I have a corrected birth time for Dennis Kucinich: 5:53 p.m., October 8, 1946, still in Cleveland, Ohio. This time gives Dennis an Aries Ascendant, which seems much more appropriate to his pioneering personality, ready to meet challenges. This is a far more human, less saintly, chart than the 5:00 p.m. time which I quoted in the last issue of Daykeeper, with Pisces rising.

His ruling planet is Mars in Scorpio, also full of fighting spirit. Furthermore, Mars fortifies his four Scorpio planets. Strong Scorpio is Dennis’ dominant sign. Scorpio digs deeply, to the bottom of things. It is also a very psychic sign, and has X-ray vision into situations and people. Mars in Scorpio shows that his energy is inexhaustible and persistent. He has magic in transfoming money and resources. and he is crisis-oriented. No matter what the crisis, Dennis maintains his cool and meets it with solutions.

There is no more effective energy-applier than Mars in Scorpio. Motivation is the key here. Because Mars in Scorpio is so powerful, it can easily be subverted by power. Using it well requires a dedication to the high side of life. Dennis has shown that he has this altruism, and his Libra Sun together with his Pisces Moon confirms that heritage.

Dennis’ Solar Return, his birthday chart for 2003, shows Scorpio on the midheaven, where Dennis meets the world. The midheaven conjoins his natal Jupiter in Scorpio, which shows that Dennis’ growth is through the Scorpio road of power and healing. The world will now see that natal energy.

His Sun and Venus in Libra in the ninth house of preaching, teaching, and spreading the word show that he will be on the stump for this next year, talking up his ideals of a world which is more peaceful and harmonious. Dennis’ natal Chiron in Libra, conjoining his Libra Sun, will be featured in 2003. Chiron is the wounded healer, and Dennis’ healing drive is to create a more balanced harmonious world, and to fight injustice wherever he sees it.

Transiting Saturn crosses Dennis’ nadir on August 4, and his work in the world begins then a 15-year upward swing, where he becomes more and more public. Regardless of whether he ever becomes President, the determination shown in Dennis’ chart shows that he will achieve his destiny of public service. (That destiny could be that of a martyr, whose death mobilizes others.)

The Scorpio energy does not end with Dennis. According to the Almanac of Famous People, Howard Dean was born on November 17, 1948, in New York City. I don't have his time, but the ephemeris shows that his Scorpio sun conjoins Chiron, the Wounded Healer, in Scorpio. He is a medical doctor, a profession to which he brings Scorpio’s great healing power. As Governor of Vermont, he has brought positive changes to the health system, and as President he could continue that work.

He and Dennis both have Mercury in Scorpio, and this makes them true investigators and deep thinkers. They think about power, and know what to do with it. Again, motivation means everything in how they wield their power. Howard’s life has shown his main motivation to be that of healing.

However, Howard considers war a reasonable option for problem-solving. He is happy to support the Pentagon’s bloated budget, and willing to go to war. This is shown by his Mars in the free-wheeling, risk-taking sign of Sagittarius. It conjoins Jupiter in Capricorn, which shows that he expands his social niche by joining the establishment. To me, his chart says that he would be likely to get us into, rather than extricate us from, war.

Both Dick Cheney and Colin Powell have Mars in Sagittarius. Both Wolfowitz and Rumsfeld have Mars in Sagittarius’ counterpart, Gemini. Furthermore, Howard’s Mars opposes his Uranus, a notoriously volatile and self-willed configuration. Again, motivation is the key. But Howard has already put himself on the side of war, just not preventive war. However, since it seems that war tends to appeal to the majority of U.S. voters, this surely adds to his nomination chances.

Between Dean and Kucinich, the crucial difference concerns war and peace.