NewsScope for July 15, 2008

Solar Eclipse Hits Fannie Mae

Shares of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the home loan guarantors) plummeted last week, driven down by the worsening housing crisis. Although the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury said a bailout was not an immediate possibility, The New York Times reported that the Bush administration is considering a government takeover, which would guarantee the companies' $5 trillion exposure, essentially doubling the size of the national debt.

Fannie Mae, the original and largest of the home loan providers, became a private corporation on August 1, 1968 (noon, Washington D.C.). The Moon is found at 8º Scorpio, exactly conjunct the U.S. Scorpio Ascendant, and reflects the company's consumer-oriented policies. Also, Mars in the home-ownership sign of Cancer squares Saturn in eager Aries, which becomes problematic when company growth surpasses natural limits.

Neptune is found in the Second House of Fannie Mae's assets, where it squares Venus. This placement has been under celestial stress over the past few years due to transiting Neptune's square to natal Neptune. The manifest result has been a series of scandals and an undermining of confidence. Last week, when Fannie's share value fell 55 percent, transiting Neptune was precisely square natal Neptune.

Since Fannie's horoscope is so well-integrated with the U.S. horoscope, the company's welfare directly impacts the national economy. The Solar Eclipse on August 1 happens to be exactly conjunct Fannie Mae's Sun, a sure sign that a major overhaul is coming soon. Note also that Fannie's Pluto (which is conjunct the U.S. Neptune) is being opposed by transiting Uranus, another tell-tale sign of deepening crisis and looming disaster.

Solar Eclipse Hits George W. Bush

The Solar Eclipse on August 1 happens to take place exactly at sunrise when the chart is cast for Washington D.C., indicating that some spectacular events will be coming out of the nation's power center. At the helm with historically low poll numbers, President Bush will likely be facing a number of national and personal crises, which puts an enormous strain on his management style.

The Solar Eclipse degree (9º Leo) lands right on Bush's Mercury-Pluto conjunction, which spotlights his decision-making ability. His Mercury-Pluto might be thought of as his salesmanship, his ability to persuade others to a course of action. Recall that transiting Neptune was opposing his Mercury-Pluto in late 2002 when he was convincing the nation that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and was allied with Al Qaeda.

Projecting Mercury onto the world map helps pinpoint where Bush's next action might unfold. In the U.S., his Mercury-Pluto is on the Ascendant in New York City, America's financial center. This points to the unfolding economic crisis as one possible focus. In the Middle East, his Mercury-Pluto is on the Midheaven over Jerusalem, perhaps indicating a secret plan to facilitate an Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear development site.

Concurrent with this important Solar Eclipse is transiting Saturn nearly conjunct Bush's Mars. This connection highlights the immense frustration that he's encountering, which might include no good economic plan and naysayers arguing against bombing Iran. However, transiting Mars is squaring his natal Uranus on August 1, when we might expect some unexpected, unprecedented action. Mars goes on to oppose transiting Uranus over the following week, as whatever he sets off reaches dramatic consequences.

The Solar Eclipse in Celebrity Charts

The actual date of Solar Eclipses often precedes broad scale events that are triggered by transiting Mars, Saturn, or other planets. Regarding the August 1 eclipse, transiting Mars and Jupiter will simultaneously oppose 9º Leo next February, activating the eclipse degree in a major way. Many celebrities have natal placements in line with this eclipse, which may bring them spectacular success or tragedy.

Both Ellen DeGeneres (January 26, 1958; 3:30 am; New Orleans) and Oprah Winfrey (January 29, 1954; 7:50 pm; Kosciusko, MS) have natal Venus at 9º Aquarius, exactly in line with the Solar Eclipse. Oprah's Venus is conjunct her Sun and square Saturn, an exceptionally dynamic configuration. Ellen's Venus is exactly opposite Uranus at 9º Leo, likewise putting her in line for some big changes.

Jamie Foxx (December 13, 1967) and Michael Jordan (February 17, 1963; 10:20 am; Brooklyn, NY) have Mars at 9º and 10º Aquarius respectively, and one might expect their love lives to be shaken up a bit. Watch the father-son relationship develop between Martin Sheen (August 3, 1940; 8:03 pm; Dayton, OH) and Charlie Sheen (September 3, 1965; 10:48 pm; NYC), as Martin's Sun and Charlie's IC are hit by the eclipse.

Other celebrities with their natal Suns hit include J.K. Rowling, Martha Stewart, and Justin Timberlake, while Eva Longoria and Carlos Santana also have vital points on the radar. From the archives, Marilyn Monroe (June 1, 1926; 9:26 am; Los Angeles) committed suicide on August 5, 1962 following a Solar Eclipse on her Leo Ascendant as transiting Saturn was conjunct her Descendant. Watch for developments around the JonBenet Ramsey murder case, since her Moon is at 9º Aquarius.

*As described previously in NewsScope (October 12, 2004), Fannie Mae's Second House Neptune is under major stress from progressed Mars, leading to an undermining of its primary assets. This aspect will be exact in October 2009, but is evidently an influence already.

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