Over the weekend, Mitt Romney picked his running mate and to many it was a surprise. He chose a brave option in the bold and brash but rather inexperienced Paul Ryan, a congressman from Wisconsin. Seeing as the race is tight, I thought that he might chose quite a heavyweight candidate maybe to tip the balance in his favour, but I was mistaken. Let’s look at Paul Ryan and his own prospects to become vice President, and what light it shines on the impending presidential race.
Paul Ryan was born on 29th January 1970 at 02.37am in Janesville, Wisconsin (according to the Political Astrology blog). He is a Sun sign Aquarian with a sociable Libran Moon and a Sagittarian ascendant. The first thing I see are most of the planets in the Eastern hemisphere of the chart so we have a guy with a lot of self interest. The Sun Moon combination is very airy in nature and this is someone with great social skills, the Aquarian Sun is very friendly and sympathetic and the Libran Moon needs to relate. Within mind you lies a rebel; all Aquarians are rebellious in truth, and in Paul there lies a natural tendency to shake things up.
The Sun and Venus sit together in Aquarius and this contributes star quality and a bit of a glitzy, glamorous edge, the TV cameras will like him. These two planets sit in the 2nd house of personal resources, money finance and self confidence at the point of a t-square formed out of a Saturn/Jupiter opposition. With the planet of ambition Saturn square this conjunction including the money planet Venus in it’s own 2nd house, there is no doubt in my mind why economics and finance has been a focus of his work since he first made hid tentative steps into political life after graduating. He started his political life working as an junior economist on Capitol Hill in Washington DC. Here we see grand plans (Jupiter) and conservative attitudes (Saturn), very conservative if you consider the fact that Saturn sits on the cusp of that 2nd house. There is a very radical side to his financial ideas too, with Sun Venus making a trine to Uranus the planet of progressive thinking.
That 10th house Uranus is also square to Mercury in Capricorn, the planet of the mind, so Paul will think quickly and speak smartly, this is a very intelligent and analytical guy. With Mercury in the 2nd house here is another link to a deep interest in finance and economics and with it making an easy trine to his Virgo Midheaven, he will be a confident and fluent orator, with the accent of his thinking on small government and restraint on the growth of taxes – Saturn opposes the ruler of the 8th house of taxation, the Moon (Cancer on the cusp of the 8th).
The Moon and Jupiter in the 11th house in conjunction shows an attraction to, and success in groups and associations. The 11th house if anywhere shows political leanings on a chart, and with Saturn opposing both planets at the very least Paul Ryan would have ended up in wanting to run administrative affairs in his local community. Why has he progressed onwards to now be near to the top of the Republican party? Well lets look at the signs. Jupiter in Scorpio wants to experience extremes, go as far as it can. With a Sagittarian Ascendant, this Jupiter is very important and influential on his chart and strengthens his ambitions.
Looking to the house of work, worldly progress, the 10th, we have two major planets sitting there, Uranus and Pluto. Pluto is the planet of empowerment and is conjunct his Virgo Midheaven. This is someone for whom personal power, influence and control is paramount. He wants to be someone influential, someone who can make a difference and someone who can make his mark and change the world in some way. Uranus in the 10th indicates that he is determined to fight for progressive change, and will not stop until he gets it. No doubt about it, Paul Ryan is a true reformer and in this natural tendency to push against the flow, he becomes a bit of a wild card and this is why his nomination for the post of running mate poses a serious risk to Romney’s chances.
Now, moving from right to left, the Midheaven, Uranus, Jupiter and Neptune on the Ascendant (which I will get onto in a minute) are all affected by a very powerful Mars in it’s home sign of Aries sitting in the 4th house, you can see the aspects radiating out from Mars. Mars in Aries is very forthright, go-getting, possibly rash and liable to making mistakes. One acts before one thinks with Mars in Aries and then one regrets one’s actions later. He has to be a sports lover and a risk taker with Mars here, and I would bet his home life is interspersed with the occasional family fight. Nethertheless, this Mars colours Paul’s ambitious 10th house planets with boundless amounts of energy. This man is relentless, and any setback will only drive him on to be better next time out.
Jupiter receives an irritable inconjunct aspect from Mars which is a really interesting little connection. I think that although he is respected by many in his party, he will be annoying to many as well, and he may just not be their “cup of tea” (pardon the English expression – I am a Londoner after all). This aspect wants it’s own way on many things, and because Paul is an Aquarian, there is a stubbornness in his character that will refuse to back down on things that he cares passionately about. Could this be a source of tension in the future?
