Alex's Asteroid Astrology

On Monday evening, 9 July 2018, the Reality TV President presented the “big reveal” of his second pick for the United States Supreme Court. Judge Brett Kavanaugh, 53, currently sitting on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, has an Ivy League education, a broad range of experience, and almost 300 opinions amassed during his time on the Federal bench. He’s probably the best we could have hoped for from this President, and considerably less controversial than some of the other choices on Trump’s short list for the position.

[Note:  This profile written at the time of Kavanaugh’s nomination does not reflect the current controversy; for an analysis of the accusations of sexual misconduct, see this article.]

Kavanaugh replaces retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy, for whom he once clerked, but is markedly more conservative than the noted “swing vote” Justice, bringing the SCOTUS solidly into the Republican camp. A graduate of Yale and Yale Law School, Kavanaugh’s early Washington experiences include a key staff position on Ken Star’s Whitewater investigation, helping to draft the report which recommended Clinton’s impeachment; serving as George W. Bush’s White House Staff Secretary; and elevation to the DC Circuit Court in 2006. Kavanaugh had been nominated to that Court in 2003, but a three-year delay ensued as rival Senate camps argued over his alleged partisan bias.

Brett Kavanaugh, Donald Trump’s second pick for Supreme Court Justice

At least one candidate on Trump’s list, Amy Coney Barrett, has stronger natal placements for a spot on the SCOTUS, with a better dovetail into Trump’s natal chart, and we’re lucky not to have her, rabidly conservative, a fundamentalist Christian cult member, and avowedly anti-reproductive rights. But her connections are so strong, I wouldn’t put it past Trump to nominate her in the future, should another opening arise. Kavanaugh’s astrological bona fides are considerable, however, and it’s easy to see why he got where he is.

Born 12 February 1965 (no time available), Kavanaugh’s close natal opposition between Jupiter at 17 Taurus and Neptune at 18 Scorpio has the potential to make him another “stealth judge” in the mold of Kennedy and Souter – candidates chosen by conservative presidents who “grew” while on the Court, becoming more reliably liberal, at least on social issues. When Trump made his announcement at 9:06 PM EDT in the White House, the transiting MC was at 18 Scorpio, highlighting this polarity exactly. As well, transit Jupiter at 13 Scorpio was on that MC, and was just about to make its direct station, set for the following day, and this could also signal a literal “change of direction” for Kavanaugh once on the Court.

Kavanaugh’s Sun at 23 Aquarius forms a T-Square with Jupiter/Neptune, indicating a natural pull toward the judiciary, Jupiter-ruled, and personalizing this opposition, making it central to his core being. This becomes a Grand Cross with the inclusion of the Sun’s opposition to Nemesis at 27 Leo, a point which demonstrates an ability to block or frustrate others. Nemesis is a figure relating to divine justice, which trails retribution and reprisal in its wake; the question remains, will this power be directed toward the administration or the American people?

Kavanaugh is sworn in as Circuit Court Judge by former boss Anthony Kennedy in 2006; like his mentor, will he prove more liberal than expected?

Kavanaugh’s conservative bent can be seen in the conjunction of asteroid Brett with natal Saturn, that ultimate upholder of the status quo, at 9 and 5 Pisces respectively. These form a T-Square with two asteroids which specifically resonate to the SCOTUS in particular, Justitia and Themis, named for the Roman and Greek goddesses of justice, the same word as Kavanaugh’s new job title. This suggests a career (Saturn) for Kavanaugh (Brett) involving the justice system (Justitia, Themis) on some level, perhaps extending to the Supreme Court. Themis falls at 8 Sagittarius, exactly semisextile asteroid Whitehouse at 8 Capricorn, providing the vital link all SCOTUS nominees require, while Justitia at 4 Gemini is also stationary, having turned direct two weeks before Kavanagh’s birth, making it a lodestar in Kavanaugh’s biography, a pint of aspiration or focus.   Natal Justitia was conjoined exactly by the transit Moon for his nomination.

The other stationary point in Kavanaugh’s chart is asteroid Washingtonia, which at 13 Libra turned retrograde on January 27^th, 1965, and indicates a strong pull toward the nation’s capital, where Kavanaugh has spent his entire adult life, from clerking for Kennedy right out of law school, through the Starr investigation, the White House stint, and the DC Appeals Court, now to continue that theme with the SCOTUS.

President Donald Trump congratulates Kavanaugh on his nomination, but will Achilles show this choice as a potential weakness?

Kavanaugh’s natal asteroid Troemper, for President Trump, falls at 29 Capricorn, conjoined asteroid Karma at 23, suggesting Trump had an important role to play in Kavanaugh’s destiny. At the announcement, these points cluster on the 27 Cap Ascendant, but there’s a fly in the ointment: Achilles. This asteroid which represents a point of weakness or vulnerability, opposes Troemper/Karma natally from 25 Cancer, while conjoined these and the announcement Ascendant from 28 Capricorn in the transit sky. This is another indicator that Kavanaugh may not prove as reliable a partisan on the Court as his conservative background suggests, particularly for Trump personally. He has, after all, already participated in establishing wide grounds for one president’s impeachment, and although in 2009 he expressed the view that the law should be changed to prevent presidential exposure to legal proceedings while in office, that statue has not been altered, and faced with more serious crimes than Clinton committed, he may well support Trump’s prosecution, or recuse himself based on his earlier involvement with a president’s impeachment.

