Early August 2011 was a highly charged time when a US government shutdown loomed and Congress made difficult and controversial decisions about raising the debt ceiling by unprecedented trillions of dollars.

On August 5, 2011 Standard and Poor downgraded the US credit rating from AAA to AA+.

S&P said the compromise made by Congress and President Obama to cut spending and boost the debt ceiling “falls short of what, in our view, would be necessary to stabilize the government’s medium-term debt dynamics.”

“We lowered our long-term rating on the U.S. because we believe that the prolonged controversy over raising the statutory debt ceiling and the related fiscal policy debate indicate that further near-term progress containing the growth in public spending, especially on entitlements, or on reaching an agreement on raising revenues is less likely than we previously assumed and will remain a contentious and fitful process,” the ratings firm said.

What may have hit home with astrologers was this further statement by S & P, “More broadly, the downgrade reflects our view that the effectiveness, stability, and predictability of American policymaking and political institutions have weakened at a time of ongoing fiscal and economic challenges to a degree more than we envisioned when we assigned a negative outlook to the rating.”

Please notice the word predictability. Basically S & P spokespeople said that US policymaking is UNPREDICTABLE.

If we look at the progressed US chart for 2011 we will see that currently the p. Sun is square p. Uranus. Click here to see the chart.

A keyword for a Uranus square is Unpredictablility.

Even more interesting, another keyword for Uranus is Change – and in the last  Presidential election the Democratic platform rally cry was “Change.”

If we want to even have more fun we can consider that  another keyword for Uranus is revolutionary and since the last election the grassroots political group called the Tea Party has sprung up, reminding us all of another Revolution in 1776.

We can even go so far as to say that this period of time, during the Sun Uranus progressed square, will receive a great deal of publicity and cause worldwide ripples, because fame and globalization are also symbolisms of Uranus.

So we know from the Magi solar progressions of the US chart that the trend of the administration (the Sun) is unpredictable and that is exactly what S & P based the downgrade upon.

The world transits in early August reflected the problems and are perhaps even more telling of the situation.

T. Saturn was within half a degree of an exact square to the US natal Sun. The US chart has a natal Sun Saturn square, which might represent  the checks to power intended by the Constitution. The President as well as Congress is kept in check by the rules (a Saturn keyword) of the Constitution,  which is a very good thing. Transits of Saturn, however, seem to point out past mistakes and invite criticism.  The  administration was certainly criticized for the trillions of dollars in spending that resulted in a need to raise the debt ceiling.

But even more importantly a Grand Cross was forming in this time period that involved four planets. Click here to see the chart for August 5 2011.

This Grand Cross involved several planets and was within orb – as Mars triggered the Grand Cross – over several days. The transit of Mars over the U.S. chart’s natal Venus accentuated the Pluto opposition to natal Venus as well as the square from transiting Uranus.

If you recall this was also a time when Congress was struggling to balance the budget and raised the debt ceiling to incredible – historic – heights.

Click here to see chart of the Grand Cross compared to U.S. chart

They formed a “Super Committee” to find ways to economize in  the future.

It is no wonder the Super Committee failed, considering that the Grand Cross was in effect when the Super Committed was formed.  Anything begun during difficult transits  creates a chart with difficult aspects.

We could discuss the Occupy Wall Street movement in light of the ongoing Uranus Pluto square in the world chart, but perhaps it is best to leave 2011 on a high note.

Since early 2009 transiting Pluto has been in opposition to the U.S. chart natal Venus and Jupiter, creating a situation of economic strain  and unprecedented spending. The final opposition of Pluto to the U.S. Jupiter occurred in November 2011.

Hang in there folks! In the upcoming year transiting Chiron and Neptune will both form a trine to the U.S. Venus.

Calming, soothing and financially secure Neptune moves very slowly so the benefits  of a Neptune trine will be available through 2013.