Starcats
NEWSMAKERS

Tom Daschle & George Bush

Biwheel

Progressed Composite

Commentary

The progressed composite tells the tale of a Senate arguing over the margins of power while failing to govern. Bush parades as emperor. Because he must pay back the powers that bought him the presidency, he too fails to govern. The result is that the politicians play elitist games among themselves while the people, weary and distracted, languish without advocates.

The myth of government by the people for the people has long since died. The lone individual such as Paul Wellstone, who sought to tip the balance back in favor of the people, oftentimes are the ones who (mysteriously?) die young.

The midheaven of the progressed composite for Bush-Daschle is 5 Taurus, ruled by Venus in the 5th house of political campaigning conjoined to the transiting wounder, Chiron. Both are ruled by retrograde Saturn in vocal Gemini attesting to the dark (Saturn) painful wounds to the economy (Venus) and to the breach of trust vis a vis mature leadership (Saturn retrograde can display itself as thin-skinned and childish).

The progressed Composite's fixed grand square, significant of "Bush GOP and Daschle DEMs locked in a no-win struggle," is set off and highly pressurized by Election Day's Scorpio transits. The Scorpio Moon in fall squares the composite Saturn-Pluto conjunction in "empire" Leo. It is a battle to the death (Scorpio/Pluto) for who rules (Sun/Leo).

It is no secret that these two men are adversaries. Both represent two distinct archeytpes in modern politics and invites the questions: who has the power? who benefits? Why? That's political science 101. You don't need a degree from Harvard to know the answer.

Mercury at 27 Taurus, which is one degree past the Democratic Party's Mercury on the fixed star CAPUT ALGOL, is disturbing and in great trouble. Caput Algol, associated with the demise or downfall of heads of state and grave political losses, is reiterated at this midterm election. Remember that Al Gore's Venus is conjoined to CAPUT ALGOL as is Joe Lieberman's Uranus. CAPUT Mercury in the composite chart (and in the chart for the Democratic Party) squares (irreconcilable differences!) upsetting yet undeniably tyranical Uranus. We've also got a very wide square to Saturn-Pluto, the two toughest customers on the zodiac. This fretful aspect configuration shows that public dialogue between the Bush Camp and the Daschle Camp will remain brutal.

The USA's penchant for say-nothing negative campaign ads slandering the opponent is well illustrated by Mercury's opposition to composite Jupiter at 23 Scorpio (conjoined to Daschle's South Node). Again, political Jupiter (ruler of Daschle's Sagittarius planets and transiting Pluto) exaggerates partisan bullying as each side jockeys for power.¹

The Biwheel of Bush-Daschle's charts is just about as ugly. Daschle and Bush are about a year and a half apart, so they both have Pluto in Leo, but Daschle brings his natal Saturn into the mix clamping down on Bush's natal Venus -- no love lost with that aspect!

Daschle's Saturn is in opposition to T-Uranus in Bush's 7th house providing the dogging (Saturn) of Bush's every outrageous step (Uranus). Both planets form a grand imprisoning FIXED square incorporating Daschle's natal lunar Nodes. Daschle's natal Venus at 11 Capricorn opposes Bush's 12th house Sun. The Saturn-Moon rulers of Venus/Sun in opposition are in Cardinal Libra/Cancer (Bush) and Fixed Scorpio/Leo (Daschle).

Regardless of the sometimes mumbling about "We really like each other and are working hard to overcome our differences" bullshit, these two men don't like each other at all. What: a Scorpio Moon and a Libra Moon feel innately comfortable with each other? A Cancer Sun and a Sagittarius Sun can be patient with one another?

Do they share common values with Venus in Leo vs. Venus in Capricorn? The Sun/Saturn rulership of the two decidedly say NO. Saturn saps the will, vibrancy and energy of the Sun ruler of Venus in Leo. Venus in Capricorn is oftentimes shy, reticient, yet quietly ambitious. Leo is magnanimous, open and not well-disposed to patience for Capricornian discipline, denial, and rock-bottom earthiness.

They both like to fight: Mars in Virgo.

Can they speak civily to one another? Only with the greatest of effort.

Bush Mercury in Leo trine Daschle Mercury in Sagittarius. Well, Maybe.

Where are the planet rulers? Sun/Jupiter rule their "dialogue." Daschle's Jupiter is in Sagittarius conjoined to his Sun. He's the self-appointed keeper of the truth. Bush's Jupiter is in Libra in square to his Cancerian Sun. He's "right" because hidden behind the scenes (12th house Sun) he's got Daddy Bush and Karl Rove to beat up the other kids on the playground. Dashle and Bush's Sun's are quincunx -- it is too damned much for the two men to overcome. They are as different in orientation as a fish is to a bicycle.

This is THE recipe for gridlock. If you were counting on anything getting done for the people, "get over it."

NOTE: Bush's natal Mercury at 9 Leo is in opposition to T-Neptune. Bush's Mercury was in the degree of the T-Lunar nodes, and as of Election day, Neptune will be in nodal degree. LIES AND SCANDAL ANYONE?

Footnotes

¹ General influence of the star: It causes misfortune, violence, decapitation, hanging, electrocution and mob violence, and gives a dogged and violent nature that causes death to the native or others. It is the most evil star in the heavens. (Robson).

Algol is the "Head of Gorgon Medusa".

Influence of the constellation: It gives an intelligent, strong, bold and adventurous nature, but a tendency to lying. By the Kabalists it is associated with the Hebrew letter Lamed and the 12th Tarot Trump, The Hanged Man. (Robson).

The constellation is indicative of events effecting large numbers of people, especially those events caused by major meteorological phenomena. When prominent in a natal chart it is said to denote adventurous individuals, but also those who are less than honest in their dealings with others. (Noonan).

Factoid:
People with Algol influence: Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Van Gogh, Albert Einstein, Karl Abraham (psychoanalyst), Carl Jung, Ramakrishna (Indian saint), Muktananda (Indian mystic), Werner Erhard (guru "est"), Marshall Applewhite and Luc Jouret (cult leaders, led to mass suicides), Al Gore (the name is close), Billy Joel, Glen Campbell, Liberace, Princess Diana, Prince William, Princess Caroline of Monaco, Anita Bryant (against gays), Zola Budd (runner), Manly Palmer Hall (philosophical research), Aleister Crowley (Satanist, occultist), Erica Jong (author), Mary Jo Kopechne (drowned companion of Ted Kennedy), John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Dean Martin, Ryan O'Neil, Josef Stalin, Pat Schroeder, Carl Sagan, Cecil B. De Mille (film producer), Isadora Duncan, Mata Hari (Spy), George Bernard Shaw, Oscar Wilde, Michael Caine, Henry Fonda, Ruhollah Khomeini (Iranian leader), Stephen King (horror novels).

Source: Anne Wright's Fixed Stars