There is no “Kavanaugh” asteroid, the closest is Cavagna (pronounced “kah-VAHN-ya”, a reasonable phonetic match). This appears at 17 Capricorn in Kavanaugh’s natal chart, and has been transited by Pluto in the past two years, indicating some major transition or change in Kavanaugh’s life. Pluto will station direct at 18 Cap, just shy of this point, in September, while Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearings are raging. When Trump made his announcement, transit Cavagna at 24 Cancer was an exact match for asteroid America, granted angular power and importance by conjunction with the 27 Cancer Descendant, and broadly conjoined the 17 Cancer Sun (which exactly opposed natal Cavagna), pulling focus to Kavanaugh for the day. Saturn at 4 Capricorn has been transiting natal Whitehouse at 8, while the upcoming Mars direct station at 28 Capricorn will conjoin natal Troemper at 29.

Transit Justitia at 5 Pisces is an exact match for natal Saturn, also conjoined natal Brett, indicating the new job (Saturn) title of “Justice” (Justitia) for Kavanaugh (Brett). Transit Themis at 22 Gemini conjoins Trump’s Sun exactly, making this a logical time for making this decision, and trines Kavanaugh’s Sun at 23 Aquarius. Transit Brett at 2 Taurus conjoins Uranus exactly, again suggesting some unexpected outcome, and is also within orb of transit Whitehouse at 7 Taurus, placing Kavanaugh personally at the venue for his nomination, with the full backing of the Oval Office.

Brett Kavanaugh with wife Ashley and their two children, Margaret and Elizabeth; will having young daughters influence his opinion on reproductive rights?

So why did Trump pick him? In Trump’s natal chart, asteroid Brett at 18 Aries falls on the midpoint of the trine between Justitia at 18 Aquarius and Themis at 17 Gemini, in sextile to both. And Cavagna at 8 Aries is exactly squared Trump’s decision-making Mercury at 8 Cancer, forming a loose T-Square with natal Jupiter, ruling judges generally, at 17 Libra. As well, Trump’s natal Justitia (which is itself stationary) conjoins Kavanaugh’s Sun, Themis is trine it, and broadly squared Kavanaugh’s natal Brett. His natal Whitehouse at 8 Capricorn aligns exactly with Trump’s natal Cavagna/Mercury square, bringing Kavanaugh to his attention while in the Oval Office.

What of the fate of reproductive rights in America, perhaps the most pressing concern for progressives, with a solid conservative majority about to be seated on the SCOTUS. Will Roe v Wade be overturned? In the announcement chart, asteroid Roe at 25 Aries closely conjoins TNO Eris at 24, squaring America/Cavagna at 24 Cancer, identifying the issue as one of extreme contention and discord (Eris) for the nation (America), and giving Kavanaugh (Cavagna) an important part to play. However, asteroid Wade at 22 Taurus is exactly conjunct transit Nemesis, so whomever Trump chose for this spot at that date and time was likely to contribute to the undoing of that law, though Wade/Nemesis within orb of Kavanaugh’s natal Jupiter suggests a pivotal role on the Court as regards this ruling’s fate.

Trump sports Wade at 5 Virgo on his Ascendant, squared Troemper at 2 Sagittarius, suggesting a powerful impact on how he is viewed by others, while Roe at 13 Sagittarius opposes Themis at 17 Gemini, itself exactly conjunct natal Uranus, provoking controversy and dispute. For Kavanaugh, Roe at 17 Pisces is the “String” of a Kite Pattern, opposing Pluto and Uranus at 15 and 13 Libra, while in exact sextile to both Cavagna at 17 Capricorn and Jupiter at 17 Taurus. With Jupiter, exactly opposing Neptune, is asteroid Wade at 18 Taurus. This certainly suggests, at minimum, a gradual erosion (Neptune) by the SCOTUS (Jupiter) of Roe v Wade (asteroids Roe, Wade), and possibly its controversial (Uranus) destruction (Pluto), in which Kavanaugh (Cavagna) has an important role.

How it all plays out is anyone’s guess, but one thing is clear: outnumbered and outgunned, with a clearly qualified nominee in front of them, the Democrats really have no recourse, now that the filibuster on judicial nominees has been eliminated. If by some miracle Kavanaugh stumbles in his confirmation, then Trump will simply nominate someone else, who could conceivably be far, far worse. Take your medicine like good boys and girls, progressives, and dream of better days.

And hope this is where it ends – there are two progressive Justices on the SCOTUS in their 80s; if Trump should avoid impeachment and win re-election, he’ll replace them, too. And that’s a nightmare no one wants to contemplate.