The 2020 presidential election in the United States was the 59th quadrennial presidential election, held on November 3, 2020. Former Vice President Joe Biden and California junior senator Kamala Harris defeated incumbent Republican President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence on the Democratic ticket. The election took place against the backdrop of the global epidemic of COVID-19 and the ensuing recession. It was the first presidential election since 1992, the first in the twenty-first century, and the sixth in the last century in which the incumbent president did not win re-election. The election witnessed the largest voter turnout by percentage since 1900, with each of the two major parties earning over 74 million votes, breaking Barack Obama’s previous high of 69.5 million votes set in 2008. Biden earned almost 81 million votes, the most ever voted for a presidential candidate in the United States.
Biden won the Democratic nomination over his closest challenger, Senator Bernie Sanders, in a tough primary that featured the most candidates for any major party in the modern age of American politics. Harris, Biden’s running mate, is the first African-American, Asian-American, and female vice presidential nominee on a major party ticket. Howie Hawkins received the Green nomination with Angela Nicole Walker as his running companion, while Jo Jorgensen secured the Libertarian nomination with Spike Cohen as her running mate. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic’s public health and economic impacts; civil unrest in response to the police murder of George Floyd and others; the Supreme Court following the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett; and the future of the Affordable Care Act were all major issues in the election.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, a record number of early and mail-in ballots were cast. Democrats voted by mail in far greater numbers than Republicans. Because of the large number of mail-in ballots, some swing states experienced delays in vote counting and reporting, prompting major news organizations to postpone their projections of Biden and Harris as president-elect and vice president-elect until November 7, three and a half days after the election. Major media outlets will predict a state for a candidate when there is high statistical certainty that the outstanding vote will not prevent the projected victor from winning the state. With 306 electoral votes, Biden won the majority in the Electoral College, while Trump garnered 232. Biden became the first Democrat to win presidential elections in Georgia and Arizona since 1992 and 1996, respectively, as well as the first candidate to win nationally without Ohio since 1960 and without Florida since 1992, thereby deflating the former’s bellwether role. Since 1976, Biden is the first Democrat to win without Iowa. It’s the first time since 1880 that both major party candidates won the same number of states, and the first time since 1948 that a single party has won the popular vote four times in a row.
Trump and numerous Republicans sought to sabotage the election and reverse the results before, during, and after Election Day, falsely alleging rampant voter fraud and attempting to influence the vote-counting process in swing states. There was no indication of widespread fraud or anomalies in the election, according to Attorney General William Barr and officials from each of the 50 states. The election was described as the safest in American history by federal authorities in charge of election security. The Trump campaign and its allies, including Republican members of Congress, continued to try to overturn the election results by filing 63 lawsuits in various states (all of which were withdrawn or dismissed), spreading conspiracy theories alleging fraud, and pressuring Republican state election officials (including, notably, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, in a phone call that later became widely publicized) and legislators to rescind the election results. After Trump repeatedly stated that he would never surrender the election, a crowd of Trump supporters attacked the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021. However, in a video shared to Twitter on January 7, one day after the deadly Capitol attack and two months after Biden’s victory was announced, Trump acknowledged the new administration without mentioning Biden’s name. On January 20, 2021, Biden and Harris were sworn in as presidents.
In This Article...
What is an electional chart, and how does it work?
Astrologers Chris Brennan and Leisa Schaim introduce electional astrology in episode 190 of the podcast, which is the application of astrology to determine auspicious dates and periods to begin new initiatives and undertakings.
We frequently feature an auspicious electional chart for the month ahead on the podcast’s forecast episodes, but we recently found that most listeners are unfamiliar with the laws of electional astrology or how to apply the charts we provide.
As a result, we decided to dedicate a full episode to electional astrology in order to provide a thorough overview of the subject.
Because this is such a broad topic, the show lasted three hours:
- We began by discussing the premise of electional astrology, as well as some conceptual and philosophical concerns relating to the topic, during the first hour.
- We dive into the technical aspects of what to look for and focus on when looking for a strong electional chart in the second hour.
- Finally, in the final hour, we respond to some questions about electional astrology that listeners sent in via Twitter.
