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Capitol Fireworks: the 1/6 Select Committee

Independence Day may be over, but the fireworks in DC are just beginning.  Hard to imagine this could be a controversial topic, but in the post-Trump age even an investigation into an insurrectionist attack on the US Capitol itself can become a bone of contention between the two Parties.  Some of the very lawmakers whose lives were threatened by the fury unleashed by Donald Trump’s supporters, now stand by and opine that the attack was just high spirits or a typical congressional tour group.

The GOP had a chance to participate in an independent 1/6 Commission, in a deal crafted earlier this year by rival lawmakers which gave Republicans equal representation and identical subpoena and veto power over witnesses and testimony as the Democrats, but the House-passed bipartisan agreement fell apart in the Senate, unsupported by Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).  Faced with this intransigence, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) determined on a House Select Committee to probe into the matter, including GOP Representative Liz Cheney (R-WY) in her initial picks, with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) to choose five additional members from his side of the aisle.

When McCarthy announced his selections on July 19th, the first Roman Candle went up.  Three of the five had voted against certifying Joe Biden’s election victory, even in the immediate aftermath of the riot.  One, Jim Jordan (R-OH), a noted conservative firebrand and Trump acolyte, has been cited as a possible material witness by Liz Cheney, due to his participation in strategizing sessions with the White House on how to overturn the election results.  Another, Jim Banks (R-IN), issued a vituperative broadside shortly after his appointment, condemning the Committee’s very existence. 

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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi nixed two of Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s choices for the 1/6 Select Committee, creating a firestorm; asteroid House exactly semisquare Mercury put the House of Representatives directly in the news spotlight on the day

On the following day, Pelosi responded by refusing to seat these two, though she approved McCarthy’s remaining three choices.  On the 21st, McCarthy, in a staggering example of the pot calling the kettle black, averred that Pelosi had irretrievably politicized the issue and “broken” the House by her veto, then withdrew his appointees from serving on the Committee.

As always, the skies reflect the reality.  Asteroid James, for both disputed Representatives Jim Banks and Jim Jordan, appears at 22 Cancer, conjunct the Sun at 29 Cancer and Mercury at 16 Cancer, opposing Pluto at 25 Capricorn.  This establishes the power struggle (Pluto) over Banks and Jordan (James) as the focus (Sun) of the news cycle (Mercury) for the period.

In addition, asteroid Jordaens (closest to Jordan) at 26 Scorpio is trined the Sun and conjunct asteroid Nemesis, at 28 Scorpio.  Nemesis represents a stumbling block or barrier to progress, as well as an opponent or archenemy, and was stationary, having turned direct just three days prior, as McCarthy prepared to announce his selections.  This indicates Jordan as the fly in the ointment, but also limits his own ambitions.  A Grand Trine with Neptune at 23 Pisces demonstrates Jordan’s vaunted zealotry and fanaticism, and with the Sun/Pluto polarity creates a Kite, again suggestive of the power play under the surface as the driver of events.

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With asteroid Nancy conjunct Saturn, Speaker Pelosi was in a strong position of authority; squared asteroid McCarthy, the stage was set for conflict between her and the Minority Leader

The conflict between the Speaker and the Minority Leader is portrayed as asteroid Nancy at 9 Aquarius, conjunct Saturn at 11 Aquarius, squared asteroid McCarthy at 10 Taurus, conjunct Uranus at 14 Taurus and asteroid Achilles at 3 Taurus.  Pelosi’s position as senior to McCarthy, and the one in authority, is reflected by the Saturn/Nancy conjunction, the square represents conflict or struggle, and Uranus indicates a controversy, while McCarthy’s relative weakness is seen in the conjunction with Achilles, noted for vulnerability.  The mythic Achilles also famously withdrew his participation in the Trojan War when affronted, much in the way McCarthy has withdrawn his members from the Committee. 

Asteroid McCarthy is also exactly conjunct asteroid Askalaphus, the tale-bearer, suggesting the Minority Leader’s prospective status as a material witness in this investigation, based in his conversation with then President Trump in real time, as the riot was occurring.  His testimony could be key in establishing Trump’s mood, attitude and response to the insurrection.

