Only today’s GOP could take a bad situation and make it worse. After weeks of wrangling following the ouster of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, with multiple abortive attempts to install at least four nominees, the Republican caucus unanimously chose Mike Johnson (R-LA) as their new Speaker on October 25, 2023. New Speaker Mike Johnson is a MAGA diehard, one of the architects of the attempt to override the 2020 election results; his elevation is a clear signal that the party has no desire to reform its ways, and is intent more on obstructionism and culture war posing than true governance.
Although the election took place midday, when I was available to observe, I must admit I wasn’t being attentive, and don’t have an exact time for Johnson’s ascendance. After the debacle of the endless McCarthy vote in January (and several unsuccessful candidacies in this round), I was somewhat leery of the proceedings. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me 15 times, shame on me. It never occurred to me that the caucus would agree on Johnson’s candidacy in their first vote.
So I’m forced to do an approximate chart, timed to the earliest news reports I could find about the outcome, released at 1:55 PM EDT on 25 October 2023. A chart set for then in Washington DC accurately portrays the circumstance, so we must be in the celestial ballpark.
What stands out at first glance is the angular placements, indicating major themes. With Pluto at 27 Capricorn on the 25 Capricorn Ascendant, asteroid America 916 exactly on the 17 Scorpio Midheaven, and Jupiter at 11 Taurus on the 17 Taurus IC, this was a moment fraught with power (Pluto) politics (Jupiter) in the US (America).
Also widely conjunct the MC is Mars at 9 Scorpio, more closely opposing Jupiter. This suggests the recent political (Jupiter) free-for-all (Mars) immediately prior to this vote, when the GOP proposed, then cannibalized, successive nominees for the post, in a series of intra-party battles (Mars). A loose T-Square with asteroid Nemesis 128 at 3 Leo indicates the potential ruin or destruction looming for the Republicans, if they couldn’t find a way out of the impasse.
Nemesis is more tightly bound with a square to the Sun/Mercury conjunction at 2 and 5 Scorpio, showing a focus (Sun) on a vote (Mercury), which could have adverse ramifications (Nemesis). Mars still within orb here suggests the fractious quality of the House GOP interactions, and the need to select a leader (Mars).
But the principal pattern is a Grand Trine Kite involving the Sun/Mercury/Mars conjunction, in trine to asteroid Karma 3811 exact with Saturn at 0 Pisces, and TNO Chaos 19521 at 2 Cancer, with asteroid Washingtonia 886 at 2 Capricorn on the String, exactly opposed Chaos. We’re seeing here the focus (Sun) on a battle (Mars) for the Speakership (Mercury), a fated (Karma) conflict (Mars) over an important federal (Washingtonia) government official (Saturn), in an attempt to end a crisis of disorder and confusion (Chaos).
Chaos exactly opposed Washingtonia is more than apt for the circumstance. Chaos remains at its station degree of 2 Cancer, where it turned retrograde on October 4, the day after McCarthy’s ouster sent the GOP caucus into a three-week tailspin.
The newly-minted Speaker is well in evidence also, with asteroid Michel 1348 (French masculine variant of “Michael”, for which there is no exact English match) at 16 Capricorn conjoined asteroid House 4950 at 17 Capricorn, squared by asteroid Michela 1045 at 14 Libra (another Michael variant). Clearly MAGA Mike’s fortunes are bound up with the House of Representatives, and his fellow Republicans found it easy to identify him with the top job, given the House connection.
Asteroid Johnson 5905 at 23 Libra is also squared House, and more closely squared Pluto at 27 Cap, also identifying the new Speaker and alluding to his unexpected increase in personal power (Pluto). That sense of emerging from nowhere is reinforced by a Yod, or Finger of Destiny, with Johnson at the Apex and inconjunct aspects to Uranus (unexpected, shocking developments) at 21 Taurus and Neptune (hopes and dreams, fanatic zeal, alternate reality) at 25 Pisces. Asteroid Michelle 1376 (the French feminine form of Michael) at 29 Virgo lies on an out-of-Sign fulcrum for the Chaos/Washingtonia opposition, creating a T-Square and offering a way out of the bedlam.
