The U.S. Birthday is July 4. George Bush’s is July 6. Yet their Sun degrees are very close; they vary by only one-third of a degree. Their destinies are intertwined. And their solar returns are very similar. Except for Moon, the planets are all in the same degrees.

The wheel, and the locations of the planets in the houses are very different, indicating different fields of action.

Sun in a Solar Return indicates where your vitality is, where you apply your life force. For Bush, Sun is in the 10th house, where he is seen by the world. The U.S. Sun is in the 3rd house of communication and mind. Bush is a player on the world stage, and people in the U.S. think and talk about everything.

It is a fighting Sun, squared by Warrior Mars and Expander Jupiter. All three planets are in cardinal signs, which are quick to fly off the handle. The Jupiter-Mars house polarity is that of relationships in Bush’s chart, and re-alignment in the U.S. chart.

This Mars-Jupiter opposition is transiting Bush’s natal mental houses; he will have aggression on his mind. It is transiting the U.S. security houses. In particular Mars through the U.S. 4th house indicates that the people feel a need to fight for their security. It is not a very promising position for spreading the idea of peace in the nation.

Moon is in early Cancer in Bush’s SR chart, nestled cozily between the U.S. natal Venus and Jupiter, indicating a very soft bed in the nation for Bush. Cancer is defensive and security-oriented. The U.S. SR moon is in Gemini, nicely trine the U.S. natal Aquarius moon. This is an airy, mentally alive talkative trine. It adds strength to the U.S. SR Sun in the third house of communication. Bush will be laying aggression on the world, and the nation will be buzzing.

Bush’s SR Ascendant is in Virgo, exactly squared by Pluto on the nadir. He will project one thing: power at any cost, even if he has to destroy the world to win it. His Ascendant conjoins the fixed star Beta Leonis, the “Tail of the Lion." Ebertin says about this star:

“Beta Leonis has a Uranus nature, and it is supposed that major catastrophes are triggered off by it. Found on the Ascendant, a quarrelsome nature. It can be the cause of very exciting events.… Badly placed, mental diseases are indicated.”

Not good prospects for peace there, either.

Bush’s SR Descendant, across from his Ascendant, Is at 23 Pisces, conjoined Dick Cheney’s natal Moon. This puts him in total thrall to Cheney’s emotions and visions. What Cheney feels, Bush feels. What Cheney sees, Bush sees.

Bush’s SR Midheaven is at 22 Gemini, EXACTLY conjunct Bush’s progressed Uranus, to the minute. Bush will assert himself in the world with great strength and impunity. Nothing will stop him from doing what he wants to do.

Opposite the Midheaven is the nadir, at the bottom of the chart, the base of operations. Bush’s SR nadir is at 22 Sagittarius. Pluto sits astride it at 23 Sag. Pluto has a tremendous need for control, and feels completely above the law. If violence is needed, fine. There is no regard for others or for life. This is Bush’s heart place for the next year.

At this point, all I can say is, “Watch out, world!” (and that includes us).

The U.S. Solar Return has Taurus Ascendant, with Juno close to it, but being sneaky in the 12th house. Ceres is in Scorpio, close to the Descendant. National relationships will relate to money and resources (what’s new?). Read more about the meaning of this opposition in the Daily Guide.

The Midheaven of the U.S. Solar Return is at 28 Capricorn, the same degree as the U.S. power planet, Pluto. We do project our plutocratic power into the world. But now we have transiting Chiron hanging around that degree, and the carefully controlled and planned power has a mind of its own. Transiting Chiron will be exact there in October, as it says good-bye to Capricorn for another 51 years. The image of U.S. power in the world is changing.

The U.S. SR nadir has Saturn right on it. Security, stability, independence, control provide the nation’s foundation. But again, Chiron opposing the stable Saturn breaks up its pretenses to propriety.

There are two double quincunxes, or Fingers of God, in both SR charts.

Quincunxes make sudden, unpredictable changes, or twists of fate. It feels like there was nothing one could have done to prevent them.

Each quincunx has an outlet, where the tension is released. One of them outlets on George Bush’s natal Mars, the other one on the Aries Mars of these Solar Returns.

These Solar Returns will last until the next birthdays. Hang on, folks! And pray hard.