Ronald Reagan was Sagittarius rising, he liked to look at the big picture and he was known for delegating most of his presidential duties to cabinet members.  Having Mars in that same rising sign, Reagan was also a man of action and an athlete.  

Reagan was therefore one who was motivated and acted on  ideological causes; sometimes as on a “crusade”.  In this case it was in the battle of "good and evil" (democracy and totalitarianism).  

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Sagittarius has a great zeal for freedom; and naturally Reagan would have gravitated to philosophies such as conservatism, which (at least speaks to) limited government and the freedom of the marketplace. 

Mars prominently placed in Reagan’s chart (in the ascendant) is also the ruler of his twelfth house, that of hidden interests, conspiracies, and deception.  In this world we seem to have the idea that presidents are true “directors”, that they really are the movers and shakers behind current policies and initiatives. 

In truth the situation is much more complex, our “leaders” are really front men representing hidden and powerful corporate and banking interests.  Getting elected is a battle for perceptions and you need the support of those who run the media.  If you’re not malleable to the interests of those who “own the world” you’re not going to make it. 

So like almost all the charts of politicians that I have seen, there is a strong predominance of the twelfth house in Reagan’s chart, meaning that there is more than meets the eye with him. 

Reagan had three planets (including the Sun) in Capricorn, he had a natural proclivity to be in positions of power and control; some might say because of a typical Capricornian compensation for a deep sense of inadequacy.  Reagan’s atmakaraka, or planet with highest degree value representing his soul, was the Sun which is by nature regal, domineering, and magnanimous. 

Reagan’s arudha, or sign representing the material reflection or image of his soul is in Sun-ruled Leo; this was probably why Reagan therefore didn’t seem to have an austere, cold, and calculating  image which so many Capricorns have.  Indeed Reagan had a great warmth and generosity, which marked his success as much as anything. 

Reagan popularity and gentility came from his Gaja-Kesari yoga in his chart; that is, the Moon and Jupiter were at angles to each other. 

Reagan’s Moon was in the sign of war-like Aries (Mars-ruled) along with the North Node (Rahu) and Saturn, calling to mind again the idea that he was rough and ready  but maybe as an overcompensation for an underlying idea that he was  not rough and ready  enough. 

The Moon in Reagan’s dasamsha chart (the Vedic varga chart derived from the natal chart that indicates one’s ultimate successes) is in secretive and obstinate Scorpio in the tenth house, which also indicates that he was indeed severe when he needed to be, and one who does the “dirty work”; i.e. shoots people and destroys things.  Dasamsha Moon in Scorpio would also indicate a tendency to get involved in intrigue.  

More positively, dasamsha Moon in Scorpio would indicate a powerful visionary part of his being, one that could potentially transform things.  Part of Reagan’s legacy was his making conservative ideas more popular, and being part of the turnaround of American from the Carter-esque "malaise" of the 70’s.  

One notable thing about Reagan’s fifth house, which is normally considered to be a source of true divine virtue in one’s life; is that is suspiciously weak in Ashtakavarga totals indicating that there could have been something awry in his political life (the fifth house represents one’s political life). 

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Reagan had a slow but steady rise to the top throughout his life, but the real pinnacle was in 1976 when he first ran for the office of US President.  Reagan’s first Presidential run commenced with the start of his Saturn major period (Vimshottari maha dasa) and it was the overarching influence of Saturn that saw him through his eventual two-term presidency.  The graphic below indicates Reagan’s Saturn dasa started in 1974, but it should be realized that the 1976 campaign most likely had about two years preparation.  

It should be kept in mind that while Reagan’s Saturn was strong in the fifth house and conjunct the Moon; it was qualitatively ill-dignified by being in the sign of Aries.  Remember also that Reagan’s fifth house overall was debilitated or of low strength by being low in ashtakavarga points; so while he was  geared to be an executive with three planets (including a strong Sun) in Capricorn; his actual executive actions might have suffered as Saturn. 

Reagan was known as a “napper” during official visits and he did not control things with an iron hand; he only make the broadest, most simple decisions during the entire administration.  Some people have asserted that Reagan had everything scripted for him.  It easily can be seen that Reagan’s “low key” approach was because he was under the influence of a debilitated planetary lord in his chart (Saturn). 

So while Reagan claimed to be a conservative, he acted in many ways like a liberal.  During Reagan’s term the actual size of government doubled, as well as its deficits.  The actual prosperity brought about by his tax cuts was bought by increased government borrowing (sending the bill to our descendants). 

Far from being just and egalitarian, Saturn in Aries (in Reagan’s chart) would be extremely domineering and aggressive trying to prove to itself and the world over and over again how tough, strong, and Arian it is. 

Reagan did not actually preside over an official war, but it saw the accelerated expansion of the military and (for a while) a very strong rhetoric against the Soviet Union. 

Reagan’s decline commenced exactly as he moved into his next maha dasa, that of Mercury in 1993 as his diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease was announced to the public.  In Reagan’s chart Mercury is debilitated by being of very low degrees, aspected by Saturn, and placed in the destructive eighth house in the dasamsha (success) chart.  The combination of old age and a debilitated planetary lord ruler took him out of public life and now his transition from earthly life.