US forecast December 20, 2017 - January 16, 2018

[Jim Eshelman]

USA Mundane Forecast
for the four weeks beginning December 20, 2017
If you are unfamiliar with the methods and interpretations of Sidereal mundane astrology, see my free book Sidereal Mundane Astrology. (A link to the current edition can always be found near the top of the Publications sub-forum.) For standard interpretations, see Chapter 7.


LONG-TERM (Solar Ingress) PATTERNS Map 1 Map 2
For the twelve months beginning January 14, the United States Year chart promotes greater optimism.Jupiter is most angular (IC, 0°56'). Uranus is on Midheaven opposite Jupiter. Sun squares MC and Jupiter.

JUPITER OPPOSITE URANUS brings ideological rebellion - both peaceful and violent forms, as diverse as Woodstock and the storming of the Bastille. Expect remapping of the larger social contract, pushing for wider horizons and expanded opportunities. Medical breakthroughs will accelerate, e.g., there is an excellent chance that the final crack in cancer's defenses will occur this year. Proponents of liberal social and political agendas raise their voices, demanding civil rights and social justice. At best, it brings collective optimism, inventiveness, new tech vision, and futurism.

However, SUN-JUPITER promises plenty of self-serving, elitist "politics as usual" in the mix, motivated by a non-philanthropic tendency of people with money and power wanting more money and power.

With Jupiter most angular, the year is overall optimistic. Expect victories, diplomacy and peace, and heightened prosperity, economic expansion, and a spirit of abundance, celebration, and national pride. With Sun angular, the authority of government is a larger, more persistent presence in the typical American's life. As Sun is well aspected, this will be mostly a beneficent presence.

The new 2018 Capsolar arrives January 15, just before this prediction cycle ends. It differs significantly from the above. More on the new chart and new year next month.

Libsolar Map 1 Map 2
For the three months October 18 to January 15, a positive, upbeat partile Mercury-Jupiter conjunction exactly squares Ascendant. This joins powerful change indicators: Pluto exactly square Midheaven (with Moon square Pluto), and a foreground Sun-Uranus opposition.

Themes to which this year has been building will converge and come to a head in a dramatic movie-like climax in this last quarter before the (substantially different) 2018 Capsolar. Mostly, this will be fiercely positive - with emphasis on the fierce, because this is not a tame, well-behaved chart of settled old orthodoxies. Conventions are advantageously challenged, shaken, and abandoned.

Though bad things do happen under Mercury-Jupiter influence, they are infrequent. (When they occur, "bad" is in the eye of the beholder: Nearly always, one party has great success to the detriment of another.) Most often, we expect diplomatic success, commercial alliances, trade negotiations, successful conversations and cooperation, and major judicial action. Especially, it is a favorable time for conducting business, so commerce should flourish. People spend more time listening to each other, and mostly good things come from this.

We expect a kinder, more comfortable time, more prone to diplomacy and alliances than to antipathies; but things will not be calm, routine, and predictable. Pluto squares Midheaven (0°50') and Moon squares Pluto (0°12' in mundo), signifying high-impact events, primarily separative and disruptive, that stun our senses and halt our minds with their intensity. Mainstream and counter-establishment sensibilities form the scrimmage. Unnatural events under Pluto tend to be fiercely political, such as leader deaths, departures, and similar crises, terrorist attacks, severing historic relations, and populist challenges to prevailing authority. Also, Sun opposite Uranus (1°36') fosters events psychologically (and often physically) startling and explosive, from great discoveries benefiting everyone to natural disasters, large fires and explosions, sudden violent attacks, and calling leaders to task.

Besides the Uranus and Pluto, we have a Moon-reinforced Venus-Pluto mundane square (2°) that is geographically distinctive to Washington and nearby areas. In a time of heightened (and likely successful) diplomacy and negotiation, this aspect suggests dramatic changes in relationships, such as secured alliances and treaties; but it also anticipates stark severing of emotional ties, as in loss of loved ones and the destruction of homes and community, on a scale that stuns us. "Government rescue and bail-out" seems to synthesize these diverse elements most widely.


