The Next President of the United States

 

By Frank Piechoski

 

[AUTHOR’S NOTE: This article was written in early Spring 2008 and originally published in the Summer 2008 edition of ISAR’s International Astrologer, volume 36, issue 1.]

 

Astrologers are presented with some real issues when trying to predict the outcome of the upcoming United States Presidential Election.  No reliable birth data for the probable Democratic nominees currently exists, so examining their charts would be essentially fruitless.  The Republican nominee’s data isn’t much better, with a Rodden Rating of “A” (from memory), sourced from his mother as “about 9 a.m.”

 

So where can we begin?  I believe the best we can do given the dearth of accurate candidate data is to work with the data we are sure of: Election Day and Inauguration Day.

 

First, let’s take a look at Election Day 2008 and try to find some similarities in past Election Day charts.  I’m using a noon chart for Washington DC just to get a feel for the planetary placements

 

 

 

There is a Void of Course Moon (modern definition1) in Capricorn (its Detriment) on November 4th, 2008 the date of the next U.S. presidential election. This VoC takes place from about 11 a.m. EST until 7:02 p.m. EST – when the Moon enters Aquarius.

 

Some things to consider:

 

- There wasn’t a single official specified day when all U.S. voters cast their votes for president until the election of 1848.

 

- Almost half of U.S. presidential elections feature the Moon changing signs on Election Day.

 

- Mercury also changes signs on Election Day 2008 from Libra to Scorpio.

 

- No other election since 1848 has a chart that closely resembles that of the upcoming election.

 

The only factor that seems to apply to other elections is the placement of Jupiter in Capricorn, its Fall – not considered a good placement.

 

All U.S. Presidential Elections with Jupiter in Capricorn:

 

1960 – John F. Kennedy defeats Richard M. Nixon in a close election. This administration included Bay of Pigs fiasco and the Cuban Missile crisis.  Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963, with the remainder of his term served by Lyndon B. Johnson.

 

1972 – Richard M Nixon defeats George McGovern in a landside victory to win a second term.  Resigned in disgrace on August 9, 1974 due to the Watergate scandal.  Gerald R. Ford served the remainder of his term.

 

1984 – Ronald Reagan defeats Walter Mondale in a landside victory to win a second term. This second Reagan administration included two major surgeries for Reagan in which the “acting president” clause of the 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was invoked for the first time, the controversial visit to a German military cemetery at Bitburg, and the Iran-Contra affair.

 

1996 – Bill Clinton defeats Bob Dole in a landside victory to win a second term. The Monica Lewinsky scandal breaks, impeached by House, acquitted by Senate.

 

What we see from the above Jupiter in Capricorn (in Fall, of course) Election Day results are: two incomplete terms, one term where the presidency temporarily passed to another person, and one presidency where Congress attempted to remove the sitting president.  All four presidencies have also had significant scandals associated with them.

 

Jupiter in Capricorn on Election Day opposes the July 4th 1776 Declaration of Independence chart’s Sun, Jupiter and Venus.  In my preferred DoI chart (4 July 1776, 12:15 p.m., Philadelphia, PA), these Jupiter positions are in the whole-sign 4th House and clustered around the IC, the “end of the matter.”  Each of these elections was the last election for the winner.

 

As far as Inauguration Day (20 January 2009, usually right around Noon EST), goes there is also a Void of Course Moon in Scorpio, its Fall. There is also a retrograde Mercury cazimi the Sun.

 

 

 

Angular Mercury is Peregrine (without Essential Dignity), but this status is mitigated by the mutual reception between Mercury and Saturn.  This mutual reception lies at the base of this chart – everything eventually disposes to it.  Therefore, we have a Mercury that not only sends us mixed signals as far as essential and accidental dignities are concerned, but is (along with Saturn) at the root of everything this chart is about.

 

Chart ruler Venus has dignity by Exaltation and Triplicity – her dispositor Jupiter’s Peregrine status is mitigated by a reception with Venus by Face. Jupiter’s dispositor Saturn is dignified by Term (Ptolemaic) and is in mutual reception by Mercury by Domicile.

