I've actually recently started looking into historical astrology and I took major note that Pluto hasn't been in Capricorn since the American Revolution (specifically it was in Retrograde when that happened). Pluto's stationing in it I think is ultimately why we've been seeing a lot of attitudes in our country regress in a lot of ways. Pluto in Capricorn is, what I believe to be, an incredibly unforgiving placement. Capricorn in and of itself isn't a particularly flexible sign, it loves structure and especially loves the structure that it's taken the time to build. Pre-American Revolution we were still ruled by the monarchy in the UK, today we see a call to embrace the old structures this country was built on which whether people want to admit it, is heavily rooted in racism, sexism and oppression. This is an attitude that's been on the rise. Pluto First entered Capricorn in 2008, the year Obama was elected. Our nation REELED BACK rather violently over this (look up images of anti-obama protests and you'll see just how violent the imagery became, down to ppl making imagery invoking him being lynched). Since then, our government has worked aggressively to stop any progressive changes he's tried to enact, regardless of who will benefit. The GOPs sole mission was to block him at every corner, and the longer he stayed in office, the more our nation seemed to blame him, specifically, for things not getting done (while disregarding the House and Senate's refusal to even do its job).
Pluto was in retrograde April of last year though admittedly I feel a bit foggy over any shifts that happened back then (2016 was quite a wild year) but will once again be going retrograde this year and at the same time as, I believe, almost all other outer planets.
Pluto Rx in Capricorn offers a chance to question the powers in place.
Neptune will also go Retrograde which I view as a 'Jaded' statement. Its no longer dream and optimistic, it's suddenly awoken to realize the harshness of reality and the cruelty that it, at times, has to offer.
Uranus will go Retrograde closer to the end of Pluto's Retrograde ending, which I see as a placated (for the time being) station. I currently theorize that Uranus in Aries represents millennials and all out there who take issue with the current structures. This is Uranus on a very intense altruistic high. We saw the impact of its retrograde near the end of last year when everyone seemed to feel rather helpless to where things were going and resigned to the fate of the political climate. The moment it went direct, however, was when the Obama administration began looking into Russian ties in our election (Uranus in Aries again being very intensely focused on an unwillingness to accept wrong and faulty doing) and since then, people have become more and more restless, taking a more proactive approach to interacting with our government and protesting on larger and larger scales.
Saturn will also be going retrograde in Sagittarius. This is something I'm not entirely sure what to make of. Saturn is already uncomfortable in Sagittarius. It wants structure and definition while Sagittarius wants freedom and flexibility. Saturn in Retrograde is a fickle thing as it throws out structure to experience freedom once it realizes that the structures and rules it was abiding may not be worth embracing. I'll be keeping an eye as I feel like this may prove itself to be a 'breaking' point. This country has lofty ideals of what it wants to achieve but I suspect Saturn in Retrograde will be a collective attempt at stepping back and re-examining it. Are our lofty ideals helping everyone? Who is it that we have, are and could be willing to sacrifice in favor of the 'greater good'. More importantly, as Saturn in Sagittarius forces us to recon with - what IS the greater good?
Jupiter will be the first planet to go Retrograde this year and it will be uncomfortable. I feel like Jupiter in Libra may represent our government as a whole. Its been extending it's reach to a freakish extent in the name of 'order and balance' (which we're seeing happening even now with all of these EOs being signed. Order and Balance are what they claim it's offering but people's lives are being ruined in the process). So it going retrograde will likely show a significant halt in our government's current functioning. Jupiter in Retrograde is funny. I have it in my natal chart (in my 7th house ha!) And I've gotten to learn that Jupiter in retrograde is almost a 'vetting' position. Its no longer readily and openly taking offers and opportunities. Its no longer openly and actively seeking to expand. Its pausing and slowing down expansion in order to focus on Quality instead of Quantity.
TL;DR - this rise in white nationalism seems to be the death throws of this mentality in this country. This is something that if it were happening 15 years ago would prove to potentially genuinely ruin our nation but we're far more connected (Uranus) now and far more focused on collectively creating progress (Aries). I suspect this Spring/Summer will be eventful. A lot of things will be thrown out, potentially people even being impeached and removed from office in favor of a more calm (albeit uncomfortable) Fall/early Winter.
This year is definitely going to take us to task as a nation and with Uranus being the only planet NOT in retrograde for most of the time that Pluto is stationed retrograde, I do believe the progress that we're so intensely hoping for is in its way.
