In yet another eyebrow-raising moment of the 2016 US presidential election (my eyebrows are now permanently stuck to my hairline), vice presidential candidate Mike Pence was viewed as the stable Rock of Gibraltar to president-elect Donald Trump’s windy and capricious nature.

Clearly, those holding this view are not astrologers.

I’ve hesitated for a long while on writing about Pence’s chart. My hesitation stems from the fact we do not have time of birth. The time of birth is critical to knowing the horoscope structure of any individual and in many cases, such as that of Pence, knowing in which sign the moon is placed. I’m also very curious as to where his Saturn lies in the horoscope as he’s up for a Saturn return.

Regardless of where the moon lies, or Saturn or the ascendant (your outward face or façade), Pence has many of the mutable qualities of his partner Trump.

The Mutable Presidency

My cat has been gloating since the election as she claimed the US was ready for a mutable presidency where normally we choose fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius). Once again, I was assailed with criticism of my human nature:

“Human consistency is a delusion,” she said (again). “People are now being honest in that they don’t care about consistency.”

I explained that I didn’t choose to be human any more than she chose to be feline and left it at that.

Sometimes it’s easier to let the cat win the argument. As an astrologer, I like to be right and still think I am. By popular vote, the fixed sign (Scorpio Hillary Clinton) was chosen. And possibly our belief that Pence will remedy any injuries caused by Trump is also a faith in fixed energy.

Mike Pence Stability and Mutability

What we know: Mike Pence has sun and Mercury in the mutable sign of Gemini. The sun sign is the same as his boss (Trump). Pence has Venus, Mars and Uranus in (fixed) Leo, Pluto in (mutable) Virgo, Neptune and Jupiter in (fixed) Scorpio and Saturn in (cardinal) Capricorn.

What we don’t know: The moon is either in (mutable) Gemini or (cardinal) Cancer. Depending on degree, it could be opposing Saturn (in or out of sign).

Let’s discuss.

The stable, steady person we see on television I suspect stems from the fixed energy of Venus/Mars/Uranus in Leo. Venus and Mars conjunct create a very charismatic and sexy energy. The women certainly like Mike Pence. Uranus in that same sign suggests some unpredictability in that area of life.

Leo is the leader, the actor. Leo is confident, optimistic and exuberant. At its worst, the attraction from others leads Leo to some arrogance of its grandness which leads to expanding and embellishing the facts. The Leo who is not loved and nurtured properly is the worst in this regard for the desire to be perceived as grand leads to the stretching of some truths.

Another placement that might represent the stability we perceive is Saturn in Capricorn (Saturn rules Capricorn). My own viewing of Pence is that his speech is somewhat slow and deliberate and devoid of the Leonine qualities of color and texture. My own radar picks up Capricorn on the rising. That would put Gemini in the 5th (self-expression) and those Leo planets in the 7th.

Regardless of where we find his stability, there is confidence in Pence which could be from leadership qualities and charisma compliments of Leo or maturity and strength compliments of Capricorn.

On the flip side, there is also mutability and changeability in Pence’s horoscope. As he also has fixed energy; he has a decent balance of both elements and modes. His least represented mode is cardinal, with only Saturn in a cardinal sign.

Lack of cardinal indicates lack of initiative. Lack of cardinal indicates waiting for others to begin the project or lead the way. In a sense, there’s a kind of laziness about starting the effort although there’s definitely energy to contribute once it has begun.

The sun and moon, regardless of moon placement, are more changeable in nature. Gemini moves with the air flow because of its inherent curiosity and desire to seek new experiences. The changeability of Cancer stems from an emotional nature reacting to both the physical and human environment. Cancer is the crab and retreats into its shell when the energy is overwhelming.

If the moon is in Cancer, this would be a bit of an Achilles heel for Pence as the Gemini and Leo energy wants to stay out and play while Cancer wants to go home and ponder over that comment someone made at the party.

Cancer is extremely sensitive to criticism and rejection. If the moon is in Cancer, Saturn in Capricorn would be opposing suggesting a critical upbringing, especially from the father. Sun in Gemini and moon in Cancer would be overly reactive to others, often responding in ways that leaves others confused. It’s unpredictable in an emotional way.

With sun and Mercury in Gemini, and especially if the moon is in Gemini, it’s difficult not to imagine there’s another life for Pence than the one we see. Gemini is represented as the twins and for Gemini, it’s a challenge to be in this world labelled and identified as one thing. Gemini’s nature is to learn and grow not to be expected to be one person, one image, one profession for the entire existence. Pence’s boss Trump exemplifies this most clearly. Gemini boxed in tends to retreat in some way, if only mentally.