BRIDGE PATTERNS
The entire month is a URANUS-NEPTUNE-PLUTO Zone and, if that sounds weird and "out there," it is! Uranus and Pluto cross Capsolar angles, while CapQ Moon opposes Capsolar Neptune (exact January 1 and 2). In broad terms, Uranus-Pluto signals destabilizing, perhaps revolutionary, anti-establishment dismantling and remapping of things. Moon-Neptune signals a powerful wave of emotional response from the masses, fervor, herd-mind arousal, whether in excitement or panic. With this emotional mass-surge, expect reason to fly out the window in exchange for confusion, disorientation, and uncertainty. Conventional thinking definitely goes out the window, and people are entranced, pro or con, with outlier possibilities.

For the first five days of this period, though, there is another factor. From December 21-24, add MARS to the Uranus-Neptune-Pluto mix, as it first squares Capsolar Ascendant and then (in overlap) opposes CanQ Moon. These days leading right up to Christmas are volatile and threatening. Martial trends stir and further fire everything just described under Uranus-Neptune-Pluto. Given the season, expect deadly fires and deadly violence, Tempers run unseasonably high. Attacks abound. December 22 is the trigger date.

SHORT-TERM (Lunar Ingress) PATTERNS

Caplunar (Dec 20)
The Caplunar covers December 20 to January 16, and especially the first week, December 20-27. It is primarily described by one aspect: Mercury squares Neptune with Neptune closely rising (2°) and Mercury more widely foreground. Additionally, Moon squares Uranus (0°21').

Mercury-Neptune accompanies confusion, puzzlement, disorientation, and bad (confused) choices. (Perhaps especially bad choices.) Whatever happens now leaves people wondering, “What’s next?” or, “What happens now?” With the strong, universal Moon-Uranus aspect, this condition likely arises from startling events and disclosures.

As always with Mercury afflictions, expect impairment of transportation and communication routes. In the year where "fake news" is such a rallying cry, we should be especially careful right now to sort fact from fiction in the overwhelming amount of information that comes our way. Lies, misrepresentation, and deception are in the wind.

Pluto is angular in the CapQ 12/22, which brings things to climax. Christmas and Boxing Day bring Uranus.

Arilunar (Dec 27)
The Arilunar covers December 27 to January 2. Among its factors are all those from the previous week: Neptune and Mercury are each about 1°from an angle and in square, and Moon conjoins Uranus (0°24'). Everything from the Caplunar forecast applies here, either continuing from last week, or picking this week to fully manifest the Caplunar's promise.

But we also have more than in the Caplunar, including heavy affliction to Venus. Neptune, Venus, Sun, and Moon are all within about 2° of angles, with the closest aspects among Venus, Saturn, and Neptune. These are aspects of heartache. The confusing and disorienting of Mercury-Neptune and Moon-Uranus coexists with the heartache of devastating loss, if I'm reading the balance correctly. Under similar aspects we have seen mass killings and high-casualty disasters.

Also, the White House could easily figure into this pattern given Sun and Saturn so close either side of Descendant (their midpoint on Dsc). Sun-Saturn with Saturn-Neptune is quite averse to the security of the Chief Executive. One hesitates to spell out all the possibilities from these blends. With Sun square Neptune (mundanely, right on the angles), conditions are not only confusing and disorienting, they whirl like a cyclonic maelstrom.

Though the economy in general, and stock market in particular, is likely to run above average for the life of the current Capsolar, I should mention that Saturn, Neptune, and Sun, plus some of these other aspects, are the exact planets that historically have signaled banking crises and market collapses. Hey, it's only a week; so, be careful this week.

New Years Eve and Day bring Sun-Uranus to CapQ angles, after a Jupiter-graced 28th (the penultimate business day of the year).

Canlunar (Jan 2)
The Canlunar operates January 2-16. Pluto squares Midheaven (0°30'). Moon squares a stationary Uranus (0°25') in the foreground. Both are exceptionally close.

So far as it can happen in a single fortnight, everything now changes. We are startled, taken by surprise, our sensibilities stunned, our workaday clickity-clack mental processes halted. Things are torn down, broken, and removed. Once this week is over, there is no going back; there is only going forward.

CanQ angles touch transiting Neptune on the 3rd, ingress Venus on the 4th and 5th, and ingress Neptune on the 5th and 6th.

Liblunar (Jan 9)
The Liblunar is dormant, allowing last week's Canlunar to flow through into the new week as well. However, Moon makes several aspects, one that is universal and three that are distinctive to the Washington area.

