury 'eclipsed' in August 2017

Republicans Again Target Medicare-Medicaid as the Heavens Blink

by Jude Cowell

The LBJ Library website has details on the signing of the 1965 Medicare Amendment to the Social Security Act on July 30, 1965 in Independence, Missouri at the Truman Library. The Amendment also established Medicaid and in January 1966, President Johnson returned to the Truman Library and presented Harry and Bess Truman with the very first Medicare cards. The website includes black and white footage of the events (audio may be partial).

An Astro-Focus on Medicare-Medicaid's Mercury @29Leo (noon chart)

Chart, below: July 30, 1965 'noon' CST Independence, Missouri; Hour of Mars; Bucket handle = Saturn Rx in compassionate Pisces; Mercury strains (29 degr) to join the Virgo line-up of Venus, Moon (1Vir56--16:47), Uranus, and Pluto; Mercury @29Leo conjoins royal Regulus. LBJ's natal Virgo planets are: Mars (2:03), Sun (3:47), Moon (9:51--his Lunar Return that day perfected at 12:43:59 pm CST) and Mercury (10:25)--all snugged around his natal Ascendant @5Vir41 according to my Solar Fire v9 software, rated A from his mother's memory.

However, the Rodden Rating of LBJ's natal data is C (accuracy in question) and gives him an Ascendant of 26Leo57, the position of Trump's natal Mars rising and basically the same ASC-DESC (Leo-AQ) and MC-IC (Tau-Sco) as Donald Trump (with LBJ's natal Moon @9Vir52). Obviously, with Leo ascending LBJ's natal chart would be ruled by the Sun in Virgo rather than Mercury in Virgo as my Solar Fire v9 software gives. But however we look at him, that's a bunch of Virgo and July 30, 1965 also shows a bunch of Virgo with the first of three Great Conjunction/s of Uranus and Pluto perfecting on October 9, 1965 @17Vir10 (2. April 4, 1966 @16Vir28; 3. June 30, 1966 @16Vir06).

An operative 'societal' midpoint picture of the day denotes the planet of signings, amendments, bills, speeches, agreements, trading, negotiations and such, Mercury @29Leo58, as apex of the Neptune-North Node midpoint which tends toward quite negative qualities such as: a lack of communal spirit, antisocial behavior and/or exploitation (Ebertin). This would likely be financial and political exploitation, one must assume, since Washington DC and Wall Street thrive on exploitative practices.

Then with 1965 Mercury as apex planet of the Neptune-NN midpoint there were potentials for any, all, or none of: false expectations, unreliability, being let down by occurrences, secret arrangements made with others and/or deceit (Ebertin/Tyl) as President Johnson added to the benefits that FDR's New Deal programs had provided. Now in 2017, Lyndon Johnson's Great Society is again under siege by opponents of the conservative persuasion. Yet many Americans would prefer that Mr. Trump's 'Make America Great Again' slogan and actions uphold LBJ's Great Society programs rather than undermine them against the wishes of the majority.

August 2017: a 'Cosmic Blink' from a Solar Eclipse

Medicare-Medicaid's Mercury @29Leo will be 'eclipsed' by The Great American Eclipse of August 21, 2017 in the 1 North Saros Series, the 'King of Alarm' series now repeating for the first time since its Book of Revelation Fixed Grand Cross manifestation of August 11, 1999 @18Leo. You know the one, The Mother of All Eclipses (One North) which begins a new 18.6-year cycle which will end with the 19 North and 19 South eclipses of 2034 and 2035 (Virgo-Pisces).

Besides, Medicare-Medicaid's Mercury and as previously noted, the August 2017 Total eclipse @29Leo, conjoins the natal Ascendant of Donald Trump and affects his rising Mars as well while activating royal star Regulus @00Virgo, the Zodiacal sign of health and dedicated work (see chart, upper right). Quite a cosmic blink! The primary theme of Regulus has been discussed in previous posts and remains: success if revenge is avoided. All four royal stars contain cautions to be avoided or their gifts will be taken away. One example is the adage pride comes before the fall and the sort of delusion America has suffered from since World War II's victory and the much-touted belief that Washington DC can force the world into America's image.

Plus, as you know, Paul Ryan (R-WI) has dreamed of "slashing Medicaid" since his "kegger days". Best to be cautious about taking revenge, Mr. Speaker, for the law of karma will have you reaping what you sow. And being drunk is no excuse!

So here's a related video of a 2015 interview segment from the Thom Hartmann Program asking Why Do Republicans Want to Destroy Medicare?, an ideological and a financial goal which they often attempt to hide via echo chamber assertions of "saving" our social safety net programs. Because they think the American public is that stupid.

Check the above horoscope, lower right, for a bit about the Mars-Saturn inconjunct (quincunx, 150 degr) for it denotes a public welfare program (although Republicans and their wealthy donors are not their brother's keepers, y'know) but this may also be exploited and/or used as leverage in political and financial negotiations. Wealthy corporatist, banker and politician Jupiter @22Gem12 is in Corporate 8th house of Insurance, Credit and Debt and in 1965 conjoins US natal Mars...and also happens to conjoin Mr. Trump's radical 10th house Gemini trio of Uranus-NN-Sun (17--23 Gemini).

