A Nixonian week, and the one before that was Barry Goldwater not-sane-enough-to-be-President week. Commentators are struggling in the Trump chaos to find apposite parallels.

A Nixon, Trump is not. Nixon had a control-freak 10^th house Pluto in a ruthless opposition to Mars Mercury Jupiter, so a corner-cutter, who operated on the-end-justifies-the-means no matter what methods he needed to use. He had a 5^th house Capricorn Sun trine Saturn in Taurus and trine a Virgo Ascendant, so a strong streak of practicality and realism.

Barry Goldwater, Republican nominee for the 1964 election which he lost by a landslide, had his campaign undercut by psychiatrists letting rip with their opinions of his capability for office. “The Presidency should not be used as a platform for proving one’s manhood . . .” “Inwardly he is a frightened person who sees himself as weak and threatened by strong virile power around him . . .”“ Unconsciously he seems to want to destroy himself.” This led to the Goldwater Rule, which bars psychiatrists from diagnosing public figures long-distance, although it has been breached recently.

Goldwater, 2 January 1909 3am Phoenix, Arizona, had a 3^rd house Sun Uranus Mercury in Capricorn opposition Neptune in Cancer, so would undoubtedly be highly strung; and a short-tempered Taurus Moon opposition Mars in Scorpio; though with an Earth Grand Trine of Moon trine Jupiter trine Mercury Uranus, so he would be practical and resourceful. Plus an 8^th house Pluto North Node.

The nearest I can find astrologically, would be George Bush Snr, though he managed to conduct himself with more aplomb and steadiness.

Born 12 June 1924 10.30am, he has a 10^th house Gemini Sun opposition Jupiter square Uranus; with a Leo Ascendant North Node and Neptune all opposition Mars in Aquarius square Mercury in Taurus. He also had an Air Grand Trine of Mars trine Sun trine a Libra Moon Saturn. So some similarities, though lacking Trump’s bombastic Mars on the Leo Ascendant; and also Uranus in a less career-upsetting house than Trump.

Francesco Schettino, the captain of the ill-fated cruise ship Costa Concordia which ran aground in 2012 with the loss of 32 lives as he was showing off to a dancer on board and sailing too close to shore, has finally run out of appeals. He will now start a 16 year jail sentence.

Born 14 Nov 1960 3.55pm Naples, Italy, he has a 7^th house Scorpio Sun, Neptune and Mercury; with a tumultuous-love life from a 5^th house Uranus and Pluto in a confident and frivolous trine to Jupiter Venus. So not one to stint himself when it came to fun. He’s also got a more difficult Saturn in Capricorn opposition Mars in Cancer. During the aftermath through various trials his Solar Arc Sun has been moving conjunct his Saturn and opposition his Mars; with tr Pluto doing the same and reaching the opposition to his Mars when he starts his long prison sentence.

His 16^th Harmonic is particularly strong which is connected to ‘catastrophes, humiliations, dangers, accidents, disasters. Life as you know it might change completely. Sometimes this is self-inflicted.’ As is his 18H – at risk from natural elements. And his 20H – ‘A major upheaval that leads to an awakening which changes the plans for one’s life. Considered good for spiritual development.’ 16 years in an Italian jail will certainly be a different future. He’ll be 73 when he gets out if he serves the full term.

Uber is having a fairly car-crash 2017 with their misogynistic culture going viral; Travis Kalanick, the CEO, outed for boorish behaviour towards an Uber driver; for evading regulatory agency monitoring; and inadequacies in Uber’s driver screening procedures. A number of Uber senior executives have resigned or been asked to. And to cap it all it is, according to Forbes, ‘burning cash at a frightening rate, its business fundamentals are fraught with chronic challenges, and Uber’s path to profitability is far from certain.’

Uber in seven years has secured more venture capital than any startup in history. In 2016, the company carried 700 million passengers in over 70 countries, booked $20 billion in rides, and generated $6.8 billion in net revenues. But 2016 saw a loss of $2.8 billion, double that of the year before.

