I am absolutely blown away by the accuracy of your reading, and the new information I did not know is just spot on. This is the best money I have ever spent! I am so thrilled I contacted you!
"The natal chart is like a seed and progressions are the unfolding in time of that into the plant it is to become. Transits, are like a daily weather report. In political astrology, these three factors have to be taken into account!"
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NewsScope has been published continually since 1997. Links to NewsScope articles from September 2015 through December 2017 can be found in the Menu. Back copies dating from 2009 through 2015 are at
Sept. 17, 2018 - The Astrology of U.S. Disasters; Hurricane Florence; Willie Nelson Gets Political
Sept. 24, 2018 - Echoes of Anita Hill; October’s Top Five Astro-Events; Chris Hedges on Totalitarian Capitalism
Oct. 01, 2018 - Senator Flake Moved by Venus; Brett Kavanaugh’s Mercury-Neptune; Elon Musk's tweets
Oct. 08, 2018 - The #MeToo Movement advances; October’s Astro-Event #6; Is it Art? The Banksy Effect
Oct. 15, 2018 - Jamal Khashoggi’s Silence is Deafening; Market Sell-Off; Two Stars are Re-Born
Oct. 22, 2018 - Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman; Post-Election Developments; Elizabeth Warren in 2020
Oct. 29, 2018 - Mars in the U.S. 4th House; Top Five for November; Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil’s Next President
Nov. 5, 2018 - Mueller’s Mercury-Uranus Config; The Migrant Caravan; Gwyneth Paltrow and Madame Ovary
Nov. 12, 2018 - Matthew Whitaker’s App't; Florida Re-Count; Somalian Ilhan Omar Elected to Congress.
Nov. 19, 2018 - California’s Uranus Return; To Brexit or Not to Brexit; The 2020 Jupiter-Saturn Conjunction
Nov. 26, 2018 - Top 5 Astro-Events for Dec; Trump fights for the Wall; Nancy Pelosi Fights for Leadership
Dec.03, 2018 - Mercury Direct Energizes Mueller; George H. W. Bush, the 41st President; Barbara Bush,
Dec.10, 2018 - Echoes from the Watergate; NYSE Update; Ariana Grande’s Generational Influence
Dec. 17, 2018 - Top Five for Trump in 2019; Chief Mick Mulvaney; Loesser's "Baby, It’s Cold Outside”
Dec. 24, 2018 - The Jan. 5 Solar Eclipse Lilith Derails the Markets; Trump Signs Farm Bill, legalizes hemp.
Dec. 31, 2018 - January’s Top Five; Mitch McConnell, GOP Leader; Joe Biden, the Leading Dem. candidate.
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Recent NewsScopes
Jan. 7, 2019 - Trump Threatens lengthy; China’s Slowdown; Merc. Rx on Election Day 2020.
Jan. 14, 2019 - Gov't Shut downs; Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Social Media Star; Aquarius Beckoning
Jan. 21, 2019 - Michael Cohen Timeline, with his 15º Cap.Ascendant; Lauren Sanchez, the Other Woman
Jan.28, 2019 - Roger Stone, the Dirty Trickster; Feb.sTop 5 Astro-Events; Tom Brady’s Swan Song
Feb. 4, 2019 - Kamala Harris in 2020; Russia under Pluto spell; Evan Rachel Wood’s Bout with PTSD
Feb. 11, 2019 - AOC’s Green New Deal; Ceres: Co-sponsor; Virginia’s Black Moon Lilith Problem
Feb. 18, 2019 - The U.S. Pluto Return; The 2020 Saturn-Pluto Conjunction; The 2020 Election
Feb. 25, 2019 - March's Top 5 Astro-Events; Nicolas Maduro, Ven.Dictator; Zion Williamson's shoe
March 04, 2019 - Allen Weisselberg, Trump’s CFO; Jupiter-Saturn in Aquarius; The U.S. Pluto Return, 2
March 11, 2019 - Ilhan Omar and Eris; Trump’s Progressed Moon; Kane Tanaka, Oldest Person
March 18, 2019 - Saturn-Pluto and Big Oil; Big Oil’s Horoscope; Greta Thunberg Leads Global Movement
March 25, 2019 - Pluto on the South Node; April’s Top Five; Anthony William, Medical Medium celery juice
April 1, 2019 - Adam Schiff Leads Trump Investigation; Boeing’s 737 MAX 8; Jussie Smollett’s Hoax
April 8, 2019 - Joe Biden’s Touchy-Feely Problem; U.S. Scorpio Rising; Mackenzie Bezos, 4th Richest Woman
April 15, 2019 - U.S. Merc and Taxes; Saturn and Pluto Oppose Trump’s Venus-Saturn; Name That Planet!
