Posts for August 18, 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:

The American Presidency [TOPIC 15]

President Obama can do Iran nuclear deal even if Congress rejects it [Chi Trib, 8/15/15]: The September vote on the Iran nuclear deal is billed as a titanic standoff between President Barack Obama and Congress. Yet even if lawmakers reject the agreement, it's not game-over for the White House.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-iran-nuclear-deal-obama-20150816-story.html

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:

In Iowa, Hillary Clinton Battles the Ghosts of 2008 [Bloomberg Politics, 8/17/15]: The Democratic front-runner appears to have learned from her defeat, with one notable exception. 

http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-08-18/in-iowa-hillary-clinton-battles-the-ghosts-of-2008

Legislation and the Legislative Process (TOPIC 20)

California assisted death effort to be relaunched [CC Times, 8/17/15]:  An effort to allow terminally ill Californians to take their own lives will get a fresh push after appearing to be finished for the year, supporters announced on Monday.

http://www.contracostatimes.com/breaking