July 4, 1776, 05:13:55 pm Philadelphia event: Signing of the Declaration of Independence by John Hancock, the President of the Continental Congress. Add 30 11' to planets and cusp for 230 years of precession to 2006.

Pluto in 2024 returns to its natal position (where it was on July 4, 1776) for the first time. That position is in the 2nd house, the house of money and personal resources. The opposite house (the 8th) also has to do with resources but collectively held resources like public infrastructure and social security. When Pluto was in the 8th house in the 1930's we got socialistic policies and social security in response to the great depression. In 2022 the issue will again be the economic situation facing the country. I don't think the Republicans will be any more prepared to implement socialistic solutions necessary to feed, house and employ a nation in economic crisis than they were in 1934. Octave Pluto transits to the Ascendant/Mars/Uranus stellium usually herald imperialist expansion as was seen in the War of 1812, Mexican War, Spanish American War, Viet Nam, Reagan Era, and the current aggressive period 1- 2000 thru10- 2006. All occurred under Pluto octave transits to the above stellium. The only time that the cycle did not have a strong imperialist/expansionist event was the period (10-1934 thru 6-1945) when Pluto was in the socialistic 8th house and opposite it's 2nd house position. Normally the conservatives would have been in power, but they could not handle the economic crisis of the depression (no solutions) and were voted out.

2022 may be like 1934. Imperialist agendas upstaged by economic realities that demand fixing. The next Pluto transit (octave 45 degree and 135 degree aspects) to the Ascendant/Mars/Uranus stellium runs 2-2022 thru 11-2030). The fact that Pluto returns to it's natal position in the 2nd house during that period strongly indicate major financial trouble if the current deficit spending is not brought under control and the economy goes south.

The current aggressive period (1-2000 thru 10-2006) is now ending and if President Bush doesn't bomb Iran in the next few months (Pluto's last aspect (180 degree) to Mars on 10-2006) we may have seen the worst of it, even though the Mars/Venus midpoint between the conservative/liberal stelliums is not reached until 2-2008 and the first aspect of Pluto opposite to Venus is not until 1-2011. It may be optimistic to expect a change in psychology/behavior before the mid-point between the two stelliums is reached but social or mass psychology may anticipate what is coming up astrologically. The astro-mechanics of the collective mind and sub-units like nations are only now being organized for systematic study.

It is only logical that the most socialistic, proletarian, power and control planet ruling Scorpio should be the arch transitor in political charts. You are dealing with mass organizations and their collective goals. Scorpio = two Leo's individuals pushing a goal = collective action. You had better push in the same direction or you get the stinger.

My solution to save our capitalist economic system is simple. Tax personal wealth as well as annual income and balance the books at the federal, state, and local level. If you own 1% of the private wealth then your share of the tax obligation would be 1%. That not being possible we could make the U.N. work like it is suppose to and save the ½ trillion dollar annual defense and spy budget.

In an ideal world we would recognize ourselves astrologically as individuals, as citizens of a country with a horoscope, and as members of a bi-polar collective mind that is at war with itself. The astrological roots of western imperialism would be recognized and controlled. Instead we get the cyclic dance of Kali on the unregenerate body of mankind through warfare. Kali, a violent incarnation of Shiva has been likened to the symbolism of Pluto, the agent of transformation through metaphorical death and regeneration. The ruler of the rough progress of social evolution at the scorpionic level.

AUTHOR: Van Golay