Alex's Asteroid Astrology

Or does he?

The Moore in question here is Judge Roy Moore, twice-elected and twice-deposed former Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, who recently won a run-off primary election to emerge as the Republican candidate in the Alabama Special Election for Senate, to replace Jeff Sessions, who resigned to become US Attorney General in the Trump Administration.

Moore is a lightning rod for both ends of the political spectrum, energizing conservatives and progressives alike, either pro or con. Perhaps best remembered for his mulish stance on the court-ordered removal of a huge granite Ten Commandments monument commissioned by him for the grounds of the Alabama Judicial Building, Moore had been elected as Chief Justice in 2001, only to be removed less than two years later for refusing to comply with the monument’s removal. Moore had another bite of the judicial apple when he was again elected to the post of Chief Justice in 2013, but came to grief once more in 2016, when he was suspended for instructing probate judges to continue to enforce the state’s ban on same-sex marriages, despite the law having been overturned. Moore’s appeal of the suspension was unsuccessful, and he resigned his office in April 2017, stating that he intended to run for the Senate seat vacated by Jeff Sessions.

In between these two judicial debacles, Moore failed in two bids for Alabama governor in 2006 and 2010, losing both GOP primaries by humiliating margins. But a special election primary’s infinitesimally small voter turnout, composed largely of fanatics and political junkies, was just the ticket for a four-time loser like Roy Moore. After finishing in the first round neck-and-neck with appointed incumbent Senator Luther Strange, where neither candidate had received a majority in the ten-candidate GOP field, Moore went on to trounce Strange with a nearly ten-point margin of victory in the runoff election held September 26.

Interestingly, Strange was Trump’s preferred candidate in the primary (perhaps he resonated with the name), and the president not only tweeted his endorsement but appeared in person to rally the troops on the weekend before the runoff election. But Moore was backed by former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, giving an intra-party twist to the contest. This is the first time Trump and Bannon have officially crossed swords since the latter’s departure from Washington, and could signal a disruption in Trump’s vaunted base.

Moore’s candidacy, and victory, should he attain it, could be the last nail in the coffin of GOP respectability as anything other than the party of prejudice, ignorance and hate. Among Moore’s less controversial viewpoints are that the 9/11 attacks, the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, the high murder rate in Chicago, crime in Washington, child abuse and rape are all consequences of the nation’s increasing secularism, punishments from God for “forgetting His laws.”

Moore beams upon his handiwork, the Ten Commandments monument which cost him his first stint as Alabama’s Chief Justice.

Moore is particularly virulent in his condemnation of homosexuality, equating it with bestiality, stating it is against “the laws of nature” and charging the legalization of “sodomy” with creating “suffering” in the US. Unsurprisingly, he is unsympathetic toward same-sex marriage, believes homosexuality should be outlawed, and that same-sex couples cannot make fit parents. In a legal opinion expressed while sitting on the Alabama Supreme Court, Moore stated: “Homosexual behavior is a ground for divorce, an act of sexual misconduct punishable as a crime in Alabama, a crime against nature, an inherent evil, and an act so heinous that it defies one’s ability to describe it.” In 2017 Moore called for impeaching judges who have issued rulings supportive of homosexuality and same-same marriage.

But at least he’s enlightened enough to endorse evolution. Oh, wait: “There is no such thing as evolution. That we came from a snake? No, I don’t believe that.” Which is a particularly odd statement, since Moore himself resembles nothing so much as a copperhead coiling to strike.

Although he did not endorse his candidacy in the primary, Trump and Moore shared at least one bit of conspiracy theory: Moore was a birther from the get-go, alleging that Obama was not born in the US, but in Kenya, and stating this as recently as December 2016. When asked if he still held this view in August of 2017, Moore declined to answer.

In 2004 Moore supported a movement to alter the Alabama state constitution to resume separate, segregated schools for “white and colored children”. He also supports the teaching of the Civil War as a conflict between federal overreach and state’s rights, not a struggle to end slavery.

Moore believes Muslims cannot honestly take the oath of office to support the constitution, due to their attachment to their faith and Sharia law, and in 2006 called for Representative Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to congress, to be refused his seat. Religious pluralism is not high on his agenda, stating that the Founders clearly believed in a Christian Creator God who gave us the rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness: “Buddha didn’t create us, Mohammed didn’t create us, it was the God of the Holy Scriptures.”

