June 9, 2009
by Terry Lamb
On the first day of business after Mercury returned to forward motion (following a 24-day retrograde), the dragon of the Franken-Coleman court battle emerged from the deep. In this, the final throes of the battle over the Minnesota (US) Senate seat, the Minnesota Supreme Court heard arguments from both sides, principally from Coleman, who filed the suit. Here’s what Talking Points Memo reporter Eric Kleefeld said following the day’s events:
It's always a tricky business to read clues into the questions that judges ask the lawyers during these proceedings -- despite some basic assumptions about how this works, judges can surprise you. But if we just go by the basic assumptions, it didn't look good for Coleman, with the judges asking pointed questions of [Coleman’s attorney Joe] Friedberg that at certain points amounted to ridicule of him for putting on a shoddy case.The four judges quoted by Kleefeld, three of them conservatives appointed by current Republican governor Pawlenty, all expressed deep concerns and doubts about the viability of the Coleman case.
Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop
On the 4th, it was reported that Coleman will not take the case beyond the Minnesota Supreme Court according to insiders. However, there is no speculation at this point as to when the Minnesota Supremes will rule on the case.
Mercury Rules!
If you recall, in my article of April 23, “Please Be Seated, Senator Franken: An Astrologer Looks at When It Will Happen”, I gave a time line for when we might see a shift of fortunes for Mr. Franken. I suggested that key dates in the process would tie to Mercury’s retrograde, which started on (Senator-Elect?) Franken’s Sun-Mars in Gemini. Here’s what I said then:
It is possible that, during the three weeks of Mercury’s retrograde, the race will be below the radar.This is in fact what happened. However, in the subsequent list of significant dates, I overlooked that a planetary station is also a time when related events can occur. I should have added May 30-June 1 as a period when we might see progress in the case, which we did.
To cut to the chase, this was perfect timing astrologically — perfect in that it fits the Mercury time line and perfect in that it bodes well for Franken. Not only were the judges openly skeptical of Coleman’s case, but the fact that Mercury (ruling thought and communication) had just changed direction bodes well. It suggests that the judges will be “thinking straight” when they make their ruling.
So, When Will It Be?
The next date that comes up in the Mercury time line is June 14. This is when the planet makes its third and final contact with Franken’s planets. (Since the 14th is a Sunday, we might expect an announcement on Monday, June 15.) While this chart does not particularly favor Franken, the overall pattern is worse for Coleman.
If this date slips by, new planetary cycles seize the spotlight, principally Jupiter, which begins its four-month retrograde period on the 15th, followed by a series of three eclipses. While Jupiter’s imprint on Franken’s chart might get him to move house (like, going to Washington?), in Coleman’s chart it is more like the death knell for hope. Jupiter joins with Chiron and Neptune in opposing Coleman’s Leo Sun. This is the same cluster that undermined Sarah Palin’s hopes in November (well, that and her unique unfitness for the job).
Do We Have to Wait for the Eclipses?
The eclipses should seal the deal. They trigger Franken’s and Coleman’s charts with equal vigor, and ironically show slightly more pleasant contacts to Coleman’s chart. However, they are the contacts one might associate with retirement or taking a vacation (e.g., Sun sextile/Moon trine Neptune), not leaping into the fray in the nation’s capital. In Franken’s chart, they show a sudden change (Sun conjunct Franken’s Venus-Uranus in Cancer) around July 7, like the kind when you suddenly start doing something completely different. The third eclipse, another lunar eclipse is also conjunction Franken’s Midheaven, the point of public recognition. This is precisely the kind of contact we would expect in a major change in public statute, such has having the title “Senator” in front of your name.
The third eclipse does not occur until August 6. This is during Congress’s summer recess, and common sense suggests that he’ll be seated before this time. However, it gives undeniable support to Franken’s eventual ascent to his new position of service to his state.
Governor Pawlenty, to his credit, has said repeatedly that he will sign the document certifying the election when told to do so by the courts. This does not appear to be an impediment to the swift resolution of the situation once the court announcement is made.
© Terry Lamb
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