 

Now remember, in every inauguration chart since the date was changed from March 4 to January 20th for FDR’s second term, the Sun will be in its Detriment, Aquarius.

 

Other than the Sun, the weakest planet by Essential Dignity is the Moon with no dignity at all, Peregrine and in Fall. What does the Moon signify in a mundane chart? The people. What is the Moon dispositor? Mars, well dignified by Exaltation and term in Capricorn – which immediately disposes to the Saturn/Mercury Mutual Reception. And what is Mars’ function? To cut or separate.

 

So, taking all that into account: What does this chart say to me? It says that on Inauguration Day, the people may be cut off from the real power.  They may not get what they think they voted for. 

 

Let’s take a look at some inaugurations that have traits in common with the 2009 inauguration chart.

 

Previous Inaugurations with Void of Course Moons:

 

1817 – James Monroe 1st Term: Panic of 1918, economic depression, Missouri Compromise.

 

1833 – Andrew Jackson, 2nd Term: Assassination attempt, Treaty of New Echota, Panic of 1937, Senate censured Jackson for removing U.S. funds from the Bank of the United States.

 

1841 (Tyler, April 6)– John Tyler only term – partial: Assumes office after W.H. Harrison’s death. Referred to as “acting president, ” expelled from his own Party during Presidency, entire Cabinet resigned (except Daniel Webster), two cabinet members killed in freak naval accident, sets up North/South party politics, Annexation of Texas, impeachment considered by House.

 

1845 – James K. Polk, only term. Mexican-American War, western expansion, exhausted, he died 103 days after leaving office.

 

1905 - Theodore Roosevelt, 2nd Term: Won Nobel Peace Prize, Panama Canal, first to travel outside United States during presidential term.

 

1921 – Warren G. Harding, only partial term: Died in office, corrupt administration, said "I am not fit for this office and never should have been here."

 

1945 – Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 4th Term: Died in office less than three months after inauguration, Yalta conference.

 

1961 – John F. Kennedy – See above

 

1973 – Richard Nixon, 2nd Term, partial: Resigns in disgrace due to Watergate scandal, withdrew U.S. troops from Vietnam, Yom Kippur War.

 

1974 – Gerald R. Ford, only partial term: Pardoned Nixon, rampant inflation, swine flu debacle, and two assassination attempts.

 

1997 – William J. Clinton, 2nd Term: Lewinsky scandal uncovered, impeachment, Elian Gonzalez affair, Operation Allied Force.

 

 

 In addition to the inaugurations listed above, there were also four instances where the Oath of Office was administered privately before the public ceremony. Three of these were due to the normal inauguration date falling on a Sunday so there would be no public ceremony: 1917, 1957 and 1985. One was due to Chester A. Arthur being sworn in privately shortly past midnight at his home in New York City after James A. Garfield's death, then being sworn in publicly in Washington two days later.

 

The only one of these that shows at Void of Course Moon at the probable Oath of Office time is 1917.

 

1917 - Woodrow Wilson's 2nd Term: Campaigned on "He kept us out of war" but joined the Allies in WWI one month after inauguration, won Nobel Peace Prize, fails to get Senate to ratify League of Nations, suffered serious stroke in October 1919, Presidency was run though his wife, true condition kept from the public, Cabinet, Congress, and even his Vice President. 

 

 

Inaugurations with Mercury Retrograde:

 

1809 – James Madison, 1st term:  War of 1812 (sometimes referred to as “the Second Revolutionary War”) and opposition to Bank of the United States – until Madison needed money for the war.

 

1829 – Andrew Jackson, 1st term:  National debt was reduced but this caused a depression, “Spoils System” got its name, and the Nullification Crisis arose when South Carolina attempted to nullify a Federal law.

 

1849 – Zachary Taylor, only term: Died just over a year into his term, mysterious causes.

 

1881 – James Garfield, only term: Shot four months into his term, died about two months later.

 

1901 - William McKinley, Jr., second term, partial: Assassinated six months into second term.

