Sunday, April 12, 2015

Posts for April 12, 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:

Is the Supreme Court broken? [MSNBC, 4/12/15]: “How do you get the American people to understand what their institutions are about, that [the Supreme Court is] not up in some heaven somewhere, where we decree things from on high, communicating directly with some mysterious source, that we’re part of the government of the United States?”

Stetson law prof took Gideon case to Supreme Court, but believed in the other side [Tampa Bay Trib, 4/11/15]: He was 27, just three years out of law school. He had seen Washington, D.C. once in his life, driving through on the way to somewhere else. Now he was flying to the city to argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court. THIS IS A GREAT ARTICLE TO USE IN CONJUNCTION WITH ANY SHOWING OF GIDEON’S TRUMPET or discussion of the case!

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:

The American Presidency [TOPIC 15]

Here's A Look At The Most Ridiculously Long Judicial Vacancies The Senate Still Hasn't Filled [Huff Post, 4/10/15]: The Senate will do something next week that it hasn't done all year: confirm a judicial nominee.

New York, California Dems square off over Iran [The Hill, 4/11/15]:  Democrats are badly split on geographic and political lines over whether to support or oppose a bill allowing Congress to review and possibly vote on a nuclear deal with Iran. The debate is pitting New York Democrats worried about losing Jewish donors to Republicans against California Democrats determined to back President Obama.

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:

Clinton tries again to crack 'highest glass ceiling' with White House bid [Reuters, 4/11/15]: Hillary Clinton will take another stab at cracking what she calls "the highest and hardest glass ceiling" on Sunday when she starts a long-awaited second run for the White House as the prohibitive Democratic front runner. 

Will the 'real Democrat' please stand up? [CC Times, 4/12/15]: They support Democratic touchstone issues such as environmentalism, gun control, gay marriage and abortion rights. But they're often seen as party pariahs for espousing ideas like rolling back public workers' pensions, banning transit strikes and making it easier to fire bad teachers. 

The Supreme Court in the Citizens United Era [Professor Raskin in People for the American Way, 4/11/15]: A Century After the Lochner Era, the Roberts Court Imposes a Startling New Corporatism on America.

Escalating Water Wars: California Politics Podcast [KQED, 4/10/15]: This week, we tackle the ongoing state response to California’s drought (are almonds really the state’s enemy No. 1?). We also discuss the biggest fine ever levied against a state utility and a package of immigration bills touted by Democratic lawmakers.

 

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:


Man loses appeal of sentence in school threats case [AP, 4/11/15]: A federal appeals court has upheld the six-year sentence given a man who pleaded guilty to making threats against a Mississippi school.

Nevada has 80 on death row, but no place to execute [Las Vegas Review-Journal, 4/11/15]: Lawmakers again are being asked to fund a new execution chamber at Ely State Prison so Nevada can be prepared to carry out a lethal injection should a court order be issued. The facility in remote eastern Nevada is the state’s only maximum security prison.

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:


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:

Marriage Arrives: The Supreme Court is finally taking up same-sex marriage  [Slate’s Amicus, 4/11/15]: How did we get here and what should we expect next? This is a podcast worth listening to with Dahlia Lithwick.

Grieving widower takes lead in major gay marriage case [USA Today, 4/11/15]: Jim Obergefell and John Arthurspent more than two decades living quietly together. They were never gay rights activists. Most of their friends weren't even gay.

International Law, Citizenship and Immigration [TOPIC 40-42]


Border braces for new surge [The Hill, 4/11/15]: Officials at the southern border are bracing for another wave of child immigrants in the coming months, though they anticipate a much lower crest than last year. 

UN human rights official to make emergency trip to IS-controlled Syrian camp [Jurist, 4/12/15]: The UN announced on Saturday that the Commissioner General of the UN Relief and Works Agency will make an urgent trip to Yarmouk, a Syrian refugee camp that has fallen under control of the Islamic State (IS). 

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