[Here is an article I wrote for Express Star Teller in early September 2004 where I correctly predicted the outcome of the US election using conventional Vedic reasoning. It was published in the November issue which came out in mid-October.]
On November 2, Americans will go to the polls and re-elect President Bush. Perhaps it is fitting that an adminstration that has sowed such discord domestically and internationally should be returned to office by the power of the Great Malefic, Saturn. As apparently paradoxical as it first seems, Saturn is the planetary energy that Bush has successfully harnessed in his rise to power. While benefic Jupiter does play a role his November drama, it will be as a bit part.
Saturn has been an extremely positive force in Bush's life. His rise to political fame occurred during the Saturn dasha which began in 1987. During this time, he managed oil companies, bought a professional sports franchise, became governor of the state of Texas in 1994 despite having no political experience, and then became President.
Looking at Bush's chart (July 6 1946 7.26 am EDT New Haven, CT), we can see some of the sources of Saturn's power. It is well-placed in the first house with benefics Mercury and Venus. Equally important is the excellent condition of the Moon, Saturn's dispositor. Although often overlooked, dispositors often hold the key to understanding the strength of a planet. Moon is closely conjunct benefic Jupiter in the 3rd house of courage and action. This creates a personality that is decisive and determined and is not easily swayed by opposition. Additionally, Saturn is placed in the nakshatra of Pushya which is Saturn itself rules. This gives Saturn extra strength, and further reinforces the favourable influences upon it already enumerated.
A further clue to the heights that Saturn carried him can be seen in his D-10 dashamsha chart representing power and status. Saturn is placed in the powerful 10th house, one of the very best placements one can have for career success. But Saturn is not without difficulties here since it is debilitated in Aries and conjunct Ketu. Ketu is usually a negative influence on career although in Bush's chart it may perhaps better be seen as describing the way he has cemented his achievements: surprisingly, suddenly, and with strong opposition. The debilitation in Aries is not really a problem for his Saturn either, since its ruler Mars is exalted and angular and conjunct benefic Jupiter. This forms a superstrong Neecha Banga Raja Yoga for Saturn. As always, dispositors tell the tale of a planet's fundamental strength.
At the time of the election, Bush will still be running Saturn-Jupiter dasha. The Jupiter subperiod has not been without significant problems for him. He has begun a war that has proven to be far more costly in terms of resouces and lives than expected. His unilateral, neo-imperialist policies have been met with stern criticism from all around the world. In the rashi chart, the potential problem with Jupiter can be seen through its rulership of the malefic 6th house of conflict conjunct the lagnesh Moon in the 3rd. Further, Jupiter is compromised in the D10 chart. Although it is angular, conjunct an exalted planet Mars, and aspects the lagna, all factors which confer strength, it is debilitated in Capricorn. Further, its dispositor Saturn is also debilitated. On balance, then, this is definitely a weaker planet than his Saturn, although it is definitely not without power.
John Kerry: Mercury on Unstable Ground
The Democratic Party challenger John Kerry (Dec 11 1943 8.03 am MWT Denver, Colorado) also has a very strong chart for political success, as one would expect for a senator. 10th lord Sun rises in Scorpio, and lagnesh Mars aspects the lagna and that all-important Sun while conjunct the exalted Moon. It's a terrific chart for career success. Kerry is currently running Mercury-Mercury dasha which began in 2003. As the 11th lord of gains, Mercury has considerable strength in the 2nd house of status and wealth. Kerry is indeed a very rich man, although primarily this is primarily due to his wife's inherited fortune. Mercury is aspected by its dispositor Jupiter, which is placed in the 10th house — an excellent influence. However, Mercury is in the nakshatra of Mula which is ruled by Ketu, a not-so-good energy to have for a politician. Moreover, Ketu is disposited by Saturn, but here Saturn is not like Bush's Saturn. It is placed in the 8th house in the first sandhi degree and therefore perhaps a little weak, and also retrograde. While this weakness of Saturn doesn't translate fully back up the energy chain, as it were, through Ketu and then Mercury, it does create a somewhat shakier foundation for Mercury. And since Kerry is running both Mercury's mahadasha and antardasha, its energies are the chief source of his karma at this time.
Turning to Kerry's D10 chart, we can see further potential sources of weakness in his Mercury. It is not ruling either of the two important houses, the 1st and the 10th. It is also not aspecting either of those key houses. In fact, it is not aspected by another planet and so has to rely on itself for its strength. While that is considerable as seen in the rashi chart, I believe it does not equal the strength in Bush's chart. While his rashi chart is theoretically stronger than Bush's, he is running the wrong dasha to win the presidency. If perhaps his dasha sequence had him running his Sun or Mars dasha at this time, a different outcome would have been possible.
Transits on Election Night
The transit picture on election night November 2 confirms this analysis. In Kerry's chart, Jupiter (14 Virgo) is well-placed in his 11th of gains, as is Venus (12 Virgo). Significantly, neither these benefics aspect his dasha lord Mercury. A more troubling element to Jupiter's transit placement is that it will receive the exact 9th house trine aspect of his natal Ketu. This is not conducive to gains, and perhaps better represents missed opportunities.
Saturn (3 Cancer) is indifferently placed in the 9th house, and Mercury (3 Ssorpio) is well placed in the first house possibly underlining the high profile Kerry will enjoy in the election media coverage, win or lose. The only planet that aspects dasha lord Mercury is Rahu (8 Aries). Rahu is appropriately placed in the 6th house of competitions, just what one would expect for an election contest. Rahu doesn't contain significant winning energy, however, since it is placed in the 9th house natally, which is the 12th from the 10th, symbolizing loss of status.
In Bush's chart, it is the power of Saturn that will put him over the top, although likely not without incident or opposition. This is because transit Saturn (3 Cancer) will have a double barrelled effect: it will be conjoining its natal position in Bush's chart and it will have its retrograde station less than one week after the election. This almost stationary Saturn will be imbued with incredible power that will aid Bush in his quest for the top job. All of those favourable attributes of Bush's natal Saturn, therefore, will come back to him by virtue of this fortuitous transit. In addition, transit Jupiter (14 Virgo) will be nicely situated in the 3rd house very close to the equal house cusp, and hence it will favourably effect both his efforts and their results, since Jupiter aspects the 11th house of gains. Transit Rahu will be placed in the 10th house of power. This is appropriate use of Rahu's grasping, materialistic energy in any event, and in this case, it brings Rahu's natal influences to bear as well: Rahu is placed in Bush's 11th of gains. This Rahu will therefore bring gains (11th) to his career (10th).
As I have mentioned on my website however, Bush's win will likely not be without controversy. There is a strong possibility of official challenges of the results from the Democrats, and may include popular protest and rioting. This is because both of the planets that will bring Bush victory also have a darker side. Saturn, for all its strength in his chart, still rules the malefic 8th house of scandals and conspiracies. While it doubtlessly brings great political strength with it, its supercharged state from its station and natal return transit will likely boil over for Bush so that these unfortunate 8th house manifestations may come out around election time.
Jupiter also may be a double-edged sword. As ruler of the 6th of conflict and competitions, it will help Bush win the election. However, its election day position in the 3rd house is problematic owing to its close conjunction to natal Neptune (12 Virgo). Neptune rules deceit, subterfuge, and confusion, and having antardasha lord Jupiter transit its position shortly before the election may release these malefic energies.
Whatever the extent of popular protest and political skullduggery, Bush will retain his hold on power and will be sworn in to his second term as president of the United States on January 20, 2005.
