And now, the news.

Good grief. What a week — and it’s not even Wednesday. (UPDATE: It is now Wednesday). But we knew it would be dynamic, and there was a high probability of toxic releases, especially with respect to relationships, right?

Many thanks to Avid Reader Niamh who emailed me after Monday’s forecast shipped and asked:

Could you please shed some dappled light and shadow on Eris and the North Nodes?

Yes!! We must shed light on Eris, who’s been making her presence known in recent years. You may remember that Eris symbolizes those who stop at nothing to secure a place at the table, having previously been dissed. In mythology Eris is the goddess of discord — perhaps a feminine counterpart to Mars.  The energy Eris symbolizes has the potential to “burn the place down.” Right now, Eris is at 24 — almost 25 — degrees of Aries, which means that the North Node will be conjunct Eris this week, as Mars meets up with the (toxic release) South Node in Libra.

Let the record show that Eris is currently square to Mercury in the US Sibley chart, which is most commonly used by astrologers to track developments in the life of these United States. Thus, our national mindset may have a certain “damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead” quality right now, no matter who is doing the thinking and talking. The fact that Mars and the Nodes are also engaged with Eris (and the US Mercury) suggests taking action. Ya think?

Remember also that Pluto is now sitting right on the US Pluto, as Pluto slows to a virtual standstill and turns direct on October 10th. Mars will square Pluto (where it is now) and the US Pluto on October 8th. Thus, it is this weekend and into early next week that we see potential for a really big power play in the US. If those patterns had been scheduled to happen around September 30th, I would have been concerned about a high probability that a bill to keep the US government funded would not pass. As it turned out, a funding bill was passed (as Heather Cox Richardson explains), and — true to the spirit of last Friday’s square between Venus and Uranus (unconventional alliances; disruptions to the status quo in matters of money, worth, values), along with Mercury trine Uranus on Saturday (an innovative mindset) — a bill was passed. However, it’s only for 45 days (!), and no money was allocated to support Ukraine’s effort to kick Putin’s fascist invaders out of their homeland.

Before we continue with this week’s news dump, let’s look at a few items from last week.

Given the impending threat of a government shutdown, you’d think the top priority for the House majority would be to address that threat. But no, the top priority last week was a hearing for a potential impeachment of President Biden, in which three witnesses testified that they had absolutely zero first-hand knowledge of anything that merited the impeachment of the current Commander-in-Chief. If you follow certain journalists on the platform formerly known as Twitter, you were treated to stellar presentations from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Maxwell Frost, and especially, Rep. Jasmine Crockett, who delivered what one pundit called “the greatest advocacy moment in the modern Congress that I have ever seen.”  

Born in St. Louis on March 29, 1981, Ms. Crockett is an Aries, with the Sun conjunct Venus and Mars, opposing Jupiter-Saturn in Libra. All of those planets were illuminated by last week’s Full Moon in Aries, and they will be further activated by an upcoming eclipse next spring. Her Moon is in Capricorn; as you can see from the video, she’s as no-nonsense as they get.

While House Republicans were moving chairs around the deck of their sinking Party’s battleship (the breakdown is strongly suggested by transiting Pluto at the bottom of its horoscope), President Biden joined a picket line to support striking UAW workers, whilst the former guy visited a non-union shop and hobnobbed with fake union members.

The former guy is making big news in recent weeks, as we’d expect with the September New Moon at 22 Virgo squaring his Gemini Sun-Sagittarius Moon opposition. 22 Virgo was emphasized again a few days ago when Mercury returned to the place it was when it turned retrograde at the end of August — 22 Virgo. Not only that, but since September 23rd, Mars has traveled from 17 Libra to 25 Libra, making hard contacts with three planets in his horoscope: Jupiter, Saturn, and Venus. The hit to Venus — as years of experience has demonstrated — typically coincides with significant attacks on his professional status, often in written form.

Oh — wait — there’s more. Last week’s Full Moon fell on his Neptune-Eris opposition. No wonder his grievances have been more extreme than usual, charging  — for example — that General Mark Milley (who just retired as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff) is a traitor who (he implied) deserved death — because during the P45 administration, Milley reminded the armed forces that their allegiance was to the Constitution, not any would-be king, queen, or dictator. Thus the former guy — like Jasmine Crockett — is another one to watch in the aftermath of the March 2024 lunar eclipse.

But about that Full Moon illuminating the former guy’s Neptune last week…Neptune refers to scandal and fraud, as you know. Thus it was apt for the former guy to be officially declared a fraud by the judge in the State of New York’s civil suit against the Trump Organization, which was accused of lying about the value of its properties so as to secure certain financing. The judge found that the accusations were valid, and ordered the Organization’s businesses in New York to be…wait for this Neptune word…dissolved. And, true to Neptune, it’s still not clear what that order will actually mean.

It is no surprise that what we know of New York Attorney General Letitia James’s horoscope is hot hot hot this week. Born October 18, 1954 in Brooklyn, James has a Sun-Neptune conjunction at 24-25 Libra, conjunct Spica, a most fortunate Fixed Star. So this week’s Mars-Eris-Node drama is personal for her. Not only that, but the Sun-Neptune conjunction is the apex (that’s the technical term; you can also say it is the midpoint) of a t-square to Mars in Capricorn opposing Jupiter-Uranus in Cancer, and possibly her Cancer Moon (if only we had a birth time!). Point is, those planets at the end of Cancer and Capricorn are being supercharged by transiting Pluto for the next few months. If we had a birth time, we could pinpoint another firebrand pattern — of Mars to her natal Eris — imagine that. 