August 21, 2017 Independence, Missouri 1:30:07 pm CDT; 1965 Neptune @17Sco13 Rising

When we relocate The Great American Eclipse of August 21, 2017 to Independence, Missouri we find Medicare-Medicaid's earliest Moon position (1Vir56) at Midheaven (MC; 1Vir21), the Goal Point of the chart, and with 1965 Mercury (and the Total eclipse) there along with LBJ's natal Sun and Mars (2--4 Virgo). An additional factor in play now is the zealotry, one-sided views, and conflicts of the waxing Jupiter-Uranus opposition which times and reveals the ideological divide concerning America's social safety net programs established during FDR's and LBJ's presidencies as Jupiterian expansion and Uranian disruption tussle for control of the money via massive tax breaks for the wealthy if the Republicans and their donors have their way.

So as you see, there are many more worthwhile chart factors we could discuss but for the sake of brevity, let's not. Besides, I trust you to check them out if and as you're so inclined and share this or any SO'W posts if you will. Better yet, join the fight and do your part to save Medicare and Medicaid, programs that working and middle class Americans have come to rely upon!

For as a certain anti-LBJ 1964 presidential candidate reminds us:

"A government that is big enough to give you all you want is big enough to take it all away." Barry Goldwater.

Was and is that a threat or a promise?

Sept 2015: Cosmic Events and Pope Francis to Washington DC

Amidst 3 Cosmic Events of September 2015 a Pope Comes to Call on America

by Jude Cowell

As three major cosmic events dot our September 2015 calendar, an illustrious visitor bestows a golden papal glow to the proceedings scribbled on Washington's earthly schedule.

1. First is the September 13th Solar Eclipse @20Virgo which falls within orb (1'13") of the natal Neptune of Pope Francis (December 17, 1936.) As you know, Neptune is the planet of the Divine Source on a positive level, the masses, mass media, the glamour of the silver screen, things that spread (like propaganda and ideas), and many other negative Neptunian possibilities. As you may know, Pope Francis was born during a Saturn-Neptune opposition phase so adding its usual 'wild card' status which all eclipses are capable of, the September 13th Solar Eclipse contains somewhat negative themes (click or tap to read) which may catalyze or activate his natal Saturn-Neptune opposition. Perhaps this will be expressed by his topics such as how we treat the weak, poor, elderly, and ill (Saturn-Neptune) among us.

2. Next on the calendar is September 23rd's Autumn Equinox 2015 (chart shown set for DC) which involves quite a mix of portents to go around and with the Sun reaching a Cardinal Point of World Manifestation, Prominence, and Fame (00Libra), we may easily guess that one expression of this is the Roman Pope's visit to Washington DC with Sun representing leadership. In his natal chart, the Pope has a Sun-North Node conjunction in late Sagittarius. During his speech to Congress, the transiting Sun and North Node @1Libra will conjoin in a very shiny and public encounter--upon America's natal MC! (July 4, 1776 5:09 pm LMT Philadelphia, PA.) The 'god-related' solar significance of Sun-NN at MC should be noted and some form of spiritual inspiration may be experienced.

3. Finally, this stellar month nears its end with a prominent Lunar Eclipse on September 27th @4Ari40 and is thought to have esoteric or even prophetic vibes attached (tap or click to view the horoscope with details.)

Well, it's quite a full month As Above and Below--and that's not counting the dire financial and other predictions being made about September 2015 especially after the steep decline of the stock market on Friday. Is is time once again for The Fed and Wall Street gentry to work their economy-crashing voo doo?

Be that as it may, here's a view with of the natal horoscope and a brief bio of Pope Francis I if you're curious or haven't seen it with his Sun in Sagittarius, sign of The Seeker and the foreign traveler, and Moon in humanitarian Aquarius, sign of The Water Bearer, a socially concerned blend with high ideals and a tolerant temperament. If he's managed to genuinely retain such kind-hearted traits and sentiments may not go over very well with Republican congress members of the Ayn Rand persuasion. Before the Pope speaks, maybe right-wingers will suddenly remember they have other engagements to fly off to!

But really, they can't since Speaker John Boehner wrote to Pope Francis last March inviting him to address a Joint Session of Congress and as a result the Pope is to speak on September 24, 2015 at 9:15 am edt--one day after Autumn Equinox and one day prior to Pluto's Direct turn.

In fact, in the horoscope of the Pope's September 24th address, Pluto is stationing @12Cap58 ('13Cap' = "A Fire Worshiper".) Notably in Mundane Astrology, as a single planet, Pluto can play the role of 'Pope' and I won't tell you how I know, but there will be some play acting afoot. I believe topics in the news may relate to issues around the time of the Solar Eclipse @00Gemini (conjunct starry Alcyone of the turbulent Pleiades constellation--themes: mystical but judgmental; something to cry about) which manifested on May 20, 2012 in the 14 South Saros Series. 14S themes include: 'an obsessive idea is finally accepted; a long awaited breakthrough; success' due to its Mercury-Pluto content. Curiously, September 24th's stationary Pluto conjoins the Pope's natal Mercury, planet of speeches and the delivery of messages.

Possibly Related Reading: LBJ's War on Poverty: 1964 v 2014 Planets and of course, there's this from 2010: Washington DC a 'New Rome'? Altair the Eagle Says Yes!.

.