Uber launched 1 March 2009 which gives it a Pisces Sun and Uranus both opposition Saturn in Virgo. Tr Neptune has been conjunct the Sun this year, running on till January 2018, which is always a downhill influence for a business; with tr Neptune moving on to square the Sun/Saturn midpoint in 2018, and oppose Saturn in 2019, which is worse, very uncertain. Tr Pluto is also trine the Saturn in 2017/18 which is restrictive financially and otherwise. 2019 looks a very rocky year indeed with the Solar Arc Sun conjunct Uranus; followed by a financial bubble-bursting Solar Arc Jupiter conjunct Neptune in 2020.

Travis Kalanick, 6 Aug 1976, is a Sun Saturn in Leo trine Neptune, sextile Pluto – so has definite tendencies to flamboyance and stratospheric ambitions. He looks hard pressed in 2017/18 with tr Pluto trine his Mars; rocked sideways in 2018 with tr Uranus square his Uranus and then a jolting square to his Saturn in 2019; with even worse trouble in 2019 when tr Neptune opposes his Mars bringing a sniff of real failure. But he’ll rise again out of the ashes by 2023/24 when tr Pluto is trine his Jupiter in Taurus.

He’s pretty locked into Uber with an iron grip with a composite Sun opposition Pluto Mercury square Saturn in the relationship chart, so he won’t give up easy.

The annual Jordan-US military exercise on the border with Syria has raised local speculation about an imminent invasion. This year’s drills are the largest and most complex of their kind since they started seven years back. And it is that which has prompted concerns from the governments of neighbouring Syria and its ally, Iran, that Washington and its allies were attempting to stage a major intervention to undermine recent gains made by the Syrian military against ISIS. But Jordanian insiders say that sending Jordanian ground forces inside Syria would have dire consequences for Jordan’s stability and national security. One said: “We should not intervene in the Syrian conflict unless there is a clear and present terrorist threat to our national security.” Jordan is part of the US international coalition against ISIS and has participated in aerial bombardments of the jihadists since September 2014.

The Jordan country chart, 25 May 1946, is in a state of high alert this year and through till the early 2020s with tr Pluto square the Solar Arc Pluto Mars; but also fairly bullish this year and more so in 2018 with tr Pluto and Solar Arc Pluto both conjunct the Jordan Jupiter, so some bold move is possible. But it also looks to be a time of hardship and high anxiety in 2018/19 with tr Pluto opposition the Jordan Saturn; and tr Neptune square Uranus. If anything 2019 looks the highest risk time with Solar Arc Sun conjunct the midpoint of Mars and Pluto, and moving on to conjunct Mars in 2022 – so an extended period of great stress and some risk.

King Abdullah’s Swearing In chart, 7 February 1999 3.30pm is beset by Neptunian transits which normally make for indecisiveness; with again 2019/2020 being the most pressured and dangerous times.

The Jordan/US relationship chart is being tested this year and next with tr Pluto opposing the composite Mars, the next exact aspect this June to mid July, which suggests either they are facing great danger together; or there is a tug of war with differing agendas. The latter might be more likely since there seems at the same time to be a cooling of diplomatic relations with tr Saturn opposition the composite Sun, Mercury mid June into July and mid October into November.

Elections are upcoming in Malta on June 3^rd with the incumbent Joseph Muscat, leading in the polls despite a series of corruption scandals which have hit his administration from Panama Papers. The opposition leader is Simon Busuttil, a less charismatic figure, but portraying himself as the honesty candidate.

The Malta chart, 21 September 1964 12am, is generally upbeat with Solar Arc Jupiter across its Ascendant; though seems less than enthusiastic about this election. (Is there any country where the people actually like the candidates?) Tr Saturn is just over the square to the Virgo Sun, returning later in the year; and there is a lack-lustre tr Neptune opposes the Malta Pluto in 2017/18, moving to conjunct the Moon by 2019, so generally dissatisfied. Plus an argumentative, emotionally volatile Solar Arc Uranus square Mars around now, which could lead to unwelcome surprises; with more in 2018.

