There seems to be a fight looming in the Senate over the appointment of judge Neil Gorsuch, the nominee of President Donald Trump to fill the ninth and last place on the Supreme Court bench in the United States. There has been a vacancy in the highest law court in the US since judge Antonin Scalia passed away in February 2016. He was conservative in nature, and Gorsuch's pending appointment would bring back the 5-4 majority in favour of more conservatively leaning justices. Now there is a hitch in the appointment process, as the Democrats could potentially scupper the appointment process.
Gorsuch needs 60 votes in the senate once he clears the committee stage which should happen this week, however the Republicans only have a 52-48 majority, and all but maybe three Democrats will vote against Gorsuch. This blockage could be only be stopped by the Republicans repealing the filibuster rule that allows a Supreme Court nominee only to be nominated by a 60-40 two thirds majority down to a straight majority. This "nuclear option" would cause huge rage between the two parties, and create a split that would run incredibly deep for years to come, not only one would expect in the Senate, but in the nation of America as a whole.
Neil Gorsuch was born on 29th August 1967 in Denver, Colorado so is of my class of 67 generation. A Sun Virgo with his Moon in Gemini, he shares many of my own planetary placements alongside that Moon such as Venus in Virgo, Mars in Scorpio and all of the outer planets too. I "get" his chart as in many ways it's similar to my own. He does have Saturn on his chart unaspected and this is something that I don't share with him. Saturn working alone on a natal chart tends to act in a more pure and unaffected manner. The practical, responsible side of Saturn will be very noticeable in anyone having it unaspected although this may be limited to only the certain areas of life that Saturn actually affects in the natal chart. Here Saturn may exert exceptional control over the character and normally those with it isolated will not be distracted by outside forces in their ambition and desire to succeed, however they may exude a reticence to take on new ideas or a difficulty to adapt to new circumstances.
Now I was struck in watching Gorsuch on TV that he does things very much by the book and quite literally by the letter of the law, and this approach will be guided by the way he thinks, and with Mercury in Virgo along with the Sun, Venus, Uranus and Pluto, he will be very precise, analytical and unemotional with his Moon in Gemini. I share much of that approach although my Mercury is in Cancer, so rather than the precise answers that Gorsuch is looking for, I take a more sympathetic human approach and more creative take on things than he ever would do. Back to that Saturn, and like my one it sits in conjunction with Alderamin, the star in the constellation of Cephus, the King. This is a very even, balanced star which when it does dish out power and decisions will do it in a very considered and even handed manner. Saturn on this star adds quite a conservative streak to an already Virgo top heavy chart making him a rather modest individual.
It's funny looking at his chart as I see a more enterprising individual there hidden underneath the Virgo exterior. Jupiter square Mars conjunct Neptune is very expansive and almost escapist in nature and I wonder whether with the freedom of a supreme judge position may see a more expansive side of his character starting to emerge? It is a life long position if he is confirmed and I just wonder if he might let his soul start to influence the judgement process that he is asked to follow? I mention this as his North Node sits in Aries, the sign devoted to the self, the pioneer and the pathfinder. That assertive North Node goes against everything that the modest service orientated Virgo stellium urges him to do. As times goes on, I feel that he will start to assert himself and his true life path into his job. Mars sits in conjunction with Agena, suggesting that his actions actually should be given the common touch, in what is right for the people and the times that we live in rather than what is right by the book. This is actually what is lurking behind the façade that he puts out.
Mercury sits in conjunction with the Leo star Zosma, a star where you will have to grapple with your own ego and personal fears before you are able to truly shine. There seems to be a path of fear and suffering that you go down before you finally come to terms with any planet linked in to Zosma, as if you can't assert yourself properly until you pride has been fully tested in regard to the planet involved. Here Mercury is under the spell of Zosma, the communication and decision processes and the way that your mind works. It's like you have to be pushed to your limit, before the floodgates are opened and you can think and communicate freely. The process that Gorsuch is going through now must feel like torture, as your pride is hurt and your every action past and present is questioned. My sense is that once that the pressure is off, judge Gorsuch will lift the shackles a little. He will still be analytical as any Virgo would naturally be, but his conscience and the responsibility to the public of the whole United States may see him being more responsive to what is right and not what was prescribed before.
Why do I think this? It's because of the progression of the star and planet parans that were laid down at his birth. Any star rising at birth linked with a planet affects one's early years, those culminating at their highest latitude with a planet at an angle affect one's prime or middle years and the stars setting linked up with a planet affect the latter years of your life.