This episode is available in both audio and video formats, and links to both can be found just under the program notes at the bottom of this page.
Resources for Electional Astrology
Other electional astrology resources referenced in this episode:
- Report on the 2019 Election Astrology where we highlight the year’s best elections
- Podcast: Prosperous Elections
- our monthly election podcast for the coming month
- Course on Electional Astrology
- Chris’ electional astrology course is available online.
- Astrolabe’s Solar Fire Astrology Software (use promo code AP15 for a 10 percent discount)
Electional Astrology Podcast Outline
Here’s a rundown of the important things we discussed in this episode:
- The basis of the film is “Origins doctrine.
- Looking at the alignment of the planets at the time it began can determine the quality and future of anything.
- A system’s potentiality is imbued from the moment of its conception.
- There is a chart for everything.
- Not only persons, but also events and ventures, can have birth charts.
- Election entails nothing more than that “option
- Electional astrology entails picking a chart ahead of time to start something.
- You can control the outcome if you can control the beginning.
- Inceptional astrology differs from electional astrology.
- This branch was formerly known as katarchic astrology, after the Greek word katarch.
- It is thought to have originated in Mesopotamian astrology.
- Electional astrology is developed in almost every culture that has astrology.
- Dorotheus of Sidon’s book 5 is the earliest and most influential treatment in Western tradition.
- The majority of later Hellenistic and Medieval election remedies are based on Dorotheus.
- Older Petosiris fragments point to earlier lost sources from the 1st century BCE.
- Horary astrology most likely arose from electional astrology at some point.
- In theory, anything, although it’s usually reserved for more serious endeavors.
- Weddings, business incorporations, contract signings, and listing a home are all examples of common usage.
- You can use it for lesser tasks that are nonetheless important to you, such as sending critical emails.
- Famous electional astrology examples include:
- Baghdad was founded in 762.
- Queen Elizabeth I’s coronation chart was chosen by John Dee.
- Joan Quigley, Ronald Reagan’s astrologer, predicted numerous significant presidential events.
- Typically, the most symbolic initial deed that kicks off whatever you’re starting.
- Determine which part of the event has the most symbolic significance.
- What is the most crucial point?
- Is there more than one beginning, or is there only one?
- Examples:
- expressing “I do, and I’m getting married at a wedding (begins marriage)
- Beginning a book/article and saving a draft.
- For the first time, company doors are being opened.
- You’re going on a trip and need to leave your house.
- Sending a letter/email, or saying something, might sometimes be the thing that brings the beginning to a close “Yes, I do.
- If possible, we aim to do both start and finish acts in the same election, if there are more than one.
- Concentrate your attention on the most symbolic moment.
- Consider the problem of conception vs. birth from the perspective of natal astrology.
- Consider whether this is a conception or a birth moment.
- May provide you an advantage, allowing you to undertake something you were already planning to do in a more beneficial way.
- You won’t be able to come up with anything that your birth chart doesn’t already imply.
- It won’t be able to completely change your fate, but it could be able to help in some modest ways.
- When you start an action, it can be helpful to know what the outcome will be.
- 1) Using fundamental astrological criteria, make the chart as positive as feasible overall.
- 2) Creating a chart that resembles the business you’re launching.
- We normally do #1 while also considering the general significator and the topic’s home.
- When numerous households are involved in a project, it might be difficult to make everything perfect at the same time.
- Optimize the positive aspects while minimizing the negative or difficult aspects.
- There are no such things as ideal charts.
- The art of electional is learning to prioritize what is most important.
- Define the time frame that is available:
- June 1August 15, 2014, for example.
- Between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
- The more constraints you place on yourself as an astrologer, the more difficult it becomes. There are fewer possibilities.
- Because there are too many alternatives, the less limits the better.
- Only take into account elections that fall within your time limit.
- It makes no difference what you do outside of your allotted time window. Do not pay attention to it.
- Learning to make the most of what you have is the challenge and skill of electional.
- The Ascendant Ruler and the Moon are two of the most essential components in any election.
- These two must be well-placed in our strategy.