April 22, 2019 - Trump and the Mueller Report; The U.S. Pluto Return, Part 3; Bernie Sanders leading the pack.
April 28, 2019 - Top Five Astro-Events for May; The U.S. Pluto Return, Part 4: parallels to the 1930s
May 6, 2019 - 2020 Election Results? Beyond Meat Skyrockets; James Holzhauer’s on Jeopardy
May 13, 2019 - balance from U.S. Saturn in Libra; Iran Poised for War; Presidents Impacted by Solar Eclipses
May 20, 2019 - Roe v. Wade Re-Visited; Eclipse hits Trump-Iran Conflict; Britney Spears’ 730 Evaluation
May 27, 2019 - The Trump-Pelosi Feud; June's Top Five Astro-Events; Hurricane Season and the U.S. Mars
re: Ms. Wood - I meant to write the minute I read your article on Ms. Wood. It gave me goosebumps to read it: what she experienced, the astrology correlated with it. Thank you for the work you do, the world is a richer place because of it.
re: Trump/Russia - Trump acts like Putin’s puppy. Russia’s destiny drives Trump. I’m not suggesting/don’t know that Trump is knowingly a Russian agent – but he is undoubtedly a Russian tool – Putin’s useful idiot. Where’s that weak spot in Trump’s synastry?
Thinking out loud: It would make an utterly unforgettable historic study if you could now use that Russian chart to show the connections between Russia’s “big transits/progressions’ and Trump’s pro-Russian decisions. If you could “front run” that analysis before Mueller publishes his report - and send it ahead of time to your contacts @ the NYTimes, Washington Post et al… well. That might be the best astrological prediction/analysis ever. Certainly for this century. And I think you’d be the right person to do this. The moment is now.
A. Thx for the suggestion. I've tried contacting both the NYTimes and WaPo in the past, and a few other reputable papers. They're of one mind in thinking that astrology is for entertainment purposes only, and they won't consider a more serious piece. In any case, the explanation for the Trump-Russia connection would be beyond mainstream readers' comprehension.
re: rapper - Have you profiled Chance the Rapper (Chancellor Jonathan Bennett, born April 16, 1993 per Wikipedia) yet on Neptune Cafe? He’s such a talented rapper but also a social justice warrior. He donated $1M to the Chicago school system and started a Twitter campaign to stop gun violence for 48 hours. His father worked for the Obama administration and some have called on Chance to enter politics. Do you see anything in his chart to indicate how he will grow in political stature and what role he might take? Thanks so much for giving me something to look forward to reading every week! I so appreciate you!
re: candidates - Thanks for printing Ms. Harris' and Ms. Woods' time of birth. About the Kamala Harris article, you wrote: "Most significantly, her Gemini Ascendant conjoins the North Node at 25º Gemini, which is the only link she has to the U.S. Moon at 25º Aquarius." IMO, most astrologers would say her Saturn at 28+ AQ is conjunct the US Moon at 25+ AQ. Your insights into people, nations and events are always valued. Thank you.
A. Thx for the feedback. I use a tight orb of less than one degree to consider whether a candidate is resonating with the US Moon as a symbol for connecting with the American people and their needs. Greater than one degree doesn't make the cut, and this guideline can separate the wannabes from the real contenders, the winning candidates. It's a definitive way of differentiating between the Scorpio Rising and Sagittarius Rising national horoscopes.
re: Pelosi - I'm increasingly believing that if another shutdown is to be averted, and/or anything gets done in DC, like holding the government together and forestalling Trump's worst foreign policy blunders, it will depend on Pelosi and McConnell achieving it through Congress. I know you've done reviews on each of them recently, but what about A) a comparison of their leadership styles, and/or B) a relationship chart for working together? Thanks as always for your insights.
re: Pluto Return - Thanks for all you write. Ever since you said Hillary would not be President (in spite of my most fervent wishes and all those polls saying she was ahead) I totally trust your political assessments. Your column on the Pluto return is sobering to be sure. But there is another strain of conservatism that might need to be recognized. That of the government institutions, and the press, which are still doing their jobs, for the most part. One thing for sure, the American Empire (not that I really love that term) is going into eclipse, if not by being outstripped by the likes of China, India, or Europe, but because we haven't gotten our own house in order, and have let our worst characteristics run amok.
re: Pluto Return - After reading a disgruntled reader's comments, I feel the need to offer my own.
