Posts for May 1, 2015

These are the posts that are accumulated in our newsletter which goes out every 4-6 days during the school year. The posts are organized by the major units in our Con Law (5^th ed.) student textbook.

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

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

Why the Supreme Court should strike down Obamacare subsidies [USA Today, 4/30/15: A president can't change the interpretation of laws when he doesn't get his desired result.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2015/04/30/obamacare-justices-exchange-heckler-column/26122911/

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

Republicans in 2016: Rubio edges ahead of Walker [Sabot’s Crystal Ball, 4/30/15]: But this field remains remarkably large and jumbled.

http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/articles/republicans-in-2016-rubio-edges-ahead-of-walker/

2016 Republican Race Might See Record Level of Competition in Early States [Crystal Ball, 4/30/15]:

http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/articles/2016-republican-race-might-see-record-level-of-competition-in-early-states/

On Clinton's age, Republican rivals imply -- but never say -- she's old [Reuters, 5/1/15]: Her campaign barely three weeks old, Hillary Clinton already has been attacked by Republicans on everything from donations to her family's charitable foundation, to her tenure as secretary of state and her ties to Wall Street. But her rivals, and the political action committees that support them, are treading more carefully on one incendiary subject: her age.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/01/us-usa-election-clinton-age-idUSKBN0NM34V20150501?feedType=RSS&feedName=politicsNews

Legislation and the Legislative Process (TOPIC 20)

 

Health Advocates Frustrated as Soda Warning Bill Dies [KQED, 4/30/15]: The state’s Senate Health Committee voted Thursday evening 4 to 1, but the bill needed five votes to advance. In addition to the five senators who voted, another four were present in the hearing room but did not vote.

http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/2015/04/30/health-advocates-frustrated-as-soda-warning-bill-dies/

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

A Horrifying Day at Court: Death brings out the worst in the justices [Slate, 4/30/15]: Arguments quickly blew up into a proxy war about ideology and politics and the ugly rift between the justices on how we feel about killing people in America. 

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/supreme_court_dispatches/2015/04/glossip_v_gross_supreme_court_justices_argue_about_lethal_injection_abolition.html

California Laser Pointer Got Too Harsh a Sentence [CNS, 4/30/15]: A teenager who aimed a laser pointer at a jet and a police helicopter should not have been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison, the 9th Circuit ruled Thursday.

http://www.courthousenews.com/2015/04/30/california-laser-pointer-got-too-harsh-a-sentence.htm

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

VI. 14^th Amendment, Discrimination, Privacy, Working, Citizenship & Immigration [See TOPICS 34-41 in the 5^th edition of Constitutional Law] Here are some recent articles that are relevant to this unit:

The 8 most awkward moments in the Supreme Court’s gay-marriage arguments [Politico, 4/28/15]: From ancient Greek sex to ‘plural marriage’ to 12-year-old child brides, things got a little weird on Tuesday.

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/04/supreme-court-gay-marriage-arguments-awkward-moments-117444.html

Constitutional Curiosities at the Supreme Court in the Same-Sex Marriage Cases [Justia, 4/30/15]: Professor Hamilton assesses the different arguments presented during this week’s oral arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court in the same-sex marriage cases. 

https://verdict.justia.com/2015/04/30/constitutional-curiosities-at-the-supreme-court-in-the-same-sex-marriage-cases

BANG wins landmark open records case [CC Times, 4/30/15]: In a groundbreaking open records decision, a Sacramento County Superior Court judge tentatively ruled Thursday that the appointment books, meeting schedules, calendars, expenditure and reimbursement records for two suspended state senators are public record, upholding a lawsuit filed by the Bay Area News Group and Los Angeles Newspaper Group.

http://www.contracostatimes.com/breaking-news/ci_28023311/bang-wins-landmark-open-records-case?source=rss

Office for Civil Rights Releases Report to Congress: This Time It Is a Must Read [OCR, 5/1/15]: The Office for Civil Rights has released its 2013-2014 report to Congress and the President.

http://www2.ed.gov/about/reports/annual/ocr/report-to-president-and-secretary-of-education-2013-14.pdf