Also last week…

Senator Dianne Feinstein passed away at age 90. The California trailblazer has the Sun at 0 Cancer, like Elizabeth Warren and Meryl Streep. Her Ascendant is Aries. Her Moon is at 22 Gemini, squared by Mars at 22 Virgo, so you can see how her horoscope was also activated by the September New Moon in Virgo, and Mercury’s exit from its shadow period. For those familiar with the US horoscope, you’ll immediately note that Feinstein’s Moon-Mars square falls on the US Mars-Neptune square. Many politicians have planets in their horoscope that connect in this way to the horoscope of the United States. Astrology is amazing.

California’s governor, Gavin Newsom (ASC 21 Virgo; MC 20 Gemini opposing Mars), wasted no time in appointing Feinstein’s replacement, who is an apt reflection of last weekend’s patterns among Uranus, Venus and Mercury. In what we can see of her horoscope, Laphonza Butler may be a material comfort and security-building Taurus, but she’s also a maverick, given that her Taurus Sun is opposed by rebel Uranus. It’s interesting to note that transiting Uranus will be conjunct her Sun twice next year, as transiting Pluto empowers a square between Mercury and Jupiter. This suggests persuasive communication and access to resources in the extreme. Butler is now the only Black woman in the Senate, and she is California’s first openly gay person to represent the state in that chamber…even if she lives in Maryland. Butler leads Emily’s List.

Guess who else has planets connected to the US Mars-Neptune square? Cassidy Hutchinson, who revealed her birth date in her recently-published memoir. She says she was born on December 12, 1996 in Pennington, NJ. Thanks to Avid Reader Leslie for making sure I didn’t miss that — and for digging up an analysis I’d forgotten I’d written last year, when another astrologer “discovered” that Hutchinson was born on March 4. Nope. December 12, so Hutchinson says…though until we see a birth certificate, it’s not A-rated data. Seriously. But what’s interesting is that there are similar patterns in the December chart that made the March chart convincing.

Specifically, in the March chart, we see an exact Sun-Mars conjunction in Pisces, Moon in Virgo, and Venus at the end of Aries, which would make it super-charged by Pluto. According to Hutchinson’s book, she is a Sagittarius with Sun square Mars at….wait for it…Sun at 20 Sagittarius square Mars at 21 Virgo. Both planets are tied to the US Mars-Neptune square — the American Dream. Her horoscope is driven by the Moon in practical, proactive Capricorn, along with three other planets in the sign of the status-oriented mountain goat (the only place to go is up). We can appreciate her Saturn at 0 Aries — the Aries Point, and that it has been receiving potentially anguished contact with Pluto — all through 2022. That is quite compelling, especially if you’ve read anything about her father.

Meanwhile…

Now that the writers’ strike is over, Stephen Colbert and other late-night comics are back on the air. Comedy is a coping strategy for pain, doncha’ know, and how I missed their ability to make us laugh at the wigginess of these all-too-interesting times. Here is Colbert recounting how former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy lost his job, on the same day the former guy got a gag order after lying about a judge’s law clerk on social media.  For the nitty-gritty analysis of these two unprecedented events, here’s Heather Cox Richardson.

McCarthy had it coming, as already discussed in this forecast.

House Speaker pro tempore is the bowtie-sporting Tarheel Patrick McHenry, whose first act (after calling for a congressional recess for the rest of the week), was to tell Nancy Pelosi to clear out her office by the end of the day today. Ms. Pelosi is in San Francisco for the funeral of her friend, Dianne Feinstein. McHenry’s Sun is 28 Libra, supercharged by Pluto, and his Mars is at 1 Cancer (potential aggressive action in matters of home security), so we can understand his sudden, prominent assertion (allegedly at the behest of McCarthy, who will no doubt blame transiting Mercury, ruler of his Gemini Ascendant, for activating his Mars at the very end of Virgo — and close enough to the Aries Point for pettiness to be prominent).

Matt Gaetz was covered here two years ago. This week, the Mars-South Node conjunction is sitting on his Pluto, as transiting Eris opposes it. His Mars is at 0 Libra, activated by Mercury at the Aries Point. Of course he’s making news for “burn it all down” assertiveness.

Liz Cheney also has planets at the Aries Point, and I told you last week to look out for her. I’m fascinated by patterns in her horoscope this month. Mars will oppose her Taurus Ascendant in two weeks, which will then be eclipsed on October 28th… and then activated by Jupiter at the end of December.

Guess who else’s Ascendant will be receiving the lunar eclipse this month? Robert F. Kennedy, for whom we have a timed horoscope. We don’t have a time for his son — RFK, Jr. — who says he will launch an independent bid for president very soon. Both father and son have planets at 28 Capricorn, which are currently supercharged by transiting Pluto. Fascinating.

Elizabeth Warren was also on the watch list this week:

• “Warren ‘takes heart’ from Supreme Court skepticism of Consumer Finance Protection Bureau funding challenge”

These headlines are sponsored in part by Monday’s opposition between Mercury (how we need to think; contract negotiation) and Neptune (drugs):

• “White House: all 10 drugs targeted for Medicare price negotiations will participate”
• “Kaiser strike: 75,000 health care workers walk off job”
• Alleged fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried’s trial opened today; “empire built on lies, says prosecutor”

And that’s it, dear Avid Readers! A big giant news dump for you to peruse. I hope you find it fun and informative, and I deeply appreciate those of you who choose to support this forecast financially.  If becoming a financially supportive Avid Reader sounds like a wonderful idea, here’s how you can do just that.

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