Moon opposes Uranus (0°24'). They both square a triple conjunction of Sun, Venus, and Pluto. Venus is somewhat wider than the others, so this is mostly adding Moon-Pluto and Moon-Sun to the mix. These repeat the tone of the Canlunar and focus attention more specifically on solar things, which may includes the president personally (or the White House in general). We especially expect removal or assault on those in power and an element of disrespect for and disobeying the law.

In the CapQ we get angular Pluto on the 10th, Uranus on the 11th, and Sun-Venus-Jupiter (and some Uranus) on the 12th. CanQ angles touch Saturn on the 12th and 13th.

[Jim Eshelman]

PROGRESSIONS
Progressed Saturn conjoins progressed Midheaven. Having built to maximum strength over many months, the aspect becomes exact this month, on January 7. (Realistically, if Trump's birth time is accurate to the minute (as it appears to be), we only know then this Saturn-MC conjunction is exact to within three months; but, for the time given, the calculated peak is right now.)

We have watched his position weaken, challenged by increasing burdens, threats, and losses. Standing in deepening, darkening shadow, his long-term picture is dire professionally, politically, and in terms of health.

Compounding this, progressed Moon conjoins natal Pluto beginning December 29, while concurrently sextile progressed Mars. Moon-Pluto signals personal crisis. Many Moon-Pluto expressions are already part of Trump's character, e.g., refusal to comply with others' expectations or limitations, and little regard for convention or, for that matter, other people or their feelings. What happens now, though, is more acute. Expect separation, isolation, a wish to escape from pressing conditions, perhaps someone's death, certainly a culmination that involves crossing a threshold that has no going back. Watch this ripen over the first month of 2018.

His positive Venus-Jupiter progressed conjunction lasts for years, and has some support from progressed Sun. Now, though, Saturn-MC and Moon-Pluto (+Mars) own the show.

SOLAR ARC DIRECTIONS
Four Solar Arc directions (active all month) deserve mention. Expiring December 27 (having been active for 24 months) is d. Pluto conjunct r. Jupiter, which has propelled him to the peak of power. But still building to a head are d. Mercury square r. Uranus, which promises disclosures and revelations; d. Uranus conjunct r. Mars, an aspect of boldness, uncalculated daring, and surprise attacks, showing rough waters ahead; and d. Moon opposes r. Ascendant, an aspect of vulnerability.


TRANSITS
All month, PLUTO squares natal JUPITER, becoming exact December 21. Over many months, this transit redefines status, finances, ethics, and reputation, exalting aspirants to unlikely heights and dragging down those at the pinnacle. Specific results depend on concurrent transits and return charts.

URANUS squares his SATURN all month. Tension stems from struggles between opposites such as stability vs. change. Current patterns are challenged, shaking material foundations and personal rigidities. He reacts strongly against others' efforts to control him, is uncooperative, and demands increasing autonomy.

Also all month, and becoming exact December 23, NEPTUNE aspects natal VENUS. This aspect has been hard to track in his character, but is best known for investment of emotional force (to the point of adoration) on unattainable people and things. Certainly the holiday season will offer personal, sentimental, even artistic expressions of this aspect, but the main effect (in combination with Pluto-Jupiter and Uranus-Saturn) is heightened emotion and unrealistic expectations of people and the limit of their loyalty.

Here are key MARS transits help identify trigger dates:
12/26 - t Mars sq. r Pluto


SIDEREAL SOLAR RETURN
Please see the June forecast for an analysis of Trump's Sidereal Solar Return.
viewtopic.php?f=46&t=1450#p8523


SIDEREAL LUNAR RETURN (Dec 17)
President Trump's Lunar Return from the last days of the old Caplunar month is complex, with a dozen and a half separate important considerations. These group into a smaller number of clusters.

Most importantly, Sun and Moon are in precise (0°07') mundane conjunction within a degree of SLR Descendant. Aspects this powerful signal that this is one of the most important Lunar Returns of his year. Exact Moon-Sun aspects mark cross-roads, turning points, or phase changes. The conjunction represents the start of a new cycle in life, although (Moon being not quite to the conjunction yet) this takes the form of old cycles closing to make way for something new. Doors are ripped open and slammed shut. There is a refocusing on the direction his life is proceeding. Assertiveness is strong, driven by an instinct that destiny demands a new road.

On Descendant, it brings focus on close relationships of all types, both cooperative and competitive. He seeks attention and ratification of his importance from others, not from within himself. More than usual (if that's possible) he draws attention and is the center of it.