I read your column every Monday, and send it along to several friends, including one who lives in France. We all appreciate the information coming through you from the configuration of the stars. I value the information you so generously pass along to us. The stars say it all and I appreciate you being the messenger. Many, many thanks and great gratitude,
re: Pluto Return – I’m not fond of the term “American Empire”, but doesn’t the 6th house refer to the military? I think I would classify that as one of the institutions that might still be conservative in the institutional sense, not wanting to be over-extended or sent out on a fool's mission, as our history has too often done. But then we always need to be vigilant for military adventurism.
A. American Empire is a useful term, though I don't often bring it up. Yes, don't forget that the US has by far the most powerful military presence in history, with a budget that outspends the next top 12 to 17 nations (depending on who's reporting), and with troops in 170 nations on our planet. Yes, let's hope the institutional framework can hold strong against the various shenanigans perpetuated by both parties....
re: Pluto Return - I respect your position as I do others who feel the same as you. I am sorry I was angry with you last week and I apologize. I had a feeling you would respond to my grumpiness through your weekly column in some fashion. This Pluto transit has been enlightening. It just makes me sad that the situation is what it is today at dinner tables all across America. Like Michael Lutin said in his various stories since 2007-2008 - it's the individual we elect in 2024
A. Thanks for your kind comments, they're much appreciated...
re: Pluto Return - Thank you, once again for an informative morning read. Question: Is there any other candidate with as strong an astrological standing as Trump for the 2020 election; someone whose basket would deserve all the opposition's eggs? Also, regarding Pluto's return: Although we cannot see from past US "returns" what would have manifested with this event, are there instances in other countries/governments that may give us an idea of how this may be reflected in the US's future? You wrote "But major Pluto transits can bring horrific catastrophes, sending the nation back to its core values for the re-birth phase. What form will this Plutonian collapse take?" Could this be a new Revolution--the rise of the proletariat (pitch forks) against the wealthy? Or would the catastrophes be more physical than philosophical?
re: Mueller report - What happened with Mueller's investigation. Nothing on Trump. Seems like much ado about nothing--except for the dudes who went to jail.
A. Stay tuned! Watch as Pluto turns retrograde while oposing Trump's Saturn. Also, Eris is now at 23º44' Aries, exactly squaring Trump's Saturn (orb: 0º04').
re: pages - This is probably nothing but I feel I should mention it , I have this site in a bookmark on my phone and for some reason when I access Neptune cafe it has Not Secure next to the name, this has just started showing up , it doesn’t happen to anything else I go to, was wondering if something is happening with the site...or what ???
A. It's because Google deems my site not mobile friendly. Fixing it would mean re-designing dozens of pages and I don't have the time to do that. Not to worry that it's being hacked though. Thanks for the feedback.
re: candidates - Of all the announced Democratic candidates for president this Swalwell has the most connections to that 25 degree Aquarius moon you reference often in regards to electability. He has Mars 25 degrees Sag, Uranus 25 degrees Scorpio and his moon for noon shows 28 Aquarius so if born earlier in day may actually be right on 25 degrees!
re: UK - There is so much going on right now in the news!! Maybe you already predicted it, but do you think the U.K. will have another referendum? If Brexit happens, the ensuing recession would spread to Europe like a cancer. It’s been funded and supported by the far right and Putin. Putin, of course, wants to restore Russia in its formal glory as a superpower to rival the US, and do do that, he needs to split and divide the West. Ergo, he supports Brexit. Trump wants a hotel in Moscow, and he is willing to do anything to make that happen, no matter what the cost.
re: Trump - Have you predicted yet whether Trump would finish out his presidency? With the Mueller report completed when Mercury is retrograde, would that hinder his case and be good for Trump? Or does the retrograde in this instance signify uncovering of secrets?
