AAA Profile: Nancy Pelosi, The Once and Future Speaker
When the 116th Congress convenes on January 3rd, 2019, it’s likely to have a most remarkable woman at its head. If chosen Speaker by the incoming Democratic majority in US the House of Representatives, it won’t be Nancy Pelosi’s first crack at wielding the gavel. The California-based Representative made history in 2007 when she became the first female Speaker of the House, a post she held until the 2010 electoral rout against the Affordable Care Act, spearheaded by the Tea Party, tossed Democrats out of power for 8 years. But progressives and Pelosi are back, and 2018’s Blue Wave has once again turned the tide in DC.
Pelosi, born into a family of Baltimore politicians, has served in Congress for 31 years as Representative of California’s 12th District. An extraordinarily effective Speaker, Pelosi became a favored bugaboo of the extreme Right, and is viewed with some suspicion by some young progressives, who question her orthodoxy. This, and a general feeling that the Democratic Party needs to revise its image and leadership hierarchy, made the replacing of Pelosi as Majority Leader an issue in the Midterm Democratic primaries, and propelled more than one candidate into the position of nominee. Rumblings of revolution post-victory, however, were quickly quelled by the savvy Pelosi, who exercised that consummate skill she possesses of neutralizing opposition and advancing an agenda, to ensure her leadership continues.
Born 26 March 1940 (no time available), Pelosi is a born leader, with the Sun at 5 Aries, Sign of leadership and courage, willing to step in where others fear to tread. Opposed asteroid Arachne at 11 Libra, we see the intricacies of Pelosi’s governing style, with every eventuality planned for in a complex web of interconnection and crafty machination, ever aware of the slightest tremor in that web which signals dissonance, threat or trouble. A T-Square formed by asteroid Toro at 12 Capricorn ensures her ability to “bully” her caucus, keeping the membership in line to enact her agenda.
As she nears completion of her eighth decade, Nancy Pelosi prepares to take on perhaps the most important task of her career – hobbling the Trump administration
A stationary Pluto at 0 Leo is trine the Sun and will turn direct two weeks after her birth, but is already at its station degree; this indicates an entrenched power base, the ability to control or manipulate others, and a hefty helping of personal clout, a character which exudes authority and presence. With Pluto trine the Sun, Pelosi has a core of steel, an inner wellspring of stamina, energy and power reserve which, allied to an indomitable will, keeps her in the forefront of national affairs. A grouping of Uranus at 19 Taurus with Venus at 20 and Mars at 26 shows a woman (Venus) with progressive (Uranus) values (also Venus) who is willing to champion the fight (Mars) for that cause.
Pluto is conjoined by asteroid Whitehouse at 28 Cancer, showing power struggles with any administration are likely, and suggesting that in any conflict, Pelosi is likely to emerge the dominant figure. This is supported by an exact square from Pluto to Saturn at 0 Taurus, which pairs exactly with asteroid Victoria, named for the Roman goddess of victory, a blend which virtually ensures career success, and the ability to potentially triumph over any occupant of the Oval Office with whom she tangles. With asteroid Washingtonia, our celestial stand-in for the federal government and DC, conjoined Saturn/Victoria from 2 Taurus, we see the primary venue for enacting this powerful career potential.
Nancy Pelosi during her first congressional campaign, in 1987
Several minor patterns reveal much of Pelosi’s story. To return momentarily to Toro, this body also lies on the midpoint of a trine between asteroid House at 12 Scorpio and Mercury at 17 Pisces, in sextile to each. House of course signifies the House of Representatives, while its Speaker (historically its official “mouthpiece”) can be related to Mercury; with Toro midway between them we again see Pelosi’s effectiveness in corralling her peers and keeping them toeing the Party line.
Asteroid Nancy at 24 Gemini is closely aligned with asteroid Nike at 25 Gemini, named for the Greek goddess of victory, granting Pelosi a personal connection to success and the image of a “winner”. These square a conjunction of asteroid California with Neptune, at 22 and 23 Virgo, and tie to a loose Grand Cross of Mercury squared asteroid America at 18 Sagittarius. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, California would indeed be the locale for Pelosi when she garnered her greatest victories, beginning with her first election to the House in 1987, as representing the San Francisco region. Neptune here relates to Pelosi’s socialist bent, the urge to use government as a way of improving humanity’s lot, such as universal (Neptune) healthcare, and any program which attempts to equalize people or erode class boundaries. The Mercury/America square is once again reflective of her position as Speaker, a job with a high national profile, third in the line of succession to the presidency. Nancy’s opposition to America suggests a strong personal identification with the country, as well as the antipathy many feel toward her, a lightning rod for the Right.
An exultant Pelosi, flanked by her grandchildren, hoists high the gavel in 2007, as the first female Speaker of the House
There is no Pelosi asteroid but there are two which approximate her birth surname of D’Alesandro – Alexander and Alexandra. At 6 Gemini and 29 Taurus respectively, both conjoin asteroid Achilles at 1 Gemini. Achilles most commonly expresses as a weakness or vulnerability, an inherent flaw which threatens to destroy the native, but it has other usages as well. Achilles was also noted as a powerful warrior, the best of his generation, though given to moodiness and sulks when he didn’t get his way. It resonates to the leadership and “battle chief” qualities Pelosi expresses, but also foreshadows the Republican use of her as a catch-all boogey(wo)man for conservatives. This image is indeed, in some circles, a vulnerability for the Party she leads and the causes it espouses.