 

1921 - Warren G. Harding: See above

 

1937 – Franklin D. Roosevelt, second term: First January inauguration, tried to pack the Supreme Court in 1937 – failed, re-armament, little major legislation passed compared to first term.

 

1945 (Truman) – Harry S. Truman, first Term, partial: Succeeded after FDR’s death, authorized first use of atomic weapons, end of WWII, economic upheaval, Truman Doctrine, Marshall Plan, Berlin Airlift, almost loses re-election in 1948.

 

1989 – George H. W. Bush, only Term: Panama invasion, Desert Shield/Storm, Berlin Wall falls, Soviet Union breakup, NAFTA, reneges on “no new taxes” pledge, loses re-election.

 

Inaugurations with Venus sextile Mars by sign and an orb of less than 5 degrees:

 

1813 – James Madison, 2nd Term: War of 1812 ends, Era of Good Feeling, Madison accepted the necessity of a Hamiltonian national bank, an effective taxation system based on tariffs, a standing professional army and a strong navy.

 

1845 – James K. Polk: See above

 

1929 – Herbert Hoover, only Term: Great Depression, one of the largest tax increases in American history. The income tax on highest incomes rose from 25 percent to 63 percent. The estate tax was doubled and corporate taxes were raised by almost 15%. Unemployment rose to 24.9 percent by the end of Hoover's presidency in 1933.

 

 

Inaugurations with Mars in Capricorn:

 

1817 – James Monroe 1st Term: Panic of 1819, economic depression, Missouri Compromise.

 

1877 – Rutherford B. Hayes, only Term: Contested election - the only president whose election was decided by a congressional commission (Compromise of 1877). Great Railroad Strike – federal troops fired on striking workers, killing more than 70, Yellow Fever outbreak.

 

1945 – Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 4th Term:  See above

 

1977 – James Earl “Jimmy” Carter, Jr., only Term: Iran hostage crisis, Soviets invade Afghanistan, Energy Crisis, Camp David Accords, Panama Canal Treaties.

 

 

Aside from the upcoming 2009 Inauguration, There have been NO previous U.S. Presidential Inaugurations with Jupiter placed in Aquarius. 

 

 All Inaugurations with Saturn in Virgo:

 

1833 – Andrew Jackson, 2nd Term: See above

 

1861 – Abraham Lincoln, 1st Term: Nation divides, U.S. Civil War, Emancipation Proclamation.

 

1921 - Warren G. Harding, only partial term: See above

 

 

All U. S Presidential Inaugurations with the Moon Out-Of-Bounds by Declination (N for north and S for south declination)

 

1853 S – Franklin Pierce – See above

 

1857 N – James Buchanan - Dred Scott Decision, nation disintegrates with seven slave states seceding before the end of his term, leading to the American Civil War.

 

1861 S – Abraham Lincoln 1 – See above

 

1877 S - Rutherford B. Hayes  – See above

 

1929 S – Herbert Hoover – See above

 

1933 N – Franklin D. Roosevelt 1 – Great Depression, the New Deal, prohibition repealed.

 

1989 N – George H. W. Bush – See above

 

2005 N – George W. Bush, term 2 – “War on Terror” continues, Hurricane Katrina debacle, historic low popularity ratings. 

 

 

All U.S. Presidential Inaugurations with Fortune in 11th House (Regiomontanus):

 

1845 – James K. Polk – See above

 

1853 – Franklin Pierce – See above

 

1913 – Woodrow Wilson 1 – Federal Reserve Act, Federal Income Tax, Federal Trade Commission to stop unfair business practices, non-involvement in World War I during this term.

 

1921 – Warren G. Harding – See above

 

1929 – Herbert Hoover – See above

 

 

Putting it together.

 

For those who haven’t realized what I’ve been doing, I’ve basically been developing an astrosignature based on the 2009 Inauguration chart and seeing what inauguration charts from the past have most in common with the next one.