But the relationships that matter most this month are severe ones (or more precious ones suffer significantly). Saturn also sets, conjunct both luminaries. Incompatibility stands exposed. Competition and separation outpace cooperation. Sun-Saturn and Moon-Saturn bring burdens, a sense of hardship and abandonment, and more to handle and manage than mot people would care to shoulder.

A foreground Mercury-Venus conjunction (and a mundane Moon-Venus) gives some grace and the opportunity to be heard. These, however, are weaker than the Moon-Sun-Saturn trio.

Natal Sun also rises closely (2°24'). The two Suns are opposed across the horizon, reiterating that he is in the spotlight, at the hub of swarming attention. Ego needs intensify: One or another form of his solar nature is the hub of this month's events.

Mercury opposes natal Uranus (foreground, partile). New things are learned! This may mean that Trump himself makes important discoveries, is surprised, and develops insight, or that information about him is brought into the public arena.

These discoveries and disclosures set the predicted new cycle (New Moon) into motion, breaking up old, locked patterns and generally shaking up his status quo; for all this occurs in a chart that also has middleground squares (0°08' wide each) of Pluto to his Jupiter and Uranus to his Saturn.

SNQ MC opposes natal Pluto in the two days after Christmas, just as transiting Mare squares it. This is emotionally brutal, and he (and the rest of us) would be better off if he fled Washington for the holiday.

DEMI-SLR (Dec 31)
This is not a major chart. Angularities are wide. Enough aspects are present to give a flavor of the new layer added to this fortnight, but the real punch remains in the overriding SLR (above), not this Demi.

Mercury is the only foreground SLR planet, 5 1/2° above Descendant. It conjoins natal Moon and opposes natal Sun-Uranus (also: t. Sun opposes r. Mercury). Mercury-Uranus is the closest aspect (0°54'). Have you noticed how often Mercury-Uranus has appeared lately? As with the other occasions, the main theme of this chart is disclosure and revelation.

Trump seems curious, intrigued, his mind engaged in something, his wit quickened. Secondary traits are restlessness (probably insomnia: the tweets may start longer before dawn). But the main effect is discovery, disclosure, and revelation.

SNQ MC squares Jupiter January 2. Natal Uranus on the 10th and natal Mars on the 12th fill out the time.

SIDEREAL LUNAR RETURN (Jan 13)
A new Lunar Return in the last days of the Caplunar month portrays brooding darkness. Transiting Mercury and Saturn closely conjoin each other and IC. They, and especially Mercury, square natal Neptune on Ascendant. (Natal Mercury is also foreground.)

Mercury-Saturn clearly dominates the chart, just as it gains primary importance for the world at large when the new Capsolar begins a day later. Obviously is portrays barriers to communication and negative, burdened states of mind. People don't listen to each other well. Minds are closed. Mistakes and fumbles occur more often, including self-sabotage behavior. Others may also be doing the sabotage and (with Neptune) we expect betrayal, bitterness, and growing distrust (which, of course, further impairs communication).

Its simply a bad month for the president, with plenty of bad news. It's made worse by the magnifying, distrusting, fantasy-fuelled natal Neptune.

Pluto (in the middleground) continues to square his Jupiter, but the real transit activity centers on Uranus' square to natal Saturn. This is because Uranus, Sun, and Venus are in tight formation, so we also have partile transits of Venus and Sun to natal Saturn. This fuels everything written about Uranus-Saturn above but especially accelerates burdens, self-recrimination, and emotional separation from his support systems. It is very hard for people to accept or acknowledge love and affection when Venus transits their Saturn!

Trump's luminaries dominate the SNQ angles, with natal Moon setting on the 14th, natal Sun rising on the 15th, and progressed Sun on IC on the 16th.

[erikboen]

Hi,

Thanks for all the info, really worth reading. I still have some work to do here. Being a siderealist also, which ayanamsha do you use? Then, why not incorporate the fixed stars and the paranatellonta,or parans of Kolev or bernadette Brady. The stars do not shine without meaning and add precious information to whatever event or progression or arc or transit.

Erik Boen, ex student of Kolev, Brady, Frawley.

[Jim Eshelman]

This is off topic to the current thread (which is about delivering and tracking the monthly mundane forecast), but I'll answer briefly. (I'm glad you're enjoying what you've found.)

Being a siderealist also, which ayanamsha do you use?

Fagan-Bradley. (That's really the only one that falls under the school of astrology formally called "Sidereal astrology."