Trump’s mutable nature was on display from day one of his campaign. Pence, in contrast, is represented as the stable foundation, a role which should provide challenging even with adequate fixed sign representation and even if Saturn is on the natal ascendent.

Pence’s Next Four Years

Jupiter changes signs about once and year and Saturn every couple years. These are useful in tracking annual energies, especially for those in the public sphere. Jupiter and Saturn both represent our social environment. Jupiter is involved in the social aspects from education to religion. Saturn represents law, order and authority.

Year One

Saturn will continue its transit of Sagittarius. This transit opposed Pence’s sun and Mercury but has moved out of orbit. It will still bounce back and forth for a wide opposition during 2017. This means Pence is held in restraint by social pressures. Pence wants to do much more than he will be allowed during 2017.

Jupiter will finish its transit of Libra and move through Scorpio in 2017. Jupiter in Scorpio will transit Pence’s natal Neptune and Jupiter in Scorpio. This is intensely magnetic so I imagine Pence’s aura will expand during this time, especially sexually. While it squares Leo, the fixed squares create very powerful energy and often can override the troubles it causes.

It’s difficult as a political spectator not to suspect male politicians of some affairs on the side. It seems a part of the power play that drew them into politics. If Pence has any of this hanky-panky past or present, there may be hints of it in 2017. But I think he’ll survive. Fixed energy can endure much through force of personality.

Year Two

Year two, things change for Pence. His second Saturn return is looming which forces him to rise to greater levels of responsibility. Unfortunately, without time of birth, we don’t know in which area of the chart this occurs.

Saturn has an approximately 29-year cycle and represents aging and maturity. By the first Saturn return, we are expected to be on our life’s course. By the second, you become the elder, or expert, in that experience.

With natal Saturn in Capricorn, there’s a sense of not achieving, not being successful enough to please those around you (the demanding father?). When transiting Pluto passed over this placement (most directly in 2010), that may have been a do-or-die moment for Pence in terms of his ideas of success in life.

If Pence feels successful, the Saturn return may cement that in his own and others’ minds. If he’s still feeling the insecurity of his place in the world that this placement can create, then the transit may prove tough. He may feel the need to arbitrarily assert authority.

Jupiter will continue its path through Scorpio in year two. Scorpio rules death, sex and taxes so whatever played out in 2017 will continue through 2018.

Year Three

In 2019, Saturn will have passed Pence’s natal placement. But Pluto will be joining Saturn in its journey around the sun so this will be an intense time for all. Pence may be better able to handle what occurs as he will have passed his own Saturn challenge with the Saturn return.

Jupiter will move into Sagittarius. Sagittarius opposes Gemini so Pence will become more open and possibly cocky than we see today. He will certainly be called on to exhibit generosity, insight and foresight.

The 2016 election was brought to you by Saturn in Sagittarius and we saw not only the disparate philosophies that exist in the US but also fear, anger and resentment (Saturn) of certain “others” (Sagittarius).

Jupiter in that same sign (Sagittarius) will (hopefully) resolve some of those resentments. Saturn in Capricorn may enact new laws or codes to deal with the situation. Jupiter in Sagittarius and Saturn in Capricorn represent each planet in the sign it rules so (hopefully) we’ll see the best of each placement.

Year Four

In year four, the planetary energies get very intense with Pluto and Saturn conjunct in Capricorn and then Jupiter joining in later in the year. At this time, Uranus will also be changing signs moving into Taurus.

Capricorn and Taurus are all earth signs and I expect great shifts from the earth itself to financial and property holdings. Pluto entered Capricorn right at the time of the global financial crisis (2008). I rarely see an astrological placement line up so directly to actual experience. We may see it again.

While this might sound dire, we have to examine how much earth and financial distress is caused by our own actions. If our actions toward earth and finance are fair, equitable and sustainable, then there’s not much to fear. The shift would be toward another level of function. However, I do fear dire consequences due to the imbalance of our current system.

Uranus moving into Taurus will oppose Pence’s Neptune in Scorpio. Scorpio is other people’s money and Taurus is one’s own. Pence (and possibly many others) will see a change to their financial holdings around this time.

The Pluto in Capricorn Presidency

Pluto entered Capricorn in 2008 and shook the world’s financial structure. Pluto has shaken other structures since then including law enforcement and politics.

In 2008 the US elected its first black president suggesting a shift in race relations (which don’t appear to have occurred). In 2016, the political foundations shifted with a pendulum swing to a more open authoritarianism and open resentment of others.

Pence is now part of history and his natal Saturn in Capricorn is a big part of how he will respond to these changes to Capricorn structure.