SCOTUS carries on piling it on.....

From Brennan Center for Justice website yesterday:
Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court voted in McCutcheon v. FEC, the most critical campaign finance case since Citizens United, to strike down overall contribution limits, known as aggregate limits. The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law released the following statement from President Michael Waldman:

"Today’s Supreme Court decision rejects decades of precedent and strikes a sharp blow against the interests of average voters. Once again the Court has struck down a law that curbs the corrupting influence of large campaign contributions in our politics. Sadly, the Court has also achieved a new milestone by striking down a federal contribution limit for the first time.

Our Founders feared corruption. They did not want government beholden to narrow, elite interests. Eliminating these limits will now allow a single politician to solicit, and a single donor to give, up to $3.6 million through the use of joint fundraising committees. Following the Citizens United decision, this will further inundate a political system already flush with cash, marginalize average voters, and elevate those who can afford to buy political access."

Ye Gods! Was I wrong or was I wrong about Chief Justice John Roberts back in 2008, when I, still naive as they come about US politics, wrote the following as part of a blog post about well-known people with a birthday on 27 January (same as mine)?
His natal chart is available at astro.com

US Chief Justice John Roberts has Sun and Mercury in Aquarius, with Aquarius' modern ruler Uranus conjunct Jupiter in Cancer. Jupiter is traditionally connected with law, and government. Incidentally, with his natal Moon almost certainly in Pisces, Sun in humanitarian Aquarius, and that conjunction in sensitive Cancer , I'd say Chief Justice Roberts is a compassionate man, it's good to see such a person occupying that lofty position.

Come back all I said!! Admittedly, Roberts is just one of 9, but it is his Court!

Here's a voice worth a listen:

Pawns in their game: SCOTUS, ACA, Chief Justice Roberts, Re-consideration, Retrograde Planets.

Re-visiting my March 29 post on the SCOTUS debate on health care I noticed, and thought again, about these lines:

I stumbled upon a non-astrological blog: His Vorpal Sword written by Hart Williams. Mr Williams' post dated 26 March is titled Athena and the Jurists and opens like this:

Any astrologer worth her salt would tell you that there is not a lot of good that you can expect from a grand Supreme Court argument over the future of health care, held on a day when Mercury is retrograde, Saturn is retrograde, and Mars is retrograde. And, since, like global warming, astrology is easily refuted, except by observation, allow me to make this observation on the madness of the zeitgeist.

That's the only mention of astrology in the complex and interesting post......rather a good astrological point he made....

In an UPDATE to this Thursday's post I wrote: "trust a triple Aquarian to do the unexpected" - referring to Chief Justice Roberts' voting with the liberal justices rather than with the four right-wing conservatives on the bench, as has been usual. Recalling, via the above extract, that retrograde planets were around at the time of the initial arguments makes me wonder whether those retrograde planets have turned out to have had some symbolism or astrological importance: i.e. an eventual revision, reversal, reconsideration (retrograding) of one justice's crucially important opinion ?

I've read several comments from lawyers who, having perused the SCOTUS decision, and the dissent, have come to the conclusion that the dissent seems to have been written more in the style of a majority decision. If they are correct, and I have no means of knowing how reliable their opinion is, it might mean that there was a last-minute change by someone - Chief Justice Roberts?

Part of my My 1 April response to blog buddy R.J. Adams has turned out to seem correct:

I'm suspecting now that SCOTUS was only showboating, and they'll uphold the Act but don't want to make it look too easy. They couldn't possibly take away all that extra dosh from their pals the insurance corporations.

Chief Justice Roberts achieved two things by upholding ACA: he somewhat rescued SCOTUS's image from appearing to be politically-driven and partisan; it has been seen that way due to many recent rulings, leading to a huge dip in public approval of the Court. CJ Roberts has managed to adjust Scotus's image for the better while still buttering up the corporations - again. This time the insurance corporations benefit. CJ Roberts might even have achieved a third result: Gov. Romney now has another weapon to wield in his campaign against President Obama - that newly named "tax".

They say that President Obama is a political chess player. It now seems that Chief Justice Roberts can match him, move for move. And where are we in all this? To paraphrase a line from Bob Dylan: "We're just pawns in their game".