Then, why not incorporate the fixed stars and the paranatellonta, or parans of Kolev or bernadette Brady.

Speaking for myself, the research on fixed stars has been insufficient to rely on them. We cite them occasionally, and there are a few cases where we seem to have more confidence in them than others. Work in progress.

I spent a time when I religiously checked fixed star angularity in the ingresses, and never found anything sufficient to actually use them with confidence.

We use parans here - many threads, in different ways - but I suspect you are talking about their use with fixed stars, since you cited Bernadette.

The stars do not shine without meaning and add precious information to whatever event or progression or arc or transit.

Yeah, if I only knew for sure what that meaning was!

[Jim Eshelman]

As the first significant act under the new Caplunar, the House of Representatives just passed (for the second time) the tax bill, which now will be headed to Trump's desk before Christmas.

Its roots were especially in the immediately prior Caplunar, though also very well represented in the discussion of the Libsolar above.

[Jupiter Sets at Dawn]

After a wonderful afternoon, full of compliments and accolades, at 4:32 PM, Senator Mark Warner (D, vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee) came out on the Senate floor (where there was not a quorum because all the Republicans were raising a choir call and response with the President,) gave a speech telling the President not to fire Mueller in no uncertain terms.

I bet the President is fit to be tied. And more determined than ever to fire Mueller.

If we don't hear from Richard Burr (R chair of Senate Intel Com) that he's right there with Warner, the firings will commence ASAP.

[Jim Eshelman]

See Trump's current SLR and today's Caplunar for different sides of this.

I've wanted Warner in line for President for a long time... Though I don't think he's the kind of person voters would elect in this present era, I think he's very much what we need. I'm glad to see him finding his voice and an important platform.

At the time you gave for the beginning of his speech (I saw the first few minutes of it) a partile Sun-Saturn conjunction was just ready to set, with Venus having just passed Descendant exactly trined Uranus. I think the appropriate description is... "It's on!"

CapQ Descendant conjoined ingress Pluto. Its WP was in orb of the afflicted Sun. CapQ Moon-Neptune opposition is now less than half a degree from exact. Uranus is within a degree of Capsolar MC.

Yeah, it's on!

[Jim Eshelman]

Of natal planets, the most important is his Sun exactly conjunct Midheaven and closely opposed by transiting Mercury on IC. He is called to leadership, called to use his thoughts and words to guide a path. This transitional month helps him more clearly discern who he is, including discovering resources he didn't have before. Venus opposite his Mercury, also foreground, gives him the benefit of some grace, of a gracious reception.

I'm unclear whether this is a "hit." He certainly is exercising distinctive leadership and likely having a gracious reception. The Mercury-Neptune, though, would need to be more than "the trip was a secret."

Pence gave a speech yesterday at the tax act signing that's become somewhat celebrated, in which he complimented Trump every 12 seconds for 3 minutes. I think that fits.

[Jupiter Sets at Dawn]

As of yesterday, the DACA protections are expiring little by little, day by day.

[Jim Eshelman]

Is anything actually going on, at the national level, this week? It barely looks like it. Holidays, yeah. Maybe stuff behind the scenes fitting the Moon-Neptune and Mercury-Neptune.

But, really, this was as clear as case as I've seen in a while of a Caplunar setting up a pattern that the next week's lunar ingress seems to focus and mature, and... well, pretty much nothing.

Or am I just missing it?

[Jupiter Sets at Dawn]

Washington emptied out for the holidays. Lawmakers, aides, everybody went home, had Christmas, watched the ball drop and will be back Tuesday/Wednesday. Trump is in Florida with only minor aides who let him give an interview to the NY Times. Everything else is people trying to sum up the past year and ending up basically just running through lists of people who died.

[Jim Eshelman]

What can I say, but... covfefe.

[Jim Eshelman]

Moon is entering Cancer. Here's what comes next:

Canlunar (Jan 2)
The Canlunar operates January 2-16. Pluto squares Midheaven (0°30'). Moon squares a stationary Uranus (0°25') in the foreground. Both are exceptionally close.

So far as it can happen in a single fortnight, everything now changes. We are startled, taken by surprise, our sensibilities stunned, our workaday clickity-clack mental processes halted. Things are torn down, broken, and removed. Once this week is over, there is no going back; there is only going forward.

[Avshalom Binyamin]

And today (1) Trump "may have" [obligatory legal speak] engaged in witness tampering over twitter when he called on the justice department take action against Comey and (2) Orrin Hatch announced his retirement, paving the way for Mitt Romney to take his place, much to Trump's chagrin.