Yes, he’s a prince among men. Early indications are that this abhorrence will be welcomed with open arms in the Senate, presumably because he will support tax reform.

Born 11 February 1947, Moore comes by his combative nature easily, with the Sun at 21 Aquarius conjoined Mars at 13 Aquarius, yielding a fractious, scrappy and feisty temperament, with strong opinions and an implacable desire to express them. Both points have additional aspects which support his unique brand of self-expression. Mars opposes both Saturn and Pluto at 4 and 11 Leo, with asteroid Washingtonia sandwiched between them at 8 Leo. Mars/Saturn portrays an individual with potentially serious sexual frustration issues, blocks to expressing himself physically, and conservative views on sexuality. Mars/Pluto can view sex as an existential issue, one so deeply troubling and threatening as to be beyond contemplation. These oppositions also say much about his extremist views on suppressing (Saturn) what he considers to be aberrant sexuality (Mars), and his apparent abhorrence (Pluto) of it, as well as his denial (Saturn) of evolution (Pluto). Mars opposed Washingtonia suggest that his is not likely to be a calming presence in the nation’s capital, encouraging strife and conflict. By themselves, Saturn and Pluto together represent extreme conservatism.

Described as a “political firebrand”, Moore’s politics-ruling Jupiter feeds into this pattern by a square to the Sun from 26 Scorpio, granting him as well a larger-than-life persona. Jupiter is conjunct asteroid Roy, perhaps propelling Moore into the judiciary and the political arena, and is trined to asteroid Fanatica at 24 Pisces, a likely influence on his judicial rulings and political views. Fanatica itself conjoins asteroids Justitia and Victoria at 25 and 26 Pisces; Moore has found his extremist views (Fanatica) to be a winning strategy (Victoria, named for the Roman goddess of victory) in his runs for the Alabama Supreme Court (Justitia, named for the Roman goddess of justice), although, with Saturn conjunct a Black Hole, he seems unable to keep his jobs once he wins them. Let’s hope the pattern holds, should he proceed to electoral victory in December. Saturn is also conjoined asteroid Themis at 29 Cancer, named for the Greek goddess of justice, another indication of Moore’s chosen profession in the judiciary.

The Sun also opposes TNO Deucalion at 22 Leo, a point noted for obsession with morality and overly rigid standards for others, and is in trine to TNO Rhadamanthus at 23 Gemini, named for a mythic Greek judge of the dead noted for his harsh punishments, inflexibility and strict adherence to the letter of the law. Asteroid America at 19 Scorpio conjoins Jupiter but also closely squares the Sun, suggesting a national profile as a judge and politician for Moore.

Moore has been described as “Trump before Trump”, and “Trumpier than Trump”, for his outrageous statements which have kept him in the limelight of controversy and are avidly supported by just enough of the electorate to grant him public office. He may not, however, be a Trump ally, despite the similarity of many of their views. Asteroids Troemper and Whitehouse at 6 and 12 Aquarius both conjoin Mars, suggesting some degree of friction between him and the president or the Oval Office.

Mercury at 6 Pisces is conjoined by asteroids Moore and Damocles, at 2 and 8 Pisces respectively. This shows Moore as noted for his statements (Mercury), which are highly personal for him, and threaten to lead to disaster (Damocles, the doom hanging unseen overhead). Mercury is also at the apex of a loose Yod, or Finger of Destiny, with inconjunct aspects to Saturn/Pluto in Leo and Neptune at 10 Libra. Moore’s power (Pluto) is in his words (Mercury), and he tends toward conservative views (Saturn), while simultaneously denying reality (Neptune).

Moore sports three points which are at station in his birth chart, vastly increasing their influence and importance. Unfortunately, one of these is asteroid Senator, which at 29 Gemini is also widely trine the Sun, suggesting he may at some point hold that office.

The other two are asteroids Sappho at 19 Libra, and Ganymed at 18 Gemini. Both are noted indicators of homosexuality, with Sappho named for an ancient Greek poet, Sappho of Lesbos, who gave her name to female homosexuals, as lesbians. Ganymed is named for Zeus’ underage cupbearer and boy-toy lover, the only one of Zeus’ inamoratas to achieve immortality, as the constellation Aquarius the water-bearer.   Together these form a Grand Trine with Mars and the Sun, implying they are central both to his core self and his sexuality. The prominence of these points in Moore’s chart, and his vaunted abhorrence of what they represent, does suggest a certain degree of Shakespearean “the lady doth protest too much.” Regardless of his true sexual leanings or innermost desires, Moore is certainly well cast as the villain in a tragedy.