There’s not much showing on either major candidate’s chart. Joseph Muscat, 22 Jan 1974, has tr Saturn opposition his Solar Arc Mars in June which looks like a setback; with tr Neptune square his Sun/Uranus; and is generally in an unsettled mid-life-crisis year. His Term chart, 11 March 2013 11.30am Valetta has Sun, Moon and four other planets in Pisces, so very Neptunian; with a yod of Saturn sextile Pluto inconjunct Jupiter so has a tendency to let grandiosity get the better of it. That chart has tr Neptune square the Solar Arc Jupiter, before and after the election, so enthusiasm ebbing away.

Simon Busuttil, 20 March 1969, looks stuck running into the election with tr Saturn square his Sun/Pluto, and tr Saturn runs backwards and forwards squaring his Pluto and then Pisces Sun all year. He also has an emotional upset in the days just before; and a steadying tr Saturn trine his Saturn. But nothing too ecstatic.

Just as the Trump Admin thought it had one semi-success under its belt with step one of the repeal of Obamacare, the commander-in-chief throws a grenade in to destabilise everything by summarily ousting the FBI Director on television. Conspiracy theories are rife though the Independent this morning takes a more measured view. ‘Sheer incompetence and schoolyard nastiness may better explain the botched dismissal. In time we’ll know if “cover-up” properly applies to the latest Washington doings. But what does, however the dust finally settles, is “cock-up”. Nobody wins from this and certainly not Trump.’

The storyline, as far as it can be extrapolated, is that Trump grew increasingly irked by James Comey – for not supporting his contention that Obama had wire-tapped him, for suggesting that he (Comey) might have swayed the election against Hillary, and Russia, Russia, Russia. So he instructed the Attorney General, supreme overlord of the FBI, to come up with a raison d’etre. Then Jeff Sessions and his Deputy Rod Rosenstein got blamed for the firing, at which point according to the Washington Post, Rosenstein, just two weeks into the job, threatened to resign.

Sessions, though he has been carrying out Trumpian hard-line policies, never looked to be at ease with his master. Their relationship chart has tr Saturn square the composite Sun opposition Mercury Venus right through this year; with serious hiccups in 2018. [See previous posts: April 13, March 2, Jan 10 and Nov 20 2016.]

Rod Rosenstein, 13 Jan 1965 Philadelphia, the Deputy Attorney General, is a Sun Capricorn trine Mars Pluto Uranus in Virgo trine Jupiter in Taurus; with Jupiter opposition Neptune, so a strong, confident and talented chart. He looks shell-shocked and blocked this year with his Solar Arc Mars conjunct his Neptune and his Solar Arc Sun opposing his Pluto. His Mars Pluto Uranus all square Trump’s Uranus Sun and Moon – so they do have an angry and unpredictable chemistry.

Is the almost unprecedented firing of the FBI Director James Comey an act of Nixonian sabotage by Trump to halt the FBI investigation into links between his campaign and Russia? The reason given was Comey’s handling of Hillary Clinton’s emails, which Trump had previously praised, so it seems a feeble excuse. Especially since grand jury subpoenas for associates of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, fired for misstating his Russia connections, had been revealed hours before. This last suggested the FBI investigation was being escalated to a new stage.

The parallels being drawn are with Nixon’s firing in October 1973 of the Special Prosecutor investigating the burglary which led to Watergate and Nixon’s resignation nine months later.

And what do you know? In 1973, tr Uranus was beginning to square the USA 1776 Mercury in Cancer opposition Pluto. VP Spiro Agnew resigned faced with tax evasion charges. Watergate rages, escalates and ends with Nixon’s resignation to avoid impeachment charges, as tr Uranus squares the US Mercury for the final time in August 1974, tugging on the US Pluto.

