A New Chapter in National Politics
Zip Dobyns
The election came to life when Walter Mondale picked a woman to share the race with him. The AFA (American Federation of Astrologers) ran a chart for Geraldine Ferraro even before she was selected, in Marian March’s data column. Then, at the AFA conference in Chicago in late July this year, one of the women attending the meetings said that she was a personal friend of Ferraro’s mother, and that the mother said Geraldine was born at 9:30 P.M. rather than 9 P.M. as originally reported.
I have a limited number of events from Ferraro’s life, so have not done a thorough rectification, but based on what I have, the 9:30 time looks reasonable. The date was August 26, 1935 in Newburgh, N.Y. and the time was EDT. Ferraro’s father died when she was eight years old. The 9:30 birth time would put progressed MC conjunct her north node of the Moon using the mean or average nodes. Progressed Ascendant was conjunct Uranus and trioctile Venus. Progressed Mercury was octile the Mars-Jupiter conjunction while the Solar Arc directed Antivertex was quincunx Mars-Jupiter. Progressed Saturn was still octile the natal Ascendant. The progressed East Point was crossing the Ascendant.
There were equally appropriate aspects when Ferraro got her law degree and married in the same month; July, 1960. Her progressed Moon was entering the fourth house of domesticity, crossing the IC and opposing the MC, fitting a change of home and status including marital and legal. Her progressed MC was trioctile Venus while progressed Venus was trioctile the natal Ascendant and octile progressed Mercury which had just entered the seventh, marriage house. Her progressed Ascendant was about to leave Taurus and was octile the East Point, both sets of angles suggesting changing relationships. At the same time, her Solar Arc directed Ascendant was opposite Mars-Jupiter. The progressed angles also had aspects when Ferraro was elected to Congress, changing her home situation. So, though I was tempted by the 9 P.M. birth time because that gave her the same house cusps as Mondale’s local houses in Washington, DC, for the moment I am using the time given by her mother. Of course, we should continue to watch the developments in her life.
Either chart gives her Aries rising with a stellium in Virgo in the Virgo house, but the later time shifts her Sun to its own house, a stronger indication of her public life. Pallas, often found prominent in the charts of consultants, lawyers, politicians, etc., is also in the fifth house, widely conjunct her Sun. The rising fire sign in addition to the Leo Moon and Pallas fit the drive and warmth that shows clearly in her life. More fire is shown by a close conjunction of Mars and Jupiter, two fire planets, and their placement in Scorpio indicates tenacity and strength of will. The rising Uranus is another indication of will, initiative, and independence.
On the other side of the picture, Ferraro’s emphasis on Pisces and Virgo shows her idealism and capacity for service. With a grand trine in water including Mars-Jupiter, Vesta, and the south node of the Moon, and a variety of earth trines, she has strong security needs and the capacity to enjoy providing security for others. I am really impressed with her chart, and hope that she will continue in her public service though I do not think she has a chance to win this election.
Ferraro’s fourth and fifth house power show her commitment to her family and home, while her Virgo grouping is likely to enlarge her horizons to include nurturing the world around her. Ceres, the earth-mother, is conjunct her Neptune, the great idealist, with a lifetime progressed aspect staying within the one degree orb required for progressions. The combination can truly be a universal mother. Mercury and Venus add practical intelligence and pleasure for the job. The nodes of the Moon have held a sextile-trine to Venus and then to Mercury all of her life, indicating the high level ability to cope with the world.
As our readers know, the most intense workaholic combination in the zodiac involves aspects between Saturn and Vesta. Ferraro had them both in Pisces in the twelfth house at birth, too widely separated to count as a conjunction, but by progression, they are conjunct for years. They suggest a deep unconscious commitment to carrying out her faith in a practical way in the world. I suspect that she has healing power, though her Catholic faith may not encourage her to discover it. But I think she will do her best to leave the world a better place, and that she has the practicality and willingness to work to be truly effective in her efforts.
I will not throw all her new asteroids at you, but was interested to note that she has Hidalgo (which has some Saturn overtones connected to power drive) conjunct her natal Sun. Others who share that pattern are Katherine Hepburn and Margaret Mead. In the work I have done so far, Hidalgo-Sun is far less common than Hidalgo-Saturn in the high achievers. It is also interesting that the asteroid “America” is closely conjunct Ferraro’s natal Mercury sharing the sextile-trine to the lunar nodes. “Apollo” is just behind and conjunct “America”, fitting her potential for fame and power in this continent. On the more negative side, “Russia” is on her south node of the Moon, and I am afraid her opponents will emphasize her lack of experience in foreign affairs. “Africa” is progressing over her natal Mars-Jupiter, suggesting the prominent role likely to be played by blacks in the election. Progressed “Asia” between her Ceres and Apollo and trine her natal Icarus in the tenth house seems to support her appeal to ethnic groups.
