Alex's Asteroid Astrology

Roiling the race for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination of late is former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the ninth-richest man in the US. Bloomberg’s political consistency has been his inconsistency: a registered Democrat until 2001, he became a Republican to run for mayor, then during his second term dumped that Party affiliation while he successfully prosecuted the case for ending New York’s mayoral term limits, winning a third term in 2009 as an Independent. In 2018 he once again registered as a Democrat, before announcing his entry into the 2020 presidential race on November 24, 2019.

Bloomberg’s estimated $61 billion fortune is based on eponymous companies, beginning in the financial sector, branching out to software, mass media and news.  Unlike Donald Trump, Michael Bloomberg is a genuine self-made man with modest roots (his father was a bookkeeper for a dairy company), who in signing The Giving Pledge has promised to donate at least half his net worth to charitable or philanthropic enterprises. He has opined that Trump is the worst threat to democracy ever experienced in the US, and has vowed to spend whatever it takes to defeat him in November, whether he attains the Democratic nomination or not. True to his word, in less than three months Bloomberg has already spent in excess of $300 million in TV ads and establishing a nationwide campaign infrastructure. His ads have a general election feel, focusing on Trump’s inadequacies rather than his own nomination contenders, and have quickly brought him into double digits in national polls.

Kissing babies is a time-honored political tradition, and with such racist policies as stop-and-frisk on his resume, Bloomberg is well advised to kiss as many African American babies as possible, a tactic endorsed by natal Venus (kissing, showing affection) conjunct asteroid Black and squared Child

Bloomberg is a firm supporter of gun control legislation and attempts to limit the effects of global warming, as well as an advocate for electing women to Congress and preserving reproductive rights; he spent millions to help elect Democrats and turn the House blue in 2018. Despite a checkered history with race relations, including such controversial policies as stop-and-frisk and a tacit backhanded endorsement of redlining, Bloomberg seems to be gaining strength with the all-important African American segment of the Democratic base, and is now at parity with Joe Biden among that constituency in some early contests. There is also a growing body of evidence of sexist or misogynist statements, though thus far no allegations of sexual misconduct have emerged.

Having entered the race so late, Bloomberg chose to skip the traditional first four primary battles and jump in feet first on Super Tuesday, having first carpet-bombed the airwaves with ads in states that most candidates have yet to consider. Whether this strategy pays off in the end is uncertain, but it has certainly upended the traditional arc of the primary race.

Trump himself seems worried enough by Bloomberg to have given him a nickname, and “Mini Mike” has thus far proven to be a more than adequate opponent, lampooning and lambasting Trump and his record with surgical precision. As he himself as stated, he knows Trump, they are from the same circles, and he understands just what it takes to get under the President’s notably thin skin.

Although he claims to laugh about him behind his back with their mutual friends, Bloomberg and Trump appear fairly chummy here, as borne out by asteroid Troemper squared Venus; but a t-square with Michel/Pluto suggests their financial rivalry and competitiveness

Born 14 February 1942 at 3:40 PM EWT in Brighton, Massachusetts (Rodden Rating AA), Bloomberg is Trump’s polar opposite in at least one important astrological factor. Born just hours before a New Moon, Trump was born just before the Full Moon. The New Moon represents potential, the Full Moon is fruition, putting these two possible general election combatants in a naturally opposed, antithetical stance. Bloomberg’s Sun at 25 Aquarius is conjoined by Mercury at 15, the Moon at 17, and asteroid Michela (one of three “Michael” variants) at 18 Aquarius. Having one’s own PNA (Personal-Named Asteroid) aspected to the Sun, Moon or Mercury in the birth chart is very common; here we have all three. This helps to give Michael Bloomberg a “comfortable in his own skin” vibe – he may not be prepossessing on stage, but he is who he is, authentic and genuine, whatever that may be, and his core being (Sun) aligns with his emotional body (Moon) and manner of self-expression (Mercury), in ways that say to others, “what you see is what you get.”

The Sun is also in a Grand Trine with asteroid Karma at 25 Gemini (conjoined Trump’s Sun, incidentally) and asteroid Victoria at 22 Libra, with both points embedded at station, making them vital factors in Bloomberg’s biography. Karma relates to Fate and predestination, and Victoria is named for the Roman goddess of victory, the root of our word. This seems to indicate a predetermined penchant (Karma) for winning (Victoria), something certainly in evidence in Bloomberg’s vast fortune, amassed from humble roots, and electoral history thus far (New York mayor is the first office he ran for, successful on all three attempts).

Another advocate for Bloomberg’s essential trustworthiness is asteroid Michelle at 9 Pisces conjoined asteroid Veritas, Latin for “truth”, at 2 Pisces. This forms a Grand Cross with Jupiter at 11 Gemini, asteroid Washingtonia at 12 Virgo, and asteroid Nike at 12 Sagittarius. Jupiter rules expansion and “luck” (whatever that may be) as well as the political sphere; Washingtonia represents the federal government; and Nike is named for the Greek goddess of victory. The sum total here would seem to indicate that for Bloomberg (Michelle), authenticity (Veritas) is the key to political (Jupiter) success (Nike) in a bid to lead the country (Washingtonia). Asteroid Truth itself, at 3 Libra, is also strongly placed, with angular force and impact, conjoined the 8 Libra IC.