re: Trump - After you wrote about Trump's progressed Moon moving on top of his natal Mars, I noticed Trump's recent threat, "I got the cops and the military and Bikers for Trump..." What a fascist!. When I heard that, I thought of his progressed Moon
A. Yes, that braggadocio is a clear manifestation of his martial self-promotion.
re: NewsScope – I’ve been reading NewsScope for ten years, every Monday. Can’t wait til the next issue, thanks.
re: Bitcoin - There seem to be multiple charts for "Bitcoin". Bitcoin has been around long enough now to see a pattern in its valuation: dramatic price drops of 70%, followed by dramatic price increases, followed by drops, etc. Is there a Bitcoin chart that fits this valuation pattern? Is Bitcoin set to become the first international non-state medium of exchange? Thanks for your interesting site.
A. I have written about bitcoin's chart in the distant past (see bitcoin), but it's certainly worth another look.
re: Trump - Your piece on Uranus transits to the US ascendant: It does point to radical change but not a great sign if you were the one currently in power, yes? And does Trump's chart ever show signs of incarceration? He'll likely skate any federal charges, but it seems NY jails are ready and open for his business...
re: Trump - Doesn't transiting North Node conjunct Trump's natal Sun in 2020 weigh heavily in favor of his re-election?
A. It certainly helps, as does transiting Saturn, Pluto, and Jupiter trine his MC. Note that by definition, the Lunar Nodes are aligned with the eclipsed planet. However, many other factors should be considered, especially how his opponent's chart looks. Basing any forecast or prediction on one indicator is a sure way to miss the boat. Favorable transits can be totally over-ruled by hard progressions, for example.
re: Trump - Anticipating Trump's visit to the UK, Theresa May's people were warned not to schedule meetings lasting longer than 30 minutes "because of problems with his concentration span.’. Officials were told that, when a meeting exceeds that time limit, Trump just just checks out and 'starts doodling’. There's also been a lot of speculation about his drug use--- Aderall in particular. In addition, hundreds of mental health professionals expressed their concerns, issuing an analysis and a warning to all of us. Plus, his increasingly bizarre behavior indicates major problems.
Would you please consider looking into Trump's mental health?
re: 2020 - I read with some real concern your probably correct analysis that the US 2020 election will be under very real stress from continued [Russian] sabotage. Unhappily, what you also need to consider is that Bernie Sanders’ “independent Democrat” candidacy and generous fund-raising may also be part of that sabotage plan. Sanders candidacy is a classic diversionary tactic to peel off and divide the more liberal voters away from the larger Democratic candidate. Whatever his own motives – and I am not questioning these by any means – his “further left” views make him an ideal candidate for generous funding from black sources and even covertly from the Republican party itself. The Repubs will never attack Sanders; just watch.
June 3, 2019 - Trump’s 2019 Solar Return; Julian Assange; Kawli Leonard Leads the Toronto Raptors
June 10, 2019 - U.S. Pluto Return and Mars; Chinese Communist Party; Olivia Jade Hit by Saturn and Pluto
June 17, 2019 - Democratic Candidates Debate; Trump Relocated to Tehran; Eliz Warren on the Rise
June 24, 2019 - U.S. Progressed Mars Activated; July's Top 5 Astro-Events; Hopeful Pete Buttigieg
July 1, 2019 - Kamala Harris Hits Home Run; Pluto and the Concentration of Power; Megan Rapinoe, Soccer Star
July 8, 2019 - Int'l Climate Emergency; California Earthquakes; Cory Booker and the 2021 Inauguration
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* Read the Miami Herald’s story for the ground-breaking behind-the-scenes look at Epstein’s case
NewsScope for July 15, 2019
By Michael Wolfstar
Plutocrat Jeffrey Epstein Arrested Again
Billionaire and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was arrested last week on the same charges that landed him in prison in 2008, namely, of trafficking minors to the rich and famous. Among Epstein’s elite friends who traveled with him on the “Lolita Express” are Donald Trump, Prince Andrew, and Bill Clinton. Although we don’t have a birth time for Epstein, Scorpio Rising seems most likely.