During coming months it will be interesting to note whether the SCOTUS decision will benefit President Obama in his re-election campaign because his flagship legislation, The Affordable Care Act or so-called Obamacare, has survived SCOTUS. Or, whether the categorising as a dreaded "tax" the penalty for not buying health insurance will assist Gov. Romney in firing up his base, along with some independents and libertarians.

The Week That Was

Keith Olbermann announced that a fellow presenter, Ed Schultz (below, right) also born 27 January, like himself, has joined MSNBC's early evening news programme line-up. Both he and Olbermann were previously sports commentators. I'd like to be able to say that Aquarius, at 27 January, breeds leftwing political folk with a love of sport. But I was born on that day too. I'm interested in left-wing politics, but sport was always a big blind spot for me.


Chief Justice John Roberts was also born 27 January, by the way. He's almost certainly right wing politically, whether he's a sporty type remains a mystery.




There was a bit of tut-tutting, among the more strait-laced protocol upholders, about the photograph of Michelle Obama and Queen Elizabeth II with, fleetingly, arms around each other. It's reported that they seemed to get on well. That's not surprising, thought I - one lady with Capricorn Sun, othe other with Taurus Sun - two Earthy ladies. It was refreshing to see someone unafraid to demonstrate affection towards a monarch who is often thought of as unapproachable.

And as for idiot criticisms of what Michelle Obama wore to the palace (e.g. "You don't go to meet the queen wearing a sweater"), or what she chooses to wear at any time - exactly who gives anybody the right to tell anybody else what to wear? In any case, I'd be very surprised if Buckingham Place officials and advisors hadn't been in touch with the First Lady's advisors with pointers as to the type of meeting it would be, and how formal or informal, just so as to avoid embarrassment on either side. Apparently the meeting was very informal - an invitation to share afternoon tea with the queen, who was herself informally dressed in a pink frock. Of course, nothing ever pleases the fashion police. I bet Michelle Obama has a good laugh at it all, if she ever reads some of the drivel written about her choice of clothes.





Bob Geldof had a few words to say about the G20 meeting in London this week. He speaks much sense. His natal chart and biography are at Astrodatabank here.
There's a discussion about the chart on an Astro.com forum here

In a nutshell he's a blend of Libra diplomacy and charm, Sagittarian philosophy and Virgo discernment, with a dynmic opposition between his cluster of Libra planets and Jupiter in Aries which I suspect is the main driving force which spurs him on to his good works, and prevents him from being simply a charming academic or run-of-the-mill musician.

See a brief interview at G20 below.






A Broadway revival of "Hair" opened this week. The show presented in Central Park last summer now moves to an indoor stage. Hair has perennial appeal, and remains relevant more than 40 years after its original showing. Uranus and Neptune currently semi-sextile (30*) in Pisces and Aquarius, and in mutual reception (in each other's home signs) probably offer a suitable asto-atmosphere for the hippie musical. A harmonious blend of radical opinion and mystical creativity seems just about right !

ECLIPSE, and me, and them.

This month's Solar eclipse falls directly on my natal Sun which is at 6.46 Aquarius. Well, there are 16minutes of arc difference. The eclipse falls on 6.30 Aquarius. I'll be in dreamland as it occurs here, in the early hours of tomorrow, Monday 26th.

Others who spring to mind immediately, whose natal Sun will also be very close the this eclipse (because their birthdays are on the same day as mine) are Keith Olbermann, Chief Justice Roberts (who made a boo-boo when administering the Oath to President Obama), Mohamed al Fayed (father of Dodi, Princess Di's friend), Derek Acorah, a British medium, Brugh Joy MD (my almost astrological twin), and my husband's younger daughter. My post of last year covers some of these. (Hard to be Humble Birthdays).

When I first noticed where the eclipse would fall I felt a little nervous. I tracked back to the last eclipse in a similar area, this fell in 1990, January 26, at 6.36 Aquarius, even closer to the exact minute of my Sun. I recall nothing of note during the weeks and months immediately following that eclipse. It seems, however, that 1990 eclipse was not of the same series as this current one. The last one of the same series as this touched a degree of Capricorn, in 1991. Still, an eclipse is an eclipse is an eclipse.

