Astrologer Brigid Penrose’s predictions a year ago had the finger on the pulse of Indiana and Indianapolis: controversial legislation in Indiana that created an uproar (RFRA), a political tug-of-war in the Indianapolis City-County Council chambers (BlueIndy contracts, the recycling contract), crime increases (murder rate). So what does she see for this year?
“Well, it is an election year, which is always interesting. Indiana will be celebrating 200 years of statehood, and the state is entering a very dynamic cycle. As a conservative state dominated by agriculture and traditional industry, the state has struggled to move into the 21st century. The Pence administration reflects the cautious, conservative values of most of the state — outside the cities.” Penrose noted that the gubernatorial campaign will likely be low-key for most of the year, and Pence will likely win re-election, though not by a wide margin. “Saturn, the planet of the status-quo and conservatism, is crossing the highest point in Indiana’s chart throughout the year. Pence’s campaign will soften the tone of their social agenda because of pressure from moderate Republicans, and emphasize economic stability.”
However, on a national level, Penrose believes the presidential election will be a wild ride. “You have, in the U.S. chart, a real see-saw tension going on. It will get worse in the run-up to the nominations, and by November, it could get very ugly. The chart for Election Day is very troubling. It looks a lot like the Bush/Gore chart from 2000. We could see a very close election, or problems and delays declaring a winner, or accusations of widespread fraud. Whoever ends up in the White House is going to have real problems being seen as the legitimate President.”
“There is a lot of talk about Trump as the potential Republican nominee, so I looked at his chart. He was born under an eclipse — June 14, 1946 — and eclipse babies are really different. Part genius, part madman, and completely unpredictable. They make their own rules and then break them. Trump’s chart ties in very closely to the U.S. chart and appeals to the aggressive, action-oriented, sometimes mean-spirited, part of the American collective psyche. It is the dark side of the ‘can-do’ spirit of America that lends itself to bullying. Could he win the Republican nomination? Possibly. However, he is more likely to trip over his own ambition and alienate his supporters before he gets to the convention.”
Closer to home, Penrose sees trouble ahead for Indianapolis. “The new mayor and council will have their work cut out for them. Public safety will be a big issue. There are indications of a sudden event in March or April that really shakes up Indy’s sense of safety and security in some way. There are also indications that a large company, or companies, with strong ties to the city will undergo a major change which could have a significant impact on the economic outlook of the city.”
Penrose is also looking at longer cycles that form a backdrop to social and economic changes in the world. “We’re at an in-between period between Jupiter and Saturn conjunctions and oppositions, which coincide with economic downturns. The next Jupiter-Saturn conjunction will be in 2020, the so-called Grand Conjunction, which we saw in 2000 and before that in 1980. Both coincided with recessions. We’re still pulling out of the Great Recession of 2008-09, and I expect the world economy will continue to see slow growth for the next couple of years, but it will be very uneven. In the U.S., we’ve moved from an industrial economy, where we were makers of things, to a tech-driven economy where people work passing information and services around. It’s been a very difficult transition for the average person — they’ve seen their livelihoods go away, and an uncertain future for their kids emerge.” Economic uncertainty for the average American has lead to political and social change, and technology is likely to accelerate inequality for the next few years. “As interesting as the 2016 election will be, the 2020 will be a doozy.”