Drama in the Congress

The USA was thrown into legislative turmoil with the Speaker of the House being voted out of office on October 3, 2023.

This outturn was not entirely surprising to Systems' Approach astrologers, as the following was predicted for the USA last year:

"From late July, 2023, transit 6th lord JUPITER becomes stationary around 20° Aries and the MEP of the 10th house until mid October 2023. This suggests a lot of conflict in the US Congress and government, especially after the [Moon/Rahu] period begins." [1]

SYSTEMS' APPROACH ASTROLOGY

In the SAMVA USA chart, the reasoning is that Mars is 10th lord and functional malefic (FM) Rahu is placed in the most effective point of the 10th house, which rules the Congress and government as per the Systems' Approach. In the chart these placements are described thus:

"A strong Mars, in mutual aspect with the Moon, gives Americans their identification with a strong military and industry. As Mars rules the 10th house, it also gives a robust and famous government and legal tradition. That said, the conjunction of Rahu with the most effective point of the 10th house, ruled by Mars, and Ketu to the 4th house of communal harmony, also contribute plenty of problems in this regard. 

The placement of the lunar nodes, Rahu in Aries tenth house and and Ketu in Libra fourth house, has caused many tragedies and difficulties in the national life, involving upsets in the political sphere and the social calm. The influence of Rahu has repeatedly led to exposure of corruption in government and legislative affairs, disrupting the communal harmony."

To this we may add that as 6th lord, Jupiter rules conflict. In short, the stationary placement of Jupiter at 21° Aries visited conflict on the US Congress and government, which intensified in the second half of September.

Indeed, on September 21 2023, one member of the SAMVA list on Groups.Io asked:

"Wonder what may emerge out of very weak [transits] of Venus and Mars moving through aspects of stationing [transit] Rahu and Ketu between Oct 1st and 3rd. Jupiter will be weak as well."[2]

A lively discussion ensued about the likelihood of this transit triggering a government shutdown from October 1, 2023.

At the last moment, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy managed to strike a bi-partisan deal to keep the government open. At that point the prediction looked like it was off the mark.

However, this deal caught the leader of the Freedom Caucus, Matt Gaetz, off guard and he became infuriated, tabling a motion to "Vacate the Chair" two days later, on October 3, 2023. It was passed, with a minority of GOP members voting with the opposition party, the Democrats. This outcome has now catapulted the House of Representatives into leaderless chaos. What is more, Such an action is unprecedented in at least the past 100 years. [3]

ASTROLOGY OF THE EVENT

This dramatic outcome may be seen in three transits during the Moon/Rahu period, which began on Sept. 15, 2023:

• - transit infant 10th lord Mars was conjunct tr stationary Ketu in the 4th house. This served as the trigger,
• - transit 6th lord Jupiter was stationary conjunct 10H MEP and Rahu. This is the main aspect involving the political conflict, and
• - transit stationary 8th lord Saturn in the 8th house aspected 10th lord Mars in the 5th house and 6th lord Jupiter in the 5Hth house. This added further weakness to the indications of the 10th house.

LESSON

A valuable lesson from this episode is that if the most effective point [MEP, +/- 5° from rising degree] of a given house is afflicted by a transit stationary functional malefic planet, it is important to examine the strength of or afflictions to the natal or transit planet ruling that house. If either or both become afflicted in transit, as was the case here, a setback is likely at that time.

Now the Congress must chose a new Speaker.

REFERENCES

[1] Cosmologer's blog (2022) Predictions for the USA in 2023. December 31.

https://cosmologer.blogspot.com/2022/12/predictions-for-usa-in-2023.html

[2] Oct 1st - Oct 3rd transits. Message #7545 on SAMVA list on Groups.Io, September 21, 2023.

https://groups.io/g/samva/message/7545

[3] King, Ryan (2023). "Kevin McCarthy ousted as House speaker, thrusting Congress into chaos." New York Post. Oct. 3, 2023.

https://nypost.com/2023/10/03/kevin-mccarthy-ousted-as-house-speaker-causing-congress-chaos/