Lastly, take note of Pelosi’s natal asteroid Karma – that which is fated or predestined, either independently or as a direct result of our prior acts. At 27 Capricorn, this is an exact match for the USA Pluto, indicating a preordained connection to national power. Her Karma also opposes the US Mercury at 24 Cancer, suggesting a fated role as Speaker.
In one of several fake-out moments, Donald Trump pretends to find common cause with Democratic leaders, but no accommodation was forthcoming
Pelosi’s first victory and elevation to national government came on 2 June 1987, by a rather convoluted process. In the mid ‘70s Pelosi became active in the hierarchy of the California Democratic Party through the auspices of a close friend, Phillip Burton, US Representative for what was then the 5th (later re-designated the 12th) District, and a leader of the Party in California. When he passed in 1983, he was succeeded by his wife Sala, who in turn became ill with terminal cancer late in 1986, and chose Pelosi as her endorsed successor for the 1988 election. But Sala Burton died in office in early 1987, and Pelosi, with the Burtons’ connections, easily won a Special Election that June.
At the time, transit Victoria at 7 Cancer, with Mercury (voting) and Mars (campaigns) in tow from 4 and 8 Cancer, opposed Nike at 10 Capricorn, traveling with Neptune at 7 Cap. These formed a T-Square with Pelosi’s natal Sun at 5 Aries, bringing both “winning” asteroids into close proximity with her core essence. The transit Sun at 11 Gemini opposed asteroid Alexandra at 5 Sagittarius, granting high visibility and focus for Pelosi on the day, and formed a T-Square with transit Washingtonia at 8 Virgo, identifying Pelosi’s destination after the election. Transit Nancy at 23 Virgo was squared transit Karma at 21 Gemini, suggesting a fated moment personally, and was conjoined Pelosi’s natal asteroid California at 22 Virgo, the state which she has ever since represented. Transit asteroid House at 27 Aquarius was trined transit Karma, itself conjoined natal Nancy/Nike at 24 and 25 Gemini, again showing that fated circumstance which first brought her to DC as a winning candidate. Transit California at 5 Taurus opposed transit Pluto the seat of her power, at 7 Scorpio, and was within orb of natal Saturn (career), Victoria (victory) and Washingtonia (DC).
Pelosi in a typical pose, engaged but wary
Pelosi’s first stint as House Speaker began with the swearing in of the 110th Congress on 3 January 2011. On that date we see a stationary asteroid House, which at 17 Taurus conjoins asteroid Alexandra, also stationary at 18 Taurus. Stations represent literal “turning points”, and in this case these turns to direct motion (which occurred on December 28, 2010 and January 5, 2011, respectively) marked the shift from more than a decade of Republican dominance in the House of Representatives (House) to a new Democratic vision for the country, under Pelosi’s leadership (Alexandra).
Asteroid Nancy at 20 Libra is widely squared both Mercury (Speaker) and the Sun (focus of the day, core essence of the Congress)) at 11 and 13 Capricorn. By Constitutional fiat, the new Congress is always sworn on January 3rd, giving it a Sun in square to the nation’s Saturn, its Chief Executive, at 14 Libra, and opposing the national Sun at 13 Cancer. This reflects Congress’ job to reflect (opposition) the will of the people (Sun), but also the tension (square) inherent in its relationship to the Oval Office (Saturn), in our system of checks and balances. A stellium of Mars, Nike, Victoria and Pluto, at 20, 23, 27 and 29 Sag respectively, opposes natal Nancy/Nike, reflecting the hard-fought campaign (Mars) that brought her the victory (Nike/Victoria) which cemented her personal (Nancy) power (Pluto). A pairing of Venus with Washingtonia at 29 Capricorn and 2 Aquarius shows a prominent woman in the nation’s capital, which Pelosi, as the first female Speaker, certainly became.
Pelosi surrenders the gavel to new House Speaker John Boehner in 2011
As Pelosi reclaims her gavel on January 3, 2019, Nancy is again prominent; at 20 Aries it exactly opposes its degree from her first Speakership, and is conjoined Nike at 26 Aries, indicating another hard-won victory. Uranus at 28 Aries is part of this mix as well, giving Pelosi the chance to really shake things up in Washington, especially in a progressive (Uranus) context.
This time the 13 Capricorn Sun is traveling with a larger cast of characters: Saturn at 11 Cap, which argues both for a productive legislative session and the imposition of an accounting, a curb or restriction, on the previously unbridled Trump administration; Alexandra at 17 Cap, identifying Pelosi as pivotal to the day; House at 18 Cap, the venue for her leadership; Karma at 19 Cap, indicating a fated quality to this resumption of power; and Pluto at 20 Cap, enhancing both her own personal power (Alexandra) and that of the House of Representatives (House) bringing the possibility of a major transformation of some sort in government, which could be based in a scandal (also Pluto).
Asteroid Washingtonia at 29 Pisces pairs with Mars at 1 Aries, both conjoined Pelosi’s 5 Aries Sun, an indication of the battles (Mars) to ensure in the capital (Washingtonia), with Pelosi very much involved personally (natal Sun).
It’s impossible to tell how long Nancy Pelosi’s second tenure as House Speaker will last, but one thing at least is clear – the next two years promise to be fraught with tension, conflict and high drama. The country is at a crossroads, a pivotal period which is testing Constitutional norms and boundaries like none other, pitting the very idea of America, a government of, by and for the people, against the cult of personality and one-man rule.
And Nancy Pelosi will be very much in the middle of that fight.