Where is tr Uranus now? Just over the square to the USA Mercury but zigzagging back and forth in hard aspect to the US Mercury till February 2018; and then moving to square the US Pluto in 2018.

The previous hard aspect of tr Uranus to the US Mercury was in 1953/54 during the McCarthy sniff-out-a-commie hearings, with increasingly vociferous criticism of his bullying and witch-hunting tactics.

One before that in 1933 there was an attempted coup d’etat by a group of fascist veterans and wealthy businessmen, wanting to ally themselves to Hitler’s Germany and Italy, which Franklin D Roosevelt saw off. So they were all sleazy episodes in US history. [See previous posts: Nov 12 2016, April 17 2017]

There are two key trigger points coming up for Trump – one is the late August Solar Eclipse in Leo conjunct his Mars Ascendant, which will hit him hard – and the eclipse effect runs on for six months after. The other is a poleaxingly explosive Solar Arc Uranus conjunct his Mars, exact mid 2018 though likely to trigger earlier; and mid 2018 is when tr Uranus will be square his Solar Arc MC, continuing on through 2019, which will knock him off course. So the narrative could take time to play out.

James Comey, 14 December 1960, is a bit player now unless he turns state’s evidence somewhere down the line. Interestingly his Uranus is conjunct Trump’s Mars Ascendant and square Trump’s MC – so definitely a catalyst for change, who hits Trump at an awkward level. His relationship chart with Trump shows 2018/19 as being a time everything stands on its head.

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Darren Criss, an American actor, singer, songwriter is a high-energy bundle of multi-talents, best known for Glee and has also co-founded a Chicago Musical Theater company, been lead vocalist on best-selling albums, played on Broadway and is now acting in films.

Born 5 February 1987 12.37pm San Francisco, his father was a banker and patron of the arts and his mother from the Philippines. He studied classical violin from age 5, plays a handful of other instruments, studied the performing arts and first appeared on stage aged 10.

He has an Aquarius Sun conjunct the MC from the 9^th square Pluto in the 6^th so clearly driven, ambitious and a force to be reckoned with in his working life. His Sun is on the focal point of a mini-Grand Trine of Mars in high-octane Aries in the team-oriented 11^th trine Saturn in Sagittarius, so quite ego-centric and loves excitement, but has discipline has well.

He has Mercury in musical Pisces in his 10^th  is sextile Neptune Venus in Capricorn and trine Pluto, so not short of persuasive powers or vocal ability. And talented, lucky Jupiter also in his 10^th is square Uranus Saturn in his 7^th, so he likes taking risks and they usually come off. Plus a 12^th house Taurus Moon.

He does have Neptune in the 8^th which is often found in movie stars who have the (probably unconscious) ability to project an aura.

His 7^th house is packed with Saturn Uranus Venus, so relationships won’t be as easy as outer ambitions and success.

He looks set for a super-triumph in four years from now when his Solar Arc MC is conjunct his Jupiter, and clearly has a good deal ahead of him.

His creative 5^th Harmonic is exceptionally strong with a Half Grand Sextile, a Grand Trine formed into two Kites, and a T Square. His creative 7h which is possibly more musical ability is strong as is his actor’s 15H. So lots going for him.

The Kushner family are in the news for the wrong reasons as Jared’s sister, Nicole Meyer is accused of using the presidential connection to sell real-estate in China.

Jared himself has supposedly set up blind trusts to distance himself from the family businesses, though no doubt will hope to step back into them once the White House days are over.

He will face considerable pressures in 2018/19 with tr Pluto conjunct his Capricorn Sun; and before then he has tr Saturn conjunct his Neptune and later this year his Venus (romance & money). In 2018 as well he has a high-insecurity tr Uranus square his Sun/Mars; and a stomach-sinking tr Neptune square his Mars/Pluto extending through 2019 as well.

He doesn’t look quite as exuberant as Ivanka is in 2020/21 with tr Pluto square her Jupiter Pluto. Indeed he looks fairly jammed in through a chunks of the 2020s.