1. Hardworking Mars conjoins Saturn in conscientious, dutiful Virgo on July 10. The Mars-Saturn cycle is a major political factor driving opposing forces to come together, often creating historical turning points. This conjunction is especially powerful since it activates power points in the charts of today's most prominent politicians, including George Bush, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John McCain.
2. Transiting Chiron squares the U.S. Vesta on July 18, indicating that the problem with major investment and banking houses continues through July. This is the second of Chiron's three squares to the U.S. Vesta, which began in March as Bear Stearns collapsed. Chiron's passage through the U.S. fourth house (along with Neptune) implicates the slumping housing market.
3. The Full Moon on July 18 is accompanied by Ceres and Mercury in Cancer and Jupiter in Capricorn, which are all great celestial companions for any family vacation or shared traveling experience. Relationships between parents and children are harmonized under this influence, which includes a spirit of generosity and open-mindedness.
4. Uranus opposes the U.S. Neptune, exact on July 21, but a major influence all month. Uranus, the planet of shock and unwelcome surprises, has been aligned with the U.S. Neptune for several months now, as the corresponding escalation of oil prices has weighed heavily on the economy. This alignment might also bring a major scandal or two.
5. The U.S. Progressed Moon forms a quincunx to natal Pluto on July 23, and is a major factor in American politics through most of July. This important dynamic reflects a marshaling of American power in a variety of ways, including military, economic, and diplomatic - all in response to emerging crises.
Occasionally, those who write Sun Sign columns hit the nail on the head, but that only indicates that there's something there, something beyond the consensus reality that bears exploring. To find out more, one needs to look at the entire horoscope, which is a map of where the planets were when an individual was born. 
