WHICH IS PRETTIER, SATURN IN VIRGO OR SATURN IN LIBRA?

Saturn the grandfather clock of the zodiac is slowly ticking his way out of the sign of Virgo which has ruler ship over health and employment concerns. When Saturn leaves the sign of Virgo the health insurance dilemma should be straightened out after some extreme compromises as indicated by the Uranus opposition.

Since Saturn rules things that are straight and Uranus rules things that are crooked the resulting solution to this ongoing battle is anybody's guess. It looks like health care will be off the shelf as a concern by late July 2010 when Saturn's demands in this arena are laid to rest. In any case Uranus always changes whatever it touches and Saturn winds up ironing out the wrinkles. I don't expect the changes to be drastic but they should modified to some degree. All we can do is tune into CNN or Bill Mahr for the most current updates.

This Saturn transit has been a long one for me and quite frankly I'll be the first in line to kiss it goodbye. The trouble with Saturn is that he is a hard taskmaster like an old school drill sargent who won't give you your stripes till you've really earned them.

So here is the good news. Old man Saturn will be waving a final goodbye to Virgo matters like health care, unemployment and senior citizens with one hand on July 21, 2010 and waving in a charming hello to Libra with another at midnight GMT on the 22nd.

The bad news is that the aspect that Saturn in Libra makes to the United Sates chart gives me some concern and not in a good way. Saturn always points out the area of life that should be addressed for a two and a half year period. Saturn in Libra will be transiting the USA's tenth house representing the government's reputation. All eyes will be focused on this country and that means warts and all. Wherever Saturn is he demands nothing but the best.

Saturn's words of wisdom from a 10th house placement sends a message that our country's reputation is on the line. The good old USA will have to pass all upcoming tests with flying colors or suffer a fall from grace. Saturn rules America's economy and an approaching square to the ruler of it's 9th house ruling foreign affairs hints that we won't be looked upon too favorably by our European neighbors.

When Saturn goes into zero cardinal, which in this case means zero Aries, Saturn's effect should most certainly be felt nationwide, if not globally. Pluto rules this nation's twelfth house of hidden enemies. Transiting Pluto in the first house and ruler of the twelfth will be squaring Saturn ruler of the nations economy meaning that hidden enemies or our worst fears come to the surface and could have a powerful effect on our economic standing in the world.

Pluto/Saturn aspects are notorious for constipating the economy. To quote the definition of Saturn+Pluto by Alfred Witte in the The Rules for Planetary Pictures, he defines it like this: "hindered development" and if we add zero Aries to the mix: "The general public which cannot adapt itself, which separates from a development and is getting used to new conditions very slowly only."

Don't say I didn't warn you!