Mars also makes a trine to Neptune which sits in Sagittarius, right on his Ascendant. This is a really fascinating mix. Neptune has a huge effect on this chart. The spiritual planet, Paul Ryan will be active in pursuit of his faith, conservative and thus Roman Catholic in nature as Neptune receives an inconjunct aspect from Saturn. Neptune in Sagittarius does not accept ant restrictions or boundaries and receiving a trine from Mars, one can imagine that Paul loves the great outdoors, exploring, hunting, fishing and will uphold the views of the US gun lobby – all encouraged by Mars which rules all of these pursuits. Neptune on the Ascendant is tricky, deceptive and quite possibly escapist. I wonder if stress levels rise if Paul could be susceptible to Neptunian tendencies – Neptune rules alcohol and drug use. There is a soft cloudy veil over this ascendant (the personality) which intrigues me, what kind of secrets lie behind it? I’m sure something does. No doubt with Aquarius prominent and Neptune too, here is a sympathetic and kind soul who wants to serve people and sacrifice himself for the benefit of others.
There is a fascinating synastry between Ryan and Romney which plays out, and you can see why Mitt was attracted to Paul. Look at Romney’s Ascendant sitting on Ryan’s descendant, perfectly balancing each other out. Romney’s Sun Mercury conjunction straddles Ryan’s nadir opposing his Midheaven, Romney’s Midheaven and Venus sits on Ryan’s Sun Venus and their Mercury’s make a nice sextile too. Their is a true friendship between them, their public profiles balance out nicely and their communication is good. Romney’s Saturn squares Ryan’s Saturn and Jupiter opposition, thus Ryan’s future lies in Romney’s hands. Ryan’s Sun Venus is opposed by Romney’s Pluto in Leo so there is no doubt who is in control in this relationship, Ryan will definitely tow the line and be on message, in order to further his own ambitions. In the same breath, Ryan’s life (Sun) will be transformed (Pluto) by his association with the Republican Presidential nominee.
Now Paul Ryan’s emergence into the US election race gives us another variable to look at for the 6th November election, as his fortunes are tied to Mitt Romney, and visa versa. Here are the transits for Paul on election day and to my eyes they are not so favourable. Transiting Saturn sits on Paul’s chart ruler and opposes his natal Saturn, activating that natal t-square. Saturn can indicate progress in life, although often when it is making a square it put a barrier in the way telling you that you need more time in order to progress, or teaches you valuable lessons. Saturn is also making an inconjunct aspect to that impulsive Mars so his life will not be able to move on at a rate as fast as he would like.
Paul’s transiting chart ruler Jupiter on election day is in a rather awkward position. Square to both his nodal axis and Midheaven, this may indicate a big let down career wise, optimism being dashed and his fate affected by the fortunes of another – Jupiter is moving through the 7th house of relationships. Jupiter in the process makes a quindecile to debilitating Neptune as well as a nasty inconjunct to the ruler of his Midheaven, Mercury. Again, I cannot see too much optimism here in these aspects for him. Transiting Neptune will be almost exactly square his Sagittarian Ascendant and natal Neptune, and transiting Pluto square to his reforming 10th house Uranus, and I think putting a block on his career path and generally making him feel rather downbeat for a while. Lastly, just think where the last Solar Eclipse hit on his chart, a difficult and challenging southern eclipse at 0 Gemini opposite his ascendant. This indicates that a new relationship was coming into his life but possibly not a beneficial one, and now this relationship has happened. That Solar eclipse also fell within a degree of Romney’s Ascendant, which suggests a change in direction in life, however one which may not ultimately herald a sign of success.
If these birth details for him are correct, then by association Mitt Romney’s hopes are also affected through Paul Ryan’s chart. I have already gone on record saying that I prefer the look of Obama’s planetary setup on election day rather than that of Mitt Romney’s, and nothing through these transits have persuaded me to change my mind. Paul Ryan at 43 years of age has plenty of time on his side and even if 2012 is not destined to be his year, his profile has been enhanced immensely. Looking ahead at 2016, Pluto will exactly conjunct his Midheaven ruler Mercury at 15 Capricorn, and will also be trine to his Midheaven, so his public profile and power base then will be radically altered forever.