- The Ascendant, 1st House, and 1st House Ruler all reflect the initiator of activity.
- The primary planet reflects what was started at the commencement of the business.
- That which appears or is born at that particular time.
- We employ entire sign houses as well as conventional rulerships.
- In your electional chart, make sure the ruler of the Ascendant is well-placed.
- Signed with dignity (domicile, exaltation, or mutual reception, ideally).
- Angular or in a favourable house with the Ascendant as an aspect.
- Beneficials are on the lookout for you (Venus and Jupiter).
- Free from the negative characteristics of malefics (Mars and Saturn).
- Aspects that are applied suggest the future, while those that are separated indicate the past.
- In any electional chart, the Moon is the second most important significator.
- It serves as a broad indicator for the entire election.
- Make sure the Moon is in a good position in the chart.
- In a good house and sign.
- The Moon’s ruler is also in a good house.
- The old adage is that the Moon foreshadows the beginning, but the ruler foreshadows the end.
- Beneficials are being considered.
- Malefics do not apply to hard features.
- In your electional chart, planets in angular houses are more prominent and active.
- Make benefics more angular to emphasize them.
- Malefics can be reduced by making them less angular.
- In this context, angular refers to both the whole sign house and the quadrant house.
- Topics are represented by whole signs, and activity is represented by quadrant houses.
- To identify the majority of positive and negative planets, use sect.
- Jupiter is the most positive planet during the day, while Mars is the most negative.
- Venus is the most positive planet at night, while Saturn is the most negative.
- As much as possible, accentuate the most positive planet.
- Take extra precautions with most negative planets and try to reduce or eliminate them as much as possible.
- In the chart, the angular planets are the most conspicuous. Indicate the current, or what is still going on.
- Succedent houses, which are the next most prominent, foreshadow the future.
- Cadent homes, which are the least visible, are a reminder of the past.
- Reduce the negative effects of planets in bad or cadent dwellings.
- An aspect to an angular planet or a degree of an angle within 3 degrees.
- If the topic has a planet related with it, make sure it’s a decent one.
- Venus, for example, is associated with marriage, whereas Mercury is associated with communication.
- We have a tendency to focus on specific indicators rather than broad ones.
- Getting general significators to be well-placed by sign might require a lot of time and effort.
- The electional chart is a transit to your natal chart that lasts forever.
- Check to see if these are transits you can live with.
- Finding a few probable elections and then using the natal chart as a tiebreaker is a good idea.
- Identify natal transits to accentuate or avoid using sect.
- For natal day charts, emphasize Jupiter and avoid close Mars transits.
- For natal night charts, emphasize Venus and avoid close Saturn transits.
- Many of the same things are focused on in the natal chart as sensitive elements.
- The Ascendant, the 1st house, and the Ascendant’s ruler
- The Moon, particularly at night, or the Sun during the day.
- The other houses are angular.
- The house that corresponds to the election’s topic (e.g. 7th for marriage).
- There are debates regarding whether to start with the election or the natal chart (discussed in ep 2).
- No one can deny that the natal chart is important.
- It’s just a question of how much weight natal transits get compared to the electional chart.
- We find that starting with the elections and then incorporating the natal makes sense as folks who do a lot of electional work.
- This makes sense from a workflow aspect, because finding appropriate electional charts is difficult and time intensive.
- This isn’t always the case, and there have been times when we’ve employed zodiacal releasing to shorten a period of time.
- Most of the time, you aren’t working with a very broad or perfect time period in which you can exert a lot of influence over things like outer planet transits.
- This is why it’s usually a better idea to start with the electional chart.
- Carmen Astrologicum, Dorotheus of Sidon, trans. Benjamin Dykes
- Benjamin Dykes’ book Choices and Inceptions: Traditional Electional Astrology
Who do you think was America’s greatest president?
Historians frequently list Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and George Washington as the three most highly regarded presidents. Recent presidents such as Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton are frequently ranked among the best in popular opinion polls, although presidential experts and historians do not agree. Because both William Henry Harrison (31 days) and James A. Garfield (200 days, incapacitated after 119 days) died soon after assuming office, they are sometimes overlooked in presidential rankings. Despite the fact that Zachary Taylor only served as president for 16 months, he is frequently included in the list. It’s unclear whether these three received low ratings because of their activities as presidents or because they were in power for such a short period of time that they didn’t accomplish much.
