The planet Saturn is currently transiting Sagittarius which presents unique challenges in practicing what we preach. That’s because Saturn is the planet of contraction which demands discipline and order and loves structure and authority. Sagittarius is ruled by the planet Jupiter which is expansion and optimism and often finds discipline and order to be counter to the pursuit of heightened awareness. Clearly these opposing energies are tricky to balance.
We all face Saturn in Sagittarius challenges. I proclaimed to all my friends that I no longer drink bottled water but now I’m on a long bike trip and out of water. There’s a convenience store across the street. What do I do?
This is one of the small challenges we all face. A somewhat common moral challenge, I believe, involves marriage as people struggle with changing emotions and desire for new company. It’s so common, really, that we could call it a cold.
Up from the common challenges are the highest that hopefully we rarely encounter and see often in times societal struggles such as economic depressions and wars.
And then there is politics, a unique category of its own and this election is sponsored by Saturn in Sagittarius.
Hypocrisy
The Google search definition of hypocrisy is:
The practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one’s own behavior does not conform; pretense.
Charles Dickens in his novel Martin Chuzzlewitt creates the character of the ultimate hypocrite in Seth Pecksniff:
Seth Pecksniff, old Martin Chuzzlewit’s cousin, an architect and land surveyor who has never built anything, though he receives large premiums from those who study under him. Young Martin Chuzzlewit becomes one of his apprentices, but Pecksniff turns him away to please the young man’s grandfather and to ensure his own advancement. In all of his dealings, he is completely self-seeking; he performs no generous act, shows no generous motives. Servile, false, conniving, he is a complete hypocrite and a monster of selfishness. He becomes a drunkard and a writer of begging letters to his prosperous relatives.
In politics, hypocrisy is the norm. In an article on Wikileaks and privacy, journalist Glenn Greenwald notes in one of his defenses of using Wikileaks information:
Many longtime journalists or political junkies already know that politicians are typically disingenuous, dishonest, and manipulate public opinion, and this jaded perspective causes them to react with boredom toward stories that reveal this. But journalism isn’t about entertaining veterans of political journalism or feeding them new tidbits that they did not already know. It’s about providing the public with information that they can use to better understand the world and, in particular, what those who wield the greatest power are doing. Just because a political journalist thinks he already knows something doesn’t mean that the general public already knows it, or doesn’t want to learn more about it.
Greenwald acknowledges that politicians are disingenuous if not hypocritical. It’s the role of journalists to reveal additional facts to inform a misled public.
The US Election Hypocrites – Ladies First
It’s very common during an election cycle to see political hypocrisy close up. During a normal primary season when about 30% of the electorate is watching, the candidates say all that their base wants to hear. Then during the general election cycle, they alter the message to appeal to moderates.
Normally this open hypocrisy flies under the radar but with the loud and boisterous Donald Trump in the process this year, the hypocrisy is like an ice cream cake that has been left on the counter too long and is now dripping down the cupboards. The candidates have nowhere to run from their own words this year.
Hillary Clinton – In recently released Wikileaks tapes, Democratic nominee Clinton is heard saying that she has both “public and private positions” on Wall Street reform. Is a public and private position not the very definition of hypocrisy?
Clinton has natal Jupiter in Sagittarius and now Saturn has transited that position. Jupiter in Sagittarius must be the optimistic, bold public position she refers to. Saturn transiting is the private position that follows authority (and money and position).
Saturn in Sagittarius is moving toward a T-square with Clinton’s natal moon (in Pisces) and Uranus (in Gemini) – there’s more to come on public and private positions for Clinton. It comes into orb in January 2017. This is going to be one long election cycle.
Ben Carson – Former Republican candidate Carson has left a gaping hole in my heart because for five minutes during the Republican primaries I believed he was the nice guy. Carson currently functions as a Trump adviser (in picking a vice president) and supporter. During recent controversy over Trump’s statements about groping women, Carson defended him saying, “Eleven years ago, he’s a billionaire playboy, now he’s running for president of the United States.”
As a playboy it’s okay to disparage women and as a president it’s not (although Trump continues to disparage women). This is called moral relativism Ben.
For Carson, Saturn in Sagittarius is creating a trine aspect to Jupiter in Libra and sextile to Neptune in Libra. Saturn is still pleasant for Carson as he balances his own Jupiter / Neptune opposition which creates a desire for personal and relationship balance with strong idealism in both regards.
In another area of the chart, Carson’s Venus/Mercury in Virgo creates a square to Saturn in Sagittarius. This affects the speech and desire for the perfect partner. Frankly, I don’t think Carson yet sees the error of his moral ways. He will, however, in January 2017 when Saturn squares the sun. Then it gets personal.