Born 30 January 1972 (no time available), Mike Johnson’s nativity contains echoes of the recent contretemps, which explain his selection as Speaker at this time.
With asteroid America embedded at station, conjunct Uranus and opposed Mars, Johnson is a born combative flame-thrower (both Mars) insurrectionist (Uranus) on a national level (America). At 16 Libra, America turned direct on February 4, 1972, closely aligned with Uranus at 18 Libra, which made its station on January 23. This potentially makes Johnson a force for disruption and volatility on the national stage; with asteroid America also opposed to Mars at 22 Aries, armed insurrection is certainly on the table. A T-Square to asteroid Michel at 16 Capricorn affirms a personal connection to Johnson, who may see himself as some sort of warrior figure for the country in the causes he espouses, but also opens the possibility of a leadership position at some time.
That time, with transit Michel returned exactly to its natal place for his election as Speaker, accompanied by asteroid House, was now. A natal conjunction of Michel with asteroid Troemper 28130 at 9 Capricorn, our celestial referent for The Donald, gives Johnson his MAGA street cred, and shows the alignment between the current Speaker and the former President.
A second T-Square incorporates a pairing of the Sun with asteroid Nemesis at 9 and 10 Aquarius on its fulcrum, with squares to asteroid Michela at 7 Taurus and asteroid Karma at 1 Scorpio. With Sun/Nemesis, Johnson may see himself as an avenger, someone focused on righting wrongs or redressing the balance. Sun/Karma individuals often have a sense of being on a mission. To others, however, Nemesis may act as an enemy, opponent, rival or roadblock, a source of ruin and destruction. Again, the PNA (Personal-Named Asteroid) connection, allied with the solar contact, makes this personal. A Solar Eclipse at 5 Taurus on October 28, just three days after his election, activated this pattern, putting Johnson in a much stronger position to actualize his natal potential, and again suggesting that his time had come (Karma).
Asteroid House at 18 Scorpio is also squared Sun/Nemesis (though too wide of opposition to Michela or conjunction to Karma to be considered part of the T-Square per se). This does provide another link to the House of Representatives, as well as a sense that Johnson could be a thorn in the side of that legislative body. More specifically, House tightly squares Damocles 5335 at 19 Aquarius (broadly conjoined the Sun), an indication that Johnson could pose a looming threat.
With Neptune at 4 Sagittarius squared a Johnson/Michelle conjunction at 5 and 7 Pisces, Mike Johnson is a zealot with a fanatical streak, and a less-than-firm grasp on reality, preferring to live in a world of his own delusions rather than face facts on the ground. These individuals can be deceptive and dishonest, but also charismatic and inspirational, two traits which thus far Johnson seems to be lacking with the general populace, but no doubt he can energize like-minded individuals without undue effort.
Saturn’s recent June 2023 retrograde station at 7 Pisces conjoined Michelle exactly, with asteroid Karma in tow, signifying a fated (Karma) career bump and increased honors and responsibilities (Saturn). But the worm has turned again, with Saturn’s resumption of direct motion on November 4, and in a House of Representatives made even more volatile by his leadership, MAGA Mike Johnson’s tenure of the Speaker’s chair may not outlast Saturn’s return to its station degree in early February.
Alex Miller is a professional writer and astrologer, whose website AlexAsteroidAstrology.com offers a trove of info on the role of asteroids in personal and mundane astrology. He is the author of The Black Hole Book (available on Amazon.com) and The Urban Wicca, former editor of “The Galactic Calendar,” and past president of The Philadelphia Astrological Society. His pioneering work with Black Holes in astrological interpretation began in 1991, when his progressed Sun unwittingly fell into one. Alex’s books and writings are available on his website. Alex can also be reached for comment or services at .
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