My nerves about the upcoming eclipse have now dissolved. I'm not convinced that eclipses are as significant as all that anyway. It's difficult to attribute happenings in one's personal life, or in world affairs, to a single celestial event. Eclipses, solar and lunar occur several times every year. In my opinion they are neither rare enough nor long-lasting enough for us to be able to say that some change or event was "a result of the eclipse".

Currently we have a Saturn/Uranus opposition in Virgo/Pisces, Pluto has recently changed signs from Sagittarius to Capricorn, Jupiter has recently moved into Aquarius for a protracted stay - and now a solar eclipse in Aquarius is added to the mix. There's a lot going on up there, so why attribute anything to a relatively fast-moving eclipse? There'll be another one along soon, then another pair later in the year. In contrast, the Saturn/Uranus opposition will be with us for a lot longer, and Pluto in Capricorn is there for the long haul. Gradual changes are bound to develop over the coming few years, with or without help from eclipses.

I regret departing from commonly held astrological theory on this, but I'm being honest - and obviously I could be very wrong. We shall see. I'll report any significant changes over coming weeks and months, and am prepared to eat my words - with a cherry on top!

"Hard to be Humble" birthdays.

Happy Birthday(Sunday 27th), to Keith Olbermann, American news anchor and political commentator; US Chief Justice John Roberts; British medium, Derek Acorah; billionaire Mohamed al Fayed (father of ill-fated Dodi, companion of Princess Di when they both died).
Also.... to little ol' me!

A very mixed bag. I could also add a few more, who have gone before, such as Lewis Carroll, Jerome Kern, and Mozart. Concentrating on the living, though - a few interesting tidbits:

Billionaire Mohamed al Fayed has his Aquarian Sun closely conjunct Saturn. Mercury and Venus are in Capricorn, and Uranus in Aries. Aquarius' modern ruler fires his Sun, and Aquarius' traditional ruler drives his business skills, which must be considerable. Two other personal planets in Capricorn (ruled by Saturn)connect to his talent for business and making money. (Born 27 Jan. 1933, Alexandria, Egypt)

US Chief Justice John Roberts has Sun and Mercury in Aquarius, with Aquarius' modern ruler Uranus conjunct Jupiter in Cancer. Jupiter is traditionally connected with law, and government. Incidentally, with his natal Moon almost certainly in Pisces, Sun in humanitarian Aquarius, and that conjunction in sensitive Cancer , I'd say Chief Justice Roberts is a compassionate man, it's good to see such a person occupying that lofty position.(27 Jan. 1955, Buffalo, New York)

Derek Acorah, a well-known British medium, isn't well-known to me, but I have read a little about him. He has Sun Jupiter/Venus in Aquarius, Uranus in Cancer. I'm not sure where to look for any psychic ability, but I notice that mystical Neptune, in Libra, trines the Venus/Jupiter conjunction in Aquarius. Saturn in Virgo trines Mercury in Capricorn - a very down to earth combination. Perhaps Neptune lies close to one of the angles, but without time of birth it's not possible to know that.(27 January1950, Liverpool UK)

Keith Olbermann's chart was featured in an earlier blog post HERE.




I'm the odd one out - I have only Sun in Aquarius, the four named individuals have at least one additional planet there.




Oh!.......... I forgot my (almost) astrological twin, Brugh Joy MD. (See here)

In common with Chief Justice Roberts (though very loosely), I worked for the government (UK) in a department which dealt with aspects of the law (I have natal Jupiter close to midheaven). In common with Mr Acorah and Brugh Joy I'm interested (though not talented) in psychic and mystical subjects ( Neptune trine Mercury). The only thing I have in common with Keith Olbermann is Mercury in Capricorn - and a lively interest in politics. With regard to Mohamed al Fayed, again Mercury in Capricorn in common, but, it's interesting, as our birthdays are on the same day, that his son, Dodi died exactly two weeks after my mother died in August 1997, while Uranus retrograded within 2 degrees of our natal Suns.