Posts for August 22, 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:

Could Birthright Citizenship Be Undone? [The Atlantic, 8/19/15]: Touting constitutional amendments on the campaign trail is more likely to rally voters than to produce changes in the law.

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/08/could-birthright-citizenship-be-undone/401759/

The War That Congress Won't Declare [The Atlantic, 8/22/15]: What happens when the legislature refuses to discharge its constitutionally assigned responsibilities?

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/08/aumf-isis/402017/

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:

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:

Trump, Alabama and the ghost of George Wallace [Politico / SD Union-Trib, 8/22/15]: It was immigration, not segregation, that brought some 20,000 southerners — far fewer than predicted — out for Donald Trump on Friday night, but the ghost of George Wallace loomed large. 

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/08/donald-trump-2016-mobile-alabama-rally-ghost-george-wallace-121627.html
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2015/aug/21/on-immigration-pete-wilson-was-there-before-trump/

 

Legislation and the Legislative Process (TOPIC 20)

Ad blitz heats up climate change fight [CalMatters, 8/20/15]: The oil industry helped Democrat Jim Cooper win his first election to the Legislature last year. Now it’s seeking his help fighting Democratic leaders in the state Capitol. Cooper is one of a handful of potential swing votes the oil industry is targeting as it tries to kill a controversial proposal to cut in half the amount of petroleum California vehicles use by 2030.

http://calmatters.org/articles/ad-blitz-heats-up-climate-change-fight/

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

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:

What Students Post Online Can Get Them Suspended [Bloomberg, 8/22/15]: When I was a student in a private religious school, I looked with envy on the First Amendment rights of public school children, who couldn’t, I imagined, be disciplined for what they said off campus. Now a divided U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit has held that I was wrong. 

http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-08-21/what-students-post-online-can-get-them-suspended

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:

Home-Care Workers Win Right to Get Overtime Pay, Minimum Wage [Bloomberg, 8/21/15]: Home-care workers won the right to overtime pay and the minimum wage after a U.S. court Friday upheld a Labor Department rule that was challenged by business groups. The Obama administration said the decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia covers almost 2 million workers “whose demanding work merits these fundamental wage guarantees.”

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-08-21/home-care-workers-win-right-to-get-overtime-pay-minimum-wage