Also with Saturn and in this mix is asteroid Banks at 17 Aquarius, further designating the grounds of the conflict between them.  Saturn’s dual nature can be seen in the two PNA (Personal-Named Asteroid) conjunctions – it shores up and supports Pelosi (Nancy), while simultaneously denying and restricting Banks (Banks).

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Kevin McCarthy’s reaction to Pelosi’s refusal to seat two of his five proposed members on the Select Committee was to pull the entire delegation from participating; asteroid McCarthy conjunct Uranus and asteroid Achilles shows the Minority Leader’s volatile response and weakened, vulnerable position in the controversy. An exact conjunction of McCarthy with asteroid Askalaphus denotes the Minority Leader’s possible role as a material witness in the investigation

Saturn/Nancy/Banks is also part of a Grand Trine Kite pattern with asteroid America at 7 Gemini and asteroid Kevin at 11 Libra, opposed Chiron at 12 Aries.  McCarthy (Kevin) has potentially wounded (Chiron) his career in leadership (Saturn) and status in the country (America) by taking on Pelosi’s (Nancy) authority (also Saturn), in denying (Saturn yet again) the involvement of his members (represented by Banks) in this maverick (also Chiron) manner. 

Kevin is also exactly conjoined asteroid Sisyphus, suggesting a required repetition or going back into a matter again, which could imply McCarthy reverses himself on pulling his members from the Committee, opting instead to replace those who have been vetoed.  Kevin’s square to Mercury at 16 Cancer is another reflection of McCarthy’s (Kevin) conflict (square) with the Speaker (Mercury).

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Representatives Jim Banks (right) and the perennially unjacketed Jim Jordan, denied seats on the 1/6 Select Committee; asteroid James conjoins both the Sun and Mercury, making them the focus of the news. Asteroid Banks conjoins restrictive Saturn, while asteroid Jordaens conjoins retributive asteroid Nemesis

Neptune opposed asteroid Washingtonia at 17 Virgo shows a general atmosphere of confusion, misdirection or ineffectiveness in the capital.  A T-Square with asteroid NOT at 18 Sagittarius, a general disqualifier, depicts an overall pervasive block to accomplishment or progress. 

But what else is new in Washington?

AUTHOR’S NOTE:  On July 25th, Nancy Pelosi appointed Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), a noted Trump critic, as a second Republican Representative on the Select Committee.  In the chart for the fracas on the 21st, asteroid Adam at 13 Cancer conjoins Mercury at 16 Cancer, while asteroid Adams at 22 Libra is squared the 29 Cancer Sun, and exactly squared asteroid James at 22 Cancer, for the banned members Kinzinger will replace.

Alex Miller is a professional writer and astrologer, author of The Black Hole Book, detailing deep space points in astrological interpretation, and the forthcoming Heaven on Earth, a comprehensive study of asteroids, both mythic and personal. Alex is a frequent contributor to “The Mountain Astrologer”, “Daykeeper Journal”, and NCGR’s Journals and “Enews Commentary”; his work has also appeared in “Aspects” magazine, “Dell Horoscope”, “Planetwaves”, “Neptune Café” and “Sasstrology.” He is a past president of Philadelphia Astrological Society, and a former board member for the Philadelphia Chapter of NCGR.

3 comments, add yours.

Emma Esperanza Acosta

I observe that you give personal names to some asteroids as in this article it refers to the asteroids James and Jordaens, I would like to know the procedure or how to do to give a personal name to an asteroid in this type of writing, because one thinks when the asteroid James or Jordaens was discovered. Thanks for clarifying my doubts.

    Alex Miller

    Author

    I don’t choose any of the names; they are chosen by their discoverer, with the approval of the governing body, the IAU (International Astronomers Union); all I do is report on where they are when stuff happens. :^)

Anita Burns

where do you find your ephemerides for these asteroids? I would love to add them to my mundane charts.

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