Of the stars rising at his birth with planets Neil Gorsuch had Rukbat (in Sagittarius) linked with Jupiter the planet of justice and law. Rukbat in the knee of the archer (it Arabic it literally translates as knee) is a star of steadiness and intense preparation, and this is how he saw the law in his formative years, as a solid basis for his beliefs and his life path. Venus was also in line with this steady and conservative star suggesting a consistent and rather rigid set of social views that he has adopted. Very interestingly, the Sun connected with Zosma rising, indicating that he would be connecting with victims on a regular basis in his life. Again the tests of Zosma were being inflicted on Gorsuch's character, dealing with the fear and ego issues within himself, and of battling between either what his morals told him to go with and the judgement that the victim deserved, or with what the law said. The correctness of the path of going with the law allied to the unaspected Saturn in his chart I think took him down the letter of the law route.
Neil is now into the stars of his prime and there are some changing themes here. Mars makes a link to Mirfak culminating, a sense that Neil was now on a mission to achieve something very special. Mirfak sits in the right side of Perseus the young warrior, and is a star of action and achieving something, either through force and aggression or by strength of determination. Remember that Mars in his natal chart squares to Jupiter and is in conjunction with Neptune, working and fighting (Mars) for a dream and an ideal (Neptune) linked into ones philosophy, one's beliefs and sense of justice (Jupiter). One does not ever think for one minute that one will ever be nominated to the supreme court, however I suspect that he did have an ambition to go as far as his talent could take him, as that's what this connection suggests.
Also affecting the years of his prime (from about 28 through to 56/57 years of age) are two other aspects. Culminating at the top of it's path, Sadalsuud in the water barer Aquarius was linking with that aforementioned Jupiter. This is a supremely fortunate and lucky connection saying to me that he would be affected positively by an amazing and unforeseen set of events. Luck would at some point be on his side, things would run for him and right now we see him backed by a Republican President and a Republican House and Senate. Despite the trials and tribulations of the nomination process something tells me that by hook or by crook, fortune will stay with him. Lastly in this section of his life, the powerful star Fomalhaut culminates with Mercury at it's nadir. Fomalhaut sits in Piscis Australis, the Southern Fish, and is one of the most revered of the Royal Persian stars. This is a magical star and one of high ideals and lofty visions, however there is a sense of the trickster or deceiver about it when it is linked to Mercury. Here we have intense wisdom if this star is harnessed properly, however one may have to go through hell and high water to get to the position where one can truly use the spirit of this star to its fullest potential. There is a position of high achievement here, however it may be held back by too much caution. Once the dam breaks and true belief in what you are doing is gained, then the opposite can be true and there might be a danger of believing your own hype. Taking this tack with Fomalhaut in tow can lead to a downfall, however from what I've seen judge Gorsuch does not look as if he will find his way into that trap. What is here though is the potential to open out and reject the restrictions of the past, just as I indicated much earlier on in this analysis.
The stars setting in Neil's chart are also fascinating as these will affect him into his latter years, those beyond 56/57 years of age until his passing. Jupiter links up with both the stars in the sting of the Scorpion in Scorpio which were setting, Acumen and Aculeus. These are stars of attacks on oneself, and it suggest Gorsuch putting himself more and more as an outsider and in touch with his social conscience, thus gaining criticism as a result. Mars is in a paran relationship with Diadem setting, a star in the Women's Crown, the constellation of Coma Berenices. This is a star of the common people and of sacrifice for others, it is very much a star of giving. Now Mars brings in a very active way of giving and sacrificing here, but in what way? Is this sacrificing your ideals and initial beliefs for the greater good? I believe it may be and Neil may as time goes on and he settles more into his role may think about the bigger picture of his role in shaping the laws and statutes of the nation of his birth.
There are yet more indications of judge Gorsuch becoming more radical as he gets older. The Moon, one's emotional reactions link with both setting Rukbat and El Nath, the star in Taurus at the point of the bull's horns. Here is a need to provide a solid and sound basis for the people and the generations to come as well as a need to fight for what is right and just. Notice I haven't emotions at all throughout this analysis, but now I do almost as a changing of the guard in his life. Saturn is aligned with the star Denebola setting, the star in the tail of the constellation of Leo, and this one more than any other one is a key to the future for him. Saturn is one's work and life path, and Denebola is an influence very much like Uranus, as in one goes in a different direction, out on a limb and against what has been done before. It's almost as if he is seen as someone who is independent and thinks for himself. Allied with all the other parans here, I sense a shift in philosophy here, as if a judge with his own views who will go with his conscience and his intuition, at odds with what he went with before.
Although I do not have his birth time, I do know that Neil will experience a very expansive Jupiter sextile to his natal Jupiter and even more powerfully a transiting Pluto trine to his natal Pluto. These are fabulous aspects of luck, fortune and considerable transformation and power. I have little doubt that he will be eventually confirmed as a supreme court judge, however those out there who doubt his credentials and his so called ultra conservative nature I think may be in for a surprise or two once he gets his feet fully under the table...!!!
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