However, progressed Icarus has retrograded to oppose natal Chiron and square Ceres and progressed Neptune, suggesting conflict between different goals or between goals and the limits of what is possible; a classic mutable dilemma. If the mother’s birth time is accurate, Ferraro’s progressed Sun is just short of the Descendant at election. If her birth time was just one minute earlier, her progressed Sun would be on the Descendant. The aspect certainly fits her own new expanded prominence in the world as well as the spotlight on her husband whose business and finances are being scrutinized. Ferraro also has her progressed Moon square her natal Sun, her progressed Ascendant quincunx her progressed Jupiter, progressed Mars quincunx her south node of the Moon and trioctile Uranus, and her progressed Mercury square Pluto. Of course, she has favorable aspects also; progressed Venus is trine the MC and progressed Antivertex is trine Ceres and progressed Neptune. Progressed MC leaving Aquarius and moving into Pisces a month after election would fit a new job, which could work either way; leaving the House of Representatives for the Vice Presidency or for a law job.
Ferraro also had stress aspects when she won her first election in 1978, including progressed Moon conjunct progressed Saturn and opposite natal Sun. Stress aspects may accompany our getting what we want but finding that it is more work than we expected. But also a Saturn conjunction can simply mean a new job with more power and responsibility, while the opposition to her Sun fit her move to Washington, away from her family for the work week though she goes home for the weekends.
I am actually basing my prediction of a Reagan victory on other astrological tools, to be discussed in the election article. Stress aspects alone are not enough to predict defeat, since a victory might mean intense pressures and problems. My feeling about Ferraro is that she has a lot to give the world, and that the years immediately ahead will be so challenging for our country (and many others) that I would hate to see a woman be finally elected Vice President and then be blamed for the world situation. I think that Ferraro will probably run for Senator from New York in two years, and that she has a very good chance of winning, helped partly by the public exposure she will get as she tours the country in the months just ahead. However, one of the strongest aspects suggesting success in a power job will be her progressed Uranus in her first house finally reaching the one degree orb trine to her natal Sun. This aspect is not exact until the fall of 1988, but after that date, it will remain in effect for a good many years.
One more note on the new asteroids. Readers will remember that I was impressed to find an aspect from Galilea to Uranus in every one of the original candidates running for President in this election. I speculated that Galilea might indicate a search for a philosophy or world-view, with an aspect to Uranus suggesting a changing world-view. Well, I think Ferraro is the change; the first woman to be chosen as a possible Vice President. Her progressed Galilea is conjunct progressed Mercury and lacks an aspect to Uranus. The new world-view arrived with her: Mercury is the immediate vicinity in contrast to a future prospect with Uranus. We are growing, even though at times the pace seems somewhat slower than a snail. So cheers for Mondale. Even though they may go down to defeat, the hurdle has been passed.
My greatest concern for Ferraro, as this article is written in early August, is the possible damage to her career which might be done by the negative information coming out about her husband’s business and finances. The workings of astrology and the world never cease to amaze me. Ferraro’s choice as running mate was announced by Mondale on July 12, 1984 at 12:03:15 in St. Paul, MN, according to helpful news watchers. The chart for the event has 17 Cancer 6 on the MC in St. Paul, exactly opposite a Capricorn Moon. But the local chart set for Washington, DC where the contest will center and the outcome will take effect, has 2 Leo 20 on the MC with Juno at 2 Leo 29. Juno represents Ferraro’s husband, as well as other people involved in the joint efforts, and her husband may be a decisive factor in the race. The Sun is in the tenth house, close to the MC in the announcement chart, and the progressed Moon on Election Day is opposite the Sun to the minute, in addition to forming a one degree square to the first house East Point. The lunar nodes are octile-trioctile the cardinal T-square of Sun-Moon-East Point. The first house Saturn in Scorpio in the announcement chart holds a one degree square to Mercury in Leo in the tenth house. Mercury is one of the rulers of the eighth house (joint resources, return on investment, partner’s income, etc.) while Saturn is in Scorpio, the equivalent sign. The combination of Leo-Scorpio in the first and tenth houses supports the likelihood of a power struggle involving Ferraro’s husband’s money. I hope his past is not too murky, since, with Jupiter in the third house along with Neptune in Sagittarius in the announcement chart, the media will publicize it. The quincunx of Mars in Scorpio to the Descendant of the announcement chart remains in a one degree orb by progression until the election as a continuing potential for questions involving joint resources, debts, taxes, etc. Progressed Mars will not reach the sextile to natal Moon and trine to the MC until late 1985 and 1986 respectively, but they may augur well for her run for Senator in 1986. However it goes, I wish her well.