Chris Christie – This blog from Forward Progressive will outline Christie’s winding trajectory of hate-love-not sure what for his competitor Trump. Christie is probably crying a river as Trump essentially stole his shtick and out performed him as the tell-it-like-it-is candidate.
Like Trump, Christie has moon in Sagittarius. Saturn transiting one’s moon always puts the brakes on the natural emotional response. The natural response of Sagittarius is to run for the hills seeking greener grass. Natal moon T-squares natal Uranus and possibly Pluto and sun (in Virgo) and Jupiter (in Pisces). It’s truly a rough time for Christie even had he kept the moral high ground.
Astrologically I can feel some pain for Christie who is probably both confused and spinning in circles seeking relief. While this might seem cliché, Christie would probably do best if he tried to find himself, the real self. Otherwise, he may spin like an oil drill and find himself deep underground. Dude, it’s called the Dark Night of the Soul. Good luck.
Ted Cruz – Capricorn sun Ted Cruz is the most open opportunist of the election, one of the more negative characteristics of Capricorn. He also brings on the cold calculation that also is associated with the worst qualities of his sun sign. To this astrologer, Cruz is a textbook tragic character who, in the end, will most likely fall by his own undoing.
Cruz’ hypocritical trajectory toward Trump went like this – neutral (early primary), I love Trump (mid primary), I hate Trump (late primary), I still hate Trump (convention), I love Trump (September surprise).
What makes his trajectory even more hypocritical than his colleagues is the strong profession of moral values guiding his judgment. The higher you climb, the farther the fall.
Saturn in Sagittarius already crossed Cruz’ natal Neptune in Sagittarius. This occurred early in spring 2015 when he must have been given some sort of letdown regarding his ideals (Neptune). Transiting Pluto crossed his sun in 2008 transforming him into a new individual in relation to Capricorn desires for power and authority. This is all well in advance of the current election.
As noted in an earlier blog, Cruz is not the person he was born; Pluto has crossed his entire chart making him a different person entirely. He’s new at what he’s doing.
The tightest aspect occurring now for Cruz is Jupiter in Libra which will cross his natal Uranus/moon in . . . you guessed it . . . January 2017. Jupiter is expansion so possibly Cruz will get what he desires from the public at that time. With his sun in Capricorn and moon in Libra, he’s definitely judge material.
Mike Pence – Indiana Governor Mike Pence signed on to run with the unpredictable Trump and clearly has had difficulty aligning with Trump’s ever-changing views.
Pence, like Trump, is a Gemini sun which naturally goes with the flow. No wonder Pence looks so at ease when his running mate contradicts him. Pence may also have moon in Gemini. If so, we need to look for the “other” Pence as Gemini is not normally comfortable being the “one thing” stereotype. If you stereotype Gemini, you are essentially ordering him to change.
Saturn in Sagittarius makes some nice trines to Venus/Mars/Uranus suggesting all that’s occurring has its pleasurable aspects, as I would guess running for Vice President has.
Yet, that same Saturn opposes sun, Mercury and eventually moon (in either Gemini or Cancer). In fact, Pence isn’t far from his second Saturn return which will occur in January 2018. The respect he’s seeking may actually occur at that time. If he can make it through this Saturn transit, he’ll be placed well for his next adventure in responsibility.
In fact, that is Pence’s life lesson here. Much of his chart is low on responsibility but natal Saturn in Capricorn is that very lesson. The current transit of Pluto in Capricorn is making this an imperative. His role in this election is greater than it appears.
And Donald Trump?
I don’t list Trump as a hypocrite as I don’t see any evidence of this in his nature. Sure, he speaks out of both ends of his mouth (sun conjunct Uranus in Gemini), but he appears to have no underlying position or moral code with which to launch the branding of hypocrite. From all of his appearances in this last year I glean one underlying foundation – he negotiates. Boiled down this means “I talk.”
I talk therefore I am, we might say.
A very simple way to avoid being a hypocrite is to have no moral code or to have one but to never speak it openly.
I kind of like option two – let’s all have moral standards and simply live them out so people see our morals and then we are never hypocrites. We also will have nothing to defend. Bumper stickers and lawn signs will be obsolete.
I believe Trump is functioning as a mirror and loud speaker of this general election. He’s greatly amplified the normal hypocrisy that occurs during this time. Trump didn’t create it; it existed and he opened the closet door for all to see inside. For the US, these are our hypocrisies and our challenges.
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