The “dichotomous or schizoid features” of presidents, according to political scientist Walter Dean Burnham, make it difficult to categorize them. “There are presidents who could be called both failures and great or near great (for example, Nixon),” historian Alan Brinkley said. “How can one evaluate such an unusual ruler, so smart and yet morally lacking?” historian and political scientist James MacGregor Burns wondered about Nixon. It’s also unclear if absolute rankings matter much, especially for presidents in the middle. The Times’ US editor, Gerard Baker, writes, “On a chart, the 42 American presidents fall into a well-known Bell-curve or normal distribution, with a few standouts, a few duds, and a lot of so-sos. In all honesty, I couldn’t claim that number 13 on the list is significantly better than number 30.”
What do Uranian planets entail?
Second, the Uranian system incorporated astrological interpretation to the concept of midpoints. A midpoint is a place on the horoscope that is located halfway between any two planets. The midway is the location where the two planets’ combined energy manifest. A planetary picture is formed by the two planets and their midway. The computation of those midpoints necessitates an additional level of mathematical competence on the part of the astrologer preparing the chart, which has hampered the dissemination of the Uranian method.
The insertion of imaginary planets to the chart was the most dubious part of the Uranian system. The possibility of several as yet undiscovered planets was hypothesized prior to the advent of space travel and the discovery of various techniques of proving the existence of otherwise unknown worlds. The discovery of Uranus and Neptune fueled such speculation, as did the discoveries of Pluto (1930) and Chiron (1977), a comet that was formerly thought to be a planet.
Cupido, Hades, Zeus, Kronos, Apollon, Admetos, Vulcanos, and Poseidon were named after hypothetical planets in Uranian astrology, which were given the names Cupido, Hades, Zeus, Kronos, Apollon, Admetos, Vulcanos, and Poseidon. Each of these planets was given a specific duty in the astrological chart.
During the first part of the twentieth century, Uranian astrology was most popular in German-speaking countries. It also gave birth to cosmobiology, an astrological system founded by one of Witte’s students, Reinhold Ebertin. Though Witte’s most important book, Rules for Planetary Pictures, was published in an English edition in 1939, it has had limited popularity outside of German-speaking countries. In addition, contemporary astronomical advances have made the inclusion of hypothetical planets to the horoscope a more dubious effort.
Sources:
Allan Edwards, Jean-Louis Brau, Helean Weaver, and Jean-Louis Brau. The Larousse Encyclopedia of Astrology is a reference work on the subject of astrology. New American Library, New York, 1982.
James H. Holden and Robert A. Hughes. America’s Astrological Pioneers American Federation of Astrologers, Tempe, Ariz., 1988.
Who is the wealthiest president in the United States?
The list of presidents of the United States ranked by peak net worth is extensive. Before 1845, most presidents, particularly Andrew Jackson and George Washington, were exceedingly wealthy. Many of the country’s first presidents were landowners, with some even owning plantations and slaves.
Presidents since Herbert Hoover entered office in 1929 have been on average wealthier than presidents in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries; with the exception of Harry S. Truman, all presidents since 1929 have been millionaires. Autobiographies and other writings have brought in a lot of money for these presidents. All presidents since Calvin Coolidge have authored autobiographies, with the exception of Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy (both of whom died while in office). Furthermore, several presidents, like Bill Clinton, have made a lot of money from public speaking after they leave office.
Donald Trump, who is sometimes referred to as the first billionaire president, is widely regarded as the wealthiest president in history. However, because the Trump Organization is privately held, his net worth remains unknown.
Truman was one of the poorest presidents in the United States, with a net worth of less than $1 million. Because of his financial situation, the president’s salary was increased to $100,000 in 1949. In addition, the presidential pension was established in 1958, when Truman’s finances were once again in jeopardy. The Social Security Act of 1965 provided Harry and Bess Truman with the first Medicare cards in 1966.