This early photo underscores Michael Bloomberg’s humble middle-class roots; a truly self-made billionaire, asteroid Michel aspects all three financial planets, conjunct Pluto, opposed Venus and sextile Jupiter

Astrologers say Venus rules the thousands, Jupiter the millions, and Pluto the billions. If that’s so, then Michael Bloomberg’s third celestial placeholder, asteroid Michel, is very well positioned to describe his fortune. At 5 Leo, it conjoins Pluto at 4 Leo and opposes Venus at 6 Aquarius, as well as widely sextile Jupiter. Another nod to his incredible wealth is the placement of asteroid Midas, named for a mythic Greek king with “the golden touch”, at 18 Cancer on the 26 Cancer Ascendant, coloring how others see him. Midas also opposes natal asteroid Bloomsburg at 16 Capricorn, closest to his surname, adding further celestial personalization on the theme of vast riches.

At least a part of Bloomberg’s career path can be charted in the heavens. The Sun is focal in a T-Square with Saturn at 22 Taurus and asteroid Manhattan at 21 Scorpio. This describes his time as chief executive (Saturn) of New York City (Manhattan). Saturn also conjoins Uranus at 26 Taurus, indicating a career in the tech world (Bloomberg developed and marketed the Bloomberg Terminal, a computer software system providing financial data widely used in the global financial services industry).

Green indeed! With asteroid Midas conjunct the Ascendant and opposed asteroid Bloomsburg, campaign cash is not going to be a problem

Saturn further conjoins Mars at 18 Taurus, suggesting good anger management skills (but also perhaps a bullying management style) and their joint square to the Sun defines a stolid, phlegmatic individual always under control. Until he isn’t; Mars erupts with fair frequency when Bloomberg is irritated, and its concomitant square to Mercury elicits bursts of exasperated, brittle commentary.   Sun/Saturn may make Bloomberg seem dispassionate, even cold or harsh, but also as reliable, competent, skilled and masterful, with a gravitas belying his spare, 5’8” frame.

Natal asteroid Whitehouse at 29 Capricorn conjoins the 26 Cap Descendant and opposes Pluto, also squared Victoria and trine Saturn. Whitehouse’s angularity suggests a pivotal importance in his biography, while the Saturn trine could indicate a career stint (Saturn) in the Oval Office (Whitehouse), which would certainly augment Bloomberg’s personal power (Pluto). The square to Victoria could indicate a successful presidential run. But Whitehouse is also exactly trine Neptune at 29 Virgo – is this bid for the nomination the fulfilment of a lifelong dream, or a mere fantasy?

The importance of that Neptune aspect is underscored in Bloomberg’s current Solar Return, set for 12:52 PM EST on 14 February 2020, in New York, NY. In that chart, asteroid Whitehouse exactly conjoins natal Neptune at 29 Virgo, while Saturn at 26 Cap conjoins natal Whitehouse and the Descendant – is it time to make the dream (Neptune) a reality (Saturn)? Solar Return Victoria and Nike at 29 Leo and 2 Virgo both conjoin the 6 Virgo IC and oppose his Sun (itself conjunct the Midheaven), encouraging a year of successful endeavors (Victoria/Nike) and prime public visibility (MC), with winning (Victoria/Nike) as its foundation (IC).   Also on that MC, and opposed the winning asteroids? Asteroid Troemper, our celestial referent for The Donald, at 4 Pisces. So whose victory is foretold, exactly?   Regardless, it seems that 2020 will be a year of enmeshment for Bloomberg and Trump.

In November 2019, candidate “Mike” joined the ranks of the other one-name Democratic contenders, “Joe”, “Bernie”, “Pete” and “Amy”; will the folksiness pay off?

And one final point – Bloomberg’s natal asteroid Bloomsburg at 16 Capricorn is exactly opposed Donald Trump’s natal asteroid Nemesis at 16 Cancer, that point of ruin or downfall, making Michael Bloomberg a potential agent in that destruction. This polarity was highlighted and energized by a Lunar Eclipse at 20 Cancer on January 10^th, with a repeat activation at the Lunar Eclipse upcoming on July 4^th at 13 Capricorn.

The interplay of money and politics, and the income disparity that only seems to deepen, is a major concern for the health of our democracy. In the long term, the prominence of the wealthy in our politics is unsustainable for the Republic. But sometimes, fighting fire with fire is the only option. Donald Trump purportedly has amassed the largest re-election war chest in history, but all that pile of cash is just a rounding error for Michael Bloomberg. So while I am concerned at the prospect of yet another billionaire buying a monination, I’m willing to use any tool necessary to accomplish the task at hand: the defeat of Donald J. Trump.