A ballpark birth time of 1:00 am (January 20, 1953; New York, NY) gives him 5º Scorpio Rising (very near the U.S. Scorpio Ascendant), and puts his ruling planet, Pluto, in the 10th house – a clear indicator of a Plutocrat in charge of his own empire. Black Moon Lilith, also in the 10th house, is sextile the Scorpio Ascendant, linking his strong sexual appetite (a tendency for those with this Rising Sign) with his reputation for a hidden or prohibited business (in Virgo).
Epstein’s sexually active Venus-Mars conjunction in this speculative chart is located in the 5th house of recreational love-making. It’s enhanced and given opportunities for expression via the trine to Uranus. Uranus in the 9th house further describes the jet-setting jaunts with young female escorts to foreign locales, dubbed the “Lolita Express”. His clients, shown by the Jupiter in his 7th house, tend to be very wealthy (in Taurus).
Epstein’s Mercury in Capricorn squaring his 12th house Saturn-Neptune conjunction is naturally inclined to making behind-the-scenes deals, which have included bribery, sex trafficking, and possibly getting a sweetheart deal in 2008 for witnessing against his former employer, the financial investment giant Bear Stearns.* Currently, the transiting Saturn-Pluto conjunction is activating this Mercury. Last week when he was arrested, transiting Uranus was precisely conjunct his progressed Mars, which in turn opposed his Scorpio Ascendant.
Trump Re-Elected?
Several readers voiced their dismay at my recent post that Trump has “strong re-election chances.” One writes that his “progressed moon/progressed sun conjunction is on his ascendant later this month. This is usually a cycle end, is it not? Does Mueller's testimony mark a beginning of an end for Trump? His progressed Moon squares natal Uranus on Election Day.”
First, some terminology.… When the progressed Moon and Sun are conjunct, it’s called a progressed New Moon, and this actually becomes exact on September 16. Yes, it does mark the end of a major 30-year cycle and the beginning of the next one. Mueller’s testimony and others pushing for impeachment may eventually get their way, but this is a very long cycle and may take some time before it actually ends his reign in office.
Also note that his progressed New Moon at 3º Virgo is closely octile his natal Jupiter at 17º Libra (orb: 0º33’). This connection makes his new start quite favorable for his standing. For example, Trump’s threatened ICE raids could hearten his base by terrifying immigrants. And yes, his progressed Moon squares his 10th house Uranus in late October 2020. This only means that he may have some autocratic surprise for us.
Although it’s still early, I have several reasons to think Trump might win, including transiting Jupiter, Saturn, and Pluto trine his Midheaven during the 2020 campaign season. He fits the nationalistic, authoritarian, xenophobic tone of the Saturn-Pluto conjunction as well as the plutocratic death spiral suggested by the U.S. Pluto Return. But then the Solar Eclipse in December 2020 opposes his Sun and that could easily undo him, just maybe not before the election.
The Democratic Field Narrows
A regular reader is disappointed with the current two dozen Democratic candidates and notes that “The U.S. needs a Dark Horse. Could Joseph Kennedy III be the guy?” No. Kennedy has no planets above the horizon. They’re all located below the Ascendant/Descendant axis, which is not favorable for a national candidate. Plus he hasn’t declared or even hinted that he’s interested.
Currently, the Democratic field has two clear tiers: the top five (Biden, Warren, Harris, Sanders, and Buttigieg) and everyone else who is polling under 2 percent. The top five are also winning in terms of financial donations, but are split ideologically between moderates (Biden and Buttigieg) and progressives (Warren, Harris, and Sanders). This is going to be a huge problem if Democrats want to unseat Trump.
Next year we have several important astrological cycles shaping up which are moving the country in different directions. The Saturn-Pluto conjunction in Capricorn favors the strengthening of political, financial, and religious institutions and feeds Biden’s call for a return to normalcy and solid moral values. Then, the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in Aquarius in December 2020 feeds the progressive camp, and their calls for universal health care, fair treatment of immigrants, and taxing the super-rich.
In 2020 transiting Uranus in Taurus will oppose the U.S. Scorpio Ascendant, and this will likely tilt the process toward the more radical candidates. Warren, Harris, and Sanders have all proposed major plans for fundamental changes to the current system, and this is running up against the core principles promoted by the Saturn-Pluto conjunction. To make matters more confusing, for the three weeks before the November election, Mercury will be retrograde, which may lead to high-level shenanigans and accusations of voter fraud or miscounts.