Saturday, March 21, 2015

Posts for March 21, 2015
These are the posts that are accumulated in our newsletter which goes out every 4-6 days. The posts are organized by the major units in our Con Law (5th ed.) textbook

I. Introduction to Law, the Constitution, and the Supreme Court [See TOPICS 1-10 in the 5th edition of Constitutional Law] Here are some recent articles that are relevant to this unit:

The Freakout From An Obamacare Ruling Could Be Unlike Anything We've Seen [Huff Post, 3/20/15]: There just isn’t a great historical analogue for predicting how people would react -- or, for that matter, how that reaction would affect politics. Even veteran strategists seem stumped. But one recent episode may offer some clues. It comes, ironically enough, from Obamacare’s own history.

II. Defining the Political System: Federalism and Checks and Balances [See TOPICS 11-15 in the 5th edition of Constitutional Law] Here are recent articles that are relevant to this unit:


III. The Political System: Voting and Campaigns [See TOPICS 16-20 in the 5th edition of Constitutional Law] Here are some recent articles that are relevant to this unit:

Donald Trump Is Totally Serious This Time, He Swears [Bloomberg, 3/21/15]: For a few hours on Thursday night, the home of Republican New Hampshire State Representative Stephen Stepanak was enveloped by a reality distortion field. Outside, in most of the state and country, the latest Donald Trump for President movement was an obvious joke. 

IV. Criminal Law and Procedure (4th, 5th, 6th, and 8th amendments) [See TOPICS 21-28 in the 5th edition of Constitutional Law] Here are some recent articles that are relevant to this unit:


State high court may decide whether gun in a backpack is ‘carried’ [SF Chron, 3/20/15]:  It’s a crime for someone to carry a loaded gun or a concealed stabbing knife “upon his or her person.” But what about carrying it in a backpack? California appellate courts are divided – making it a crime for a gun but not for a knife — and now the state Supreme Court has been asked to settle the issue.

V. 1st Amendment (Speech, Religion, Press and Assembly) [See TOPICS 29-33 in the 5th edition of Constitutional Law] Here are some recent articles that are relevant to this unit:

Civil rights group challenges man's arrest for saying 'dirty words' [Chattanooga Times Free Press, 3/20/15]: Civil rights lawyers have made a request to an 87-year-old federal judge: Stand firm and defend the S-word, the B-word and the F-bomb.

Fight over Texas License Plate With Confederate Flag Heads to High Court [WSJ, 3/19/15]: Sons of Confederate Veterans say state's rejection of plate violates their free-speech rights
http://www.wsj.com/article_email/fight-over-texas-license-plate-with-confederate-flag-heads-to-high-court-1426809845-lMyQjAxMTI1MjEwOTkxMDk5Wj
VI. 14th Amendment, Discrimination, Privacy, Working, Citizenship & Immigration [See TOPICS 34-41 in the 5th edition of Constitutional Law] Here are some recent articles that are relevant to this unit:

Oklahoma plan to restrict same-sex marriage may backfire [Reuters, 3/20/15]: A bill overwhelmingly approved this month in the state's Republican-controlled House of Representatives would allow only judges, retired judges and members of the clergy to issue marriage licenses, cutting county clerks out of the business. Yet as the measure was making its way to the floor, a rush of same-sex marriage supporters applied to become ministers with the intention of registering as clergy authorized to perform weddings in the state.




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