What are the odds of Mitt Romney being the Republican's idea for a Trump replacement after the Russia investigation takes down POTUS, VP, and Speaker of the House?

[Jim Eshelman]

Remember, the speaker is a friend of his. Was his running mate. And this would throw the presidency to the president pro tem of the Senate. (Has anybody calculated who this will be after Hatch leaves?)

If a republican is going to inherit the office, even though I'm not a big fan of Ryan, he would be a vast improvement over the two ahead of him. I've entertained the thought the president Ryan by pick Romney as his vice president, flipping the 2012 ticket.

[Jupiter Sets at Dawn]

Next Republican Senator by seniority and likely President Pro Tem of the Senate is Thad Cochran of Mississippi.

[mikestar13]

In some scenario where both Trump and Pence were to go down before whichever one left office last could appoint and get Congress to approve a new Vice-President, there is the possibilty of a constitutional crisis (one of the thing besides astrology I've studied extensively is constitution law--with the obligatory disclaimer that I am not a lawyer). Under the Presidential Succession Act of 1947, the then-current Speaker of the House would become President upon his resignation as Speaker and Representative, and taking the oath of office. Now this has never happened, so the constitutionality of this portion of the law has never been reviewed by the Supreme Court. There are to potential issues:

• The constitution limits succession to "officers of the United States". Is the Speaker of the House an officer of the United States, or just an officer of the House of Representatives?
• Does the provision requiring the Speaker to resign as Speaker before taking the oath invalidate the succession? He would cease being speaker upon his resignation and would legally be a mere private citizen before taking the oath. (Were the law require him to resign as Speaker after taking the oath, this would not be an issue)

I could argue either point either way, though were the decision mine I would uphold the law. But I'm not the Supreme Court. And disharmony, dispute, and discord to the point of hatred will likely be prevalent in the USA to a degree that hasn't happened since the 1860's. Civil War II anyone?

[Jim Eshelman]

The requirement to resign first is mandated by the separation of powers: one cannot be a member of more than one of the three branches of government at the same time.

The Constitution allows space for Congress to legislate the details. I think SCOTUS would uphold Congress' best good faith effort to navigate a difficult situation, that does no violence to the Constitution.

[mikestar13]

The requirement to resign first is mandated by the separation of powers: one cannot be a member of more than one of the three branches of government at the same time.

The Constitution allows space for Congress to legislate the details. I think SCOTUS would uphold Congress' best good faith effort to navigate a difficult situation, that does no violence to the Constitution.

I am not sure about the first point. Of course the same person cannot be President and Speaker, but likewise a private citizen cannot succeed to the the Presidency. So which technical violation of the Constitution do we prefer: resign before, and the guy who was speaker two minutes ago is a private citizen while he's taking the presidential oath, or to have the same guy be both President and Speaker for two minutes. This is indeed a question of how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, but Americans are so polarized we will endlessly argue, sue, and maybe fight over (in the military sense--no maybe about individual citizens punching each other out).

I firmly agree with your second point, and believe SCOTUS will make a reasonable ruling. But meanwhile, what are the crazies on both sides doing in the streets?

[Jim Eshelman]

Mike, backing up to a more basic level, the Constitution is clear that the power lies with Congress to figure out, on its own, how to handle this. Article II of the Constitution includes:

...the Congress may by law provide for the case of removal, death, resignation or inability, both of the President and Vice President, declaring what officer shall then act as President, and such officer shall act accordingly, until the disability be removed, or a President shall be elected.

There is no constitutional reason to presume a priori that the time when "a President shall be elected" would be earlier than the next, regularly scheduled presidential election; and Congress has passed clear laws detailing presidential succession.

I think your argument might be (as mine would be on the other side ) that, sure, Congress has the power, but that doesn't mean it has the power to pass otherwise unconstitutional (illegal) laws (given the particular issues you raised). You also seem focused on the word "officer."

I'm pretty sure that, in the event of serious questions, the court will act as swiftly as possible to grant the greatest stability as fast as possible. That's the responsible thing to do, and that's where they all probably want to take it. (It's certainly where Roberts would want to take it.) I think they have some extra latitude here because the Constitution (by the strictest reading) treats this as an acting president. That, alone, overcomes your two main arguments.

