This week saw the birthday of a President most historians repeatedly rank on the bottom of the list of most effective leaders. James Buchanan (April 23, 1791), 15th President of the United States and the man who preceded Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War, was a rather doddering old man who might have been a serviceable leader in peaceful times when he could play entertainer in chief. He was incapable of holding a splitting country together and his relief was over the top when he was able to hand over the reins to Lincoln.
Buchanan was born under a Taurus Sun and his refusal to embrace change and try to fix what was a rapidly disintegrating country are some examples of shadow Taurus traits. Taurus, depicted by the Bull, is solid, sturdy, and unmovable. Buchanan wanted to enjoy the beauty of the White House and play the diplomat. He did not want to face the grim reality facing his country.
However, two other Taurus Presidents were steadfast warriors who, when committed to a goal, saw it through to the end despite the odds. A hero of the soon to explode Civil War, Ulysses S Grant (April 27, 1822), came to the White House thanks to his war exploits. He knew that he had to take the idea of “total war” to the enemy and executed his plans with ruthless but remarkable Taurus stubbornness. He kept one goal in mind – victory – and no one could dissuade him from it.
Another Taurus President who followed his Taurus instincts for stubbornly pursuing a goal and never looking back was Harry S Truman (May 8, 1884). (What is it with these Taurus’ and the use of S as a middle name?) He had some horrific decisions to make when from the moment he became President, made them, and never looked back. That is Taurus in action!