Politics has overtaken the Kardashians, Royal romances and sporting hostilities as the toxic topic causing uproar at water coolers and tearing apart family relationships and friendships. The degree of polarisation is worrying both in the USA and the UK.
Trump supporters are still standing by their man, dismissing all criticism as ‘just noise’, and blanking out most opposing opinions by only getting their ‘news’ from nakedly ideological outlets, which makes it less likely that they’ll encounter any other viewpoint – or be able to distinguish truth from falsehood.
In the UK, the Brexit campaign, run on the basis of outright lies, with no voting rights for UK ex-pats, was won by the slimmest of majorities (hell mend David Cameron, doubly so for punting the referendum in the first place and not putting a 60% threshold on it.) The Remainers think the Brexiters are delusional as well as mendacious, harking back to the glory days of empire – which aren’t coming back. The Brexiters think the Remainers’ fears are of no consequence – more noise. Neither side listens to the other.
The USA is in some ways is easier to understand given the tr Uranus square the US Mercury opposition Pluto in 2017/18, which historically has inflamed far-right views. And the US anyway has always had a unique strand of virulent anti-government sentiment, which has now become more mainstream, blossoming into paranoia about the ‘deep state’.
Much is being made in the liberal media about the present Trump campaign Russia connection having parallels with Watergate, though Trump is no Nixon. Where the connection exists is that Trump got elected on the back of Fox News support, which is largely the brainchild of Roget Ailes, a Nixon adviser (heavily Taurus). Another Nixon adviser, Pat Buchanan, was a great polariser, who recommended using race and class conflict as a campaigning tool (Scorpio with a divisive Uranus in Taurus on his MC). So Trump’s victory was re-running the old script. When Watergate pulled Nixon down, Buchanan said – it goes against the political will of the people.
Watergate escalated through 1973, ending in Nixon’s resignation in August 1974. This was the period some see as the most significant time in the UK’s 20th Century history. Over the 1973-74 winter, under Edward Heath’s government, there was a State of Emergency, the Three-Day Week and endless power-cuts with trades unionists rising to prominence. The middle-classes were in a state of mounting paranoia about the UK becoming a proto-communist country.
There were specific influences then to the UK chart – Solar Arc Pluto conjunct the 11th house Saturn in Leo (= the legislature, testing the power of parliament). But what both the UK and the USA were facing was tr Saturn in Cancer square tr Pluto in Libra – with tr Saturn in hard aspect to each country’s Sun.
At present tr Saturn is moving towards the end of its Sagittarius stint and heading to join Pluto in for Capricorn from this New Year, though not reaching the exact conjunction to Pluto till 2019. Before then tr Saturn will oppose the USA Venus Jupiter in 2018 and then the US Sun in early 2019 – so relatively similar to 1974, though not exactly so, since tr Pluto is further on. Tr Saturn will conjunct the UK Sun in December 2018, when the detail of Brexit will be clearer.
So 2018/2019 are likely to be the years when the sh** hits the fan after a time of trial requiring endurance and perseverance.
Dear Marjorie
The deep divisions created by Brexit and the election of President Trump remind me of similar divisions during the English and American civil wars. How does the astrology of these two civil wars compare to Brexit and the election of President Trump in the creation of these deep divisions in society?
Laura, Not really at all. The US Civil War started on a Mars Uranus conjunction, and Jupiter square Pluto and Uranus square Saturn, with Saturn trine Pluto.
The English Civil War on a Uranus opposition Mars, Jupiter square Pluto. Uranus was in minor aspect to Pluto in both. The English civil war finished on a truly horrible Uranus Neptune in Sagittarius opposition Pluto which was the whole Republic Protectorate of Cromwell.
But nothing too parallel.
Splitting families – my (formerly) close cousin absolutely believes, without hesitation, everything that is Trump tweeted. I shared some CNN articles, to which she disdainfully responded that CNN is a proven fake new source. It’s unfortunate that our friendship has been shattered, her loyalty totally absorbing Trump News Network. Many of my friends have lost siblings and family connection due to Trump. The US has been torn asunder, with nothing to glue it back together. Not even a war against a common enemy could repair the damage.
You guys take all this so seriously. We have very divergent views in our family as well. Guess what, we just don’t talk politics. Had a very loving Thanksgiving dinner.
Last Thanksgiving, Trump was still a President Elect, and contrary to what seems to be a general sentiment among his internet supporters, many “centrist” voters were willing to give him a chance. Next Thanksgiving, it’ll be 10 months into his presidency, and that patience has already worn out. President Trump’s approval rate among Democrats is 15 per cent, and 30 per cent among Independents. Most people who don’t approve of President Trump’s actions do so strongly. The approval rate cap is the record for any President since polling of this kind started in The US. So, there’s potential for this to cause incredible strife, even between “the adults”, especially when concerns people have with President Trump are moral, rather than strictly political.
(Saturn Pluto) absolutely conj 12 Jan 2020 at 22+ Cap and also conj Mercury and Ceres and Pinocchio and sq Eris (serennu.com)