If pushed further (e.g., "Congress has the power to appoint an acting president until the next election, but instead they've created a law that appoints an actual president"), there is a mile-wide gap for them to drive through using a "least harm" doctrine. That is, their job would be to create stability as fast as possible without causing violence to the law. Even if they were to agree with you that the succession act has legal problems, it's quite easy for them to decide, e.g., that the law stands, but only interpreted in a way consistent with the Constitution (i.e., the designated president is, in fact, an acting president), suggest Congress clean up the language at its first opportunity, and in any case, on authority of the Court, appoint the same individual to act as president for the remainder of the term. (Or many variations on this theme).

Of course the same person cannot be President and Speaker, but likewise a private citizen cannot succeed to the the Presidency.

It is almost always a private citizen who succeeds to the presidency , and Congress is not constrained from picking anyone at all that legally qualifies to serve as president. I'm not halted by the word "officer," since anyone appointed is an "officer." At the time the constitution was written, it simply meant "an agent." Even if it were taken more narrowly (I see no reason for it to be taken more narrowly), an "officer" can be someone elected, appointed, or otherwise engaged. (Congress, for example, has the power to appoint Romney or Pawlenty to the job, simply making one of them an officer of Congress, if one must be narrow.)

However, in the Succession Act, Congressional intent is clear, and that is what a court will examine: Congress has the legal power to solve this problem, and said it wants the Speaker of the House to go next. All the steps of resigning then being sworn etc. are just procedural. Procedural technicalities won't be allowed to halt an orderly transition. At worst, the Court can order action consistent with evident intent and instruct Congress to clean up the language.

I firmly agree with your second point, and believe SCOTUS will make a reasonable ruling. But meanwhile, what are the crazies on both sides doing in the streets?

It will all be over before they can pull their pick-ups out of the drive-way. (Unless it happens between mid-July and mid-October.)

[Jim Eshelman]

Canlunar (Jan 2)
The Canlunar operates January 2-16. Pluto squares Midheaven (0°30'). Moon squares a stationary Uranus (0°25') in the foreground. Both are exceptionally close.

So far as it can happen in a single fortnight, everything now changes. We are startled, taken by surprise, our sensibilities stunned, our workaday clickity-clack mental processes halted. Things are torn down, broken, and removed. Once this week is over, there is no going back; there is only going forward.

It's too early to order the champagne, but, already this morning,

(1) The consultants who commissioned the Steele Dossier wrote an Op-Ed for tomorrow's NY Times, telling the story they told Congress, but which Congress didn't disclose. Between the lines, this most rigorous non-FBI investigation of Trump's historic Russia ties effectively called the connections criminal (money laundering among other things).

(2) After Steve Bannon remarks were leaked by The Guardian, overtly calling Trump Jr.'s actions "treasonous" (among other things), Trump has completely severed himself from Bannon, says Bannon had nothing to do with the election win, and said Bannon has lost his mind.

[Jim Eshelman]

Actually, Bannon and Steele fit this even better than the lunar ingress.

SIDEREAL LUNAR RETURN (Dec 17)
President Trump's Lunar Return... is complex... Most importantly, Sun and Moon are in precise (0°07') mundane conjunction within a degree of SLR Descendant. Aspects this powerful signal that this is one of the most important Lunar Returns of his year. Exact Moon-Sun aspects mark cross-roads, turning points, or phase changes...

On Descendant, it brings focus on close relationships of all types, both cooperative and competitive. He seeks attention and ratification of his importance from others, not from within himself. More than usual (if that's possible) he draws attention and is the center of it.

But the relationships that matter most this month are severe ones (or more precious ones suffer significantly). Saturn also sets, conjunct both luminaries. Incompatibility stands exposed. Competition and separation outpace cooperation. Sun-Saturn and Moon-Saturn bring burdens, a sense of hardship and abandonment, and more to handle and manage than mot people would care to shoulder...

Mercury opposes natal Uranus (foreground, partile). New things are learned! This may mean that Trump himself makes important discoveries, is surprised, and develops insight, or that information about him is brought into the public arena.

These discoveries and disclosures set the predicted new cycle (New Moon) into motion, breaking up old, locked patterns and generally shaking up his status quo;...

[Avshalom Binyamin]

Also, Paul Manafort just filed a suit against the Mueller investigation. Which is such a bad idea, it's clearly a Hail Mary move on the part of a person who knows they are already phukked.