 

So, to recap, here are the chart factors considered:

 

Moon Void of Course (Modern definition)

Mercury Retrograde

Venus sextile Mars by sign and orb of less than 5 degrees

Mars in Capricorn

Saturn in Virgo

Moon Out-Of-Bounds in Declination

Fortune in 11th House

 

Why did I choose those factors and leave out others? Mostly astronomical factors having to do with the fact that U.S. Presidential Inaugurations took place mostly on March 2, 4 or 5 or January 20 or 21 and all around Noon. There were inaugurations that didn’t follow that of course, when a sitting president died or resigned - but the overwhelming majority of inaugurations are on those days. That means we can’t really look at the Sun’s sign position (and Venus and Mercury are also suspect) or depend on house positions much because of the Noon times.

 

So, we have seven factors that the 2009 Inauguration chart possesses. What other U. S. Presidential Inauguration charts are the most similar?

 

The 1921 inauguration of Warren G. Harding has four of the seven factors above.  Harding’s lacks OoB Moon, Venus sextile Mars, and Mars in Capricorn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the 1921 inauguration chart:

 

We can clearly see The VOC Moon and Retrograde Mercury in this chart, as well Saturn in Virgo and Fortune in the 11th house.

 

The VoC Moon is the chart ruler and placed in Detriment and Peregrine.  The Moon’s last aspect before going Void is a Square to Venus in Detriment.

 

Mercury is not only Retrograde, but in Detriment and Fall and Peregrine.  This is somewhat mitigated by a mutual reception with Jupiter by Domicile and Saturn by Face.  It is precisely conjunct the chart’s MC.

 

One may question why Fortune in the 11th is a factor I chose for this study.  Simply, it gives me a good indication of the Lunar Phase – in this case in its last quarter.  It’s also interesting to note that the ruler of Fortune in this chart is Venus, in Detriment and dignified only by Face – at its last gasp.  The Harding administration’s “Fortune” was with his rather dubious friends (11th House).

 

Harding is often ranked as one of the least successful U.S. presidents, despite his immense popularity while in office. Indeed, Harding himself is quoted as saying "I am not fit for this office and never should have been here."

 

One reason Harding might have been elected was his good looks – and that this was the first Presidential election that allowed women to vote.  He remained extremely popular throughout his presidency, even with all his problems.

 

He appointed his political allies to government positions. These appointees proceeded to use their positions for personal gain, the most prominent of these being the Teapot Dome Scandal.  Harding seemed unable to stop the scandals saying, “"I have no trouble with my enemies, but my damn friends, they're the ones that keep me walking the floor nights!"

 

While traveling in Alaska, he received a long message detailing illegal activities within his administration that he was previously unaware of.  On his way through British Columbia to Washington State, he became ill with what was thought to be food poisoning.  He gave a speech at the stadium at the University of Washington, his last speech.

 

His train then traveled south.  A speech was cancelled in Portland, Oregon and he arrived in San Francisco where he developed pneumonia.  He died of either a stroke or a heart attack on August 2, 1923 at 7:35 p.m.

 

 

 

 

If we look at Harding’s inauguration in relation to the first Inauguration of George Washington2 (which I count as an essential chart when looking at the U.S. government – especially presidential issues) there are some interesting configurations that come into play.

 

The Harding Inauguration VOC Moon (in Washington Inauguration’s whole-sign 6th House) opposes the Washington Inauguration’s Moon and Jupiter by sign as well as squaring that chart’s Mercury and Neptune.  The Harding Inauguration retrograde Mercury along with the Sun and Uranus in Pisces are placed in the whole-sign 8th House, and ruled by Jupiter with Saturn in the whole-sign 2nd House.

 

The above factors certainly begin to suggest the issues with money, other people’s money, illness and death.

 

This is also true of the 1921 Inauguration chart and my preferred chart for the Declaration of Independence3.

 

 

In this comparison, we can also see the money/deception/illness/death issues.  The DoI chart’s 2nd House Domicile ruler Mars from the 1921 chart is placed on the Descendant, opposing the DoI Saturn and Squares the DoI Sun and MC.  DoI’s 8th House Domicile Ruler Venus in the 1921 inauguration chart is in Detriment in DoI’s 7th House, with the South Node (which I refer to as “the drain”).

 

Enough of Warren G. Harding and his travails, let’s take a look at what the next Inauguration looks like

Compared to Washington’s Inauguration and the Declaration of Independence.