Moore’s recent successes in the political sphere are easy to see. In a chart cast for the initial primary contest for the Senate seat, held 15 August 2017, the transit Sun at 22 Leo exactly opposes Moore’s natal Sun, highlighting him for the day. Asteroids Moore and Luthen (for Luther Strange, the appointed incumbent who currently holds the seat) are exactly conjunct each other at 16 Taurus, and exactly squared Mars at 16 Leo, representing the electoral contest. Moore and Luthen emerged as first and second in a field of ten GOP contestants, reflecting their intimate celestial pairing. But Moore had an edge, at 38%-32%, just not enough to win outright. This lead may have been facilitated by asteroid Roy at 11 Scorpio, conjunct asteroid Victoria at 8 Scorpio. (On the Democratic side, Doug Jones was the victor, represented by asteroid Jones at 1 Scorpio, also conjunct Victoria, and asteroid Douglas at 8 Cancer, in exact trine.)

Moore supporters whoop it up in star-spangled style at a recent campaign rally.

By the time the runoff was held on September 26^th, Roy and Victoria had moved closer together, at 26 and 28 Scorpio respectively, with Roy, fresh from its return to its natal degree, exactly conjunct natal Jupiter, bringing luck and success. Luthen and Moore had diverged, and both were stationary, with Moore turning retrograde two weeks before, and Luthen about to turn the day after. Interestingly, asteroids Troemper and Banno (for Trump and Steve Bannon) were also conjunct, at 19 and 22 Leo, with both squared to Moore/Luthen, the closer squares equating to the candidate each man was against (i.e., Troemper more closely squared Moore and Banno more closely squared Luthen). Additionally, Banno is exactly opposed Moore’s natal Sun, filling the space vacated by the Sun from the first round of the primary.

Pluto and Nike, named for the Greek goddess of victory, are exactly conjunct each other at 16 Capricorn, with Pluto at station, set to turn direct the next day, and closely trined Moore, suggesting the transformation (Pluto) in Moore’s circumstances occasioned by the win (Nike). These points conjoin Moore’s natal asteroid Achilles at 15 Capricorn, suggesting some inherent weakness or vulnerability for the candidate, despite the victory.

This may be borne out by the Special Election itself, to be held December 12^th. By then, asteroids Roy and Victoria will have separated, with Roy at 3 Capricorn lagging behind Victoria at 14 Capricorn, closing in fast on Moore’s Achilles. However, Roy is conjoined asteroid Washingtonia at 1 Capricorn, suggesting incipient identification for Moore with DC, and a possible move to the nation’s capital, supported also by asteroid Moore at 3 Taurus, in trine to Washingtonia. Further, Moore is in a T-Square with Mars at 1 Scorpio and Nike at 5 Aquarius, which could spell a winning (Nike) campaign (Mars).

Moore’s opponent then is Democratic candidate Doug Jones, who is more favorably tapped into the major energies of the day itself. At 25 Sagittarius, asteroid Jones conjoins not only the transit Sun at 20 Sagittarius, but also Mercury (news, and ruling the vote itself) at 21 Sagittarius, asteroid Senator at 17 Sagittarius, and Saturn at 29 Sagittarius, representing government work. Washingtonia at 1 Capricorn can be considered as conjoined PNAs for both candidates, though more closely aligned with Roy Moore. Asteroid Douglas at 25 Cancer is broadly inconjunct Sun/Mercury, and also widely opposes Pluto, suggestive of some major transition or transformation for Jones, but potentially also signifcator of a devastating defeat.

Traditionally, the solar contact for Jones would be definitive, propelling the Democrat into the spotlight and encouraging a successful outcome. But Alabama hasn’t sent a Democrat to the US Senate since 1990; whatever the astrology says, the actual reality on the ground has to be considered. Nevertheless, Moore is a flawed and extreme candidate, with a poor track record of accomplishments in office, vulnerable on several fronts. An organized opposition and a clear, resonant message from Doug Jones could turn the tide against Moore.

Just don’t bet on it.