Also, I've read unverified reports that Trump's lawyers had been telling him that the Mueller investigation would be wrapped up soon, in the hopes that he wouldn't fire Mueller and trigger (more?) obstruction of justice charges.

Interesting to see how swiftly the situation has changed now that the tax bill is signed.

[Jim Eshelman]

Have you been watching the monthly mundane forecasts, the Trump Watch section? You can watch the cranking up month by month, almost week by week, since last summer.

Remember, I wrote a year ago that this is all coming to head at the end of January. That's this month! At the very least, serious nails should have penetrated coffin wood.

[Avshalom Binyamin]

Yes, and I've been following the story closely. The Republican congress, Trump, Fox news, Russian troll armies, etc., have all been downplaying Mueller so much. And Mueller is so methodical and tight-lipped that you have to really been paying attention to understand what's been happening this whole time.

It really seems more like the spigot of bad news for Trump got cranked wide open the last few days.

[Jim Eshelman]

It really seems more like the spigot of bad news for Trump got cranked wide open the last few days.

Yes. A few days ago, in the presence of very active charts, I wrote here asking if anything was happening I missed, because, even with the holidays, it was hard to believe it was so quiet. It was all just waiting for the new business week to begin.

[Jim Eshelman]

Canlunar (Jan 2)
So far as it can happen in a single fortnight, everything now changes. We are startled, taken by surprise, our sensibilities stunned, our workaday clickity-clack mental processes halted. Things are torn down, broken, and removed. Once this week is over, there is no going back; there is only going forward.

I am beginning that the Wolff memoir of the Trump administration may be doing exactly this, and exactly in the two-week period specified.

[Jim Eshelman]

The Trump melt-down hit a new level of flailing liquefaction this morning near sunrise, when he tweeted out a barrage defending his mental faculties, designating himself "a very stable genius," whose "two greatest assets" have been, "mental stability and being, like, really smart."

Regrettably, other nations are watching this, too.

[Jim Eshelman]

SIDEREAL LUNAR RETURN (Dec 4)
...His prevailing SLR, as our Caplunar month opens, goes all the way back to December 4. It is quite unpleasant, with a partile Mercury-Saturn conjunction closely rising (Saturn closest, 0°36'). Everything written above about Mercury-Saturn for Trump applies here. In general, it's an unpleasant, grumpy, difficult time.

Nor is it a minor time. Pluto is on Eastpoint. Events this month are high-impact and transitional, drawing a line in the sand that one cannot recross. There is also a shock or blow, a serious start (Mars opposes a widely foreground Uranus).

Over the month of December, Pence learned (and plans were finalized) that there would be significant resignations/departures from his staff. In December, or concurrent with the new year, he lost his Chief of Staff (Josh Pitcock), Press Secretary (Marc Lotter, left in the fall), Chief Counsel (Mark Paoletta, who is going to OMB), and chief domestic policy advisor (Daris Meeks) - four incredibly important positions.

I think all of these people worked either on the Trump-Pence campaign or the transition team, and most have been with Pence for years in different roles.

It isn't usual for there to be significant staff shuffles at the end of the first year of office, though these are pretty common at the end of the second year and end of the first full term. Significant departures have been occurring for a couple of months in the Trump administration (mostly connected to the Mueller investigation, it seems), but the VP staff is much smaller, so this is more striking.

[Jim Eshelman]

Liblunar (Jan 9)

MARS and JUPITER swoop together across the west, including straddling Los Angeles, and (below) just off the northwest coast. I expect his means stormy weather conditions. and I know it means we should watch this with interest...

Indeed, very light rain began yesterday and then, with Moon entering Libra it picked up, It's still not a lot of rain (in LA, it's most mild; a little heavier north of here), but it's just enough, after the largest area-burn fire in California history, that flooding has started - I imagine mudslides, but I haven't seen that mentioned - and there have been a few deaths.

So gentle a thing as the rain, in the aftermath of the fire, becomes deadly: Mars + Jupiter.

[Jupiter Sets at Dawn]

When that same gentle rain gets here, it'll last all evening tomorrow and into the night... till between 2 and 3 AM Thursday, when it'll hit the cold air coming down from Canada, and by Thursday AM, we'll have had anywhere from 6 to 18" of snow on top of ice, and with the winds, it'll have become a blizzard. Usually just as deadly as the mudslides I understand have taken at least 3 people.

[Jim Eshelman]

A few hours ago they updated the report to 8 deaths so far.