 

 

 

The 2009 Inauguration Void of Course Moon falls exactly on the Washington Inauguration’s North Node and squares the Ascendant/Descendant axis.  The 2009 retrograde Mercury exactly opposes the Washington Inauguration’s Uranus and squares that chart’s Venus, ruler of its 10th and 3rd house.  The 2008 inauguration Uranus conjoins the Washington Inauguration Saturn in the 8th House.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comparing the 2009 Inauguration chart to the Declaration of Independence chart presents us with some other factors to consider.  2009 Mars in Capricorn sits near the DoI IC and opposes by sign the DoI Venus, Jupiter, Sun and Mercury.  The 2009 VoC Moon sits in the DoI 2nd House, which Mars rules by Domicile.  Venus, the DoI chart ruler applies to conjoin Uranus in the 2009 chart and squares the DoI Mars and opposes the DoI Neptune.

 

 

 

I think these factors show a real shake-up in the economy – and in the way Americans look at themselves and how they interact with the rest of the world.

 

For one last look, I’d like to come full circle and look at the upcoming election chart and see how it fits with the Declaration of Independence chart.

 

The 2008 Election chart VoC Moon will oppose DoI Mercury and conjoin DoI Pluto at some point during Election Day.  The Moon does not enter Aquarius until around 7 p.m. EST – polls will still be open for a short time in most places in the Eastern Time Zone and of course for those in other time zones.

 

 

 

 

 

Mercury changes signs at 11:59 a.m. EST on Election Day, losing the dignity it had by Triplicity in Libra and becomes Peregrine in Scorpio.  We can expect some change in communications to occur around noon on that day.  Mercury will move from the 1st to the 2nd whole-sign house at that time also, so the discussion could abruptly change from personalities to money and values.  Other factors such as 2008 Election Day Jupiter on the DoI IC, 2008 Election Day Neptune conjunct DoI Moon, 2008 Election Day Mars square DoI Moon, and 2008 Election Day Uranus square DoI Mars will no doubt play their parts. 

 

Conclusion

 

Based on the research I’ve presented above, I’m led to make the following predictions about our next president:

 

  1. That it is very likely the next U.S. President will serve only one term, and it is quite possible that it will only be a partial term.
  2. While that president might be wildly popular, it will be a rather difficult term.
  3. What the American people thought they voted for and what they actually voted for could be quite different.
  4. The next administration may talk a very good game – but the results will likely be much less than desired by most.
  5. I think there will be some very basic changes to the way the U.S. economy works – in ways that might not be apparent for many years.
  6. The way the USA views itself and the way others view the USA could undergo fundamental changes.
  7. The next president may become “The October Horse4.”

 

 

 

Footnotes

 

  1. Void of Course Moon – the modern definition of the Void of Course Moon I’m using is simply that the Moon completes no Ptolemaic aspects to the Sun or planets before it leaves its current sign.
  2. George Washington First Inauguration: April 30, 1789, New York, NY between 12:40 and 12:45 p.m. LMT. Time usually used: Source: Campion, "Book of World Horoscopes," #378.
  3. From www.archives.gov, the U.S. National Archives site:  “On July 1, 1776, Congress reconvened. The following day, the Lee Resolution for independence was adopted by 12 of the 13 colonies, New York not voting. Immediately afterward, the Congress began to consider the Declaration. Adams and Franklin had made only a few changes before the committee submitted the document. The discussion in Congress resulted in some alterations and deletions, but the basic document remained Jefferson's. The process of revision continued through all of July 3 and into the late morning of July 4. Then, at last, church bells rang out over Philadelphia; the Declaration had been officially adopted.”  This would suggest a time close to Noon for the official adoption of the DoI.  I have used similar chart to this for many years, and use the 12:15 p.m. as a possibly elected chart.
  4. In ancient Rome, on the Ides of October a chariot race was run, with the outer horse of the winning pair (the October Horse) sacrificed with the head and tail removed and used for ritual purposes.

 

 

© 2008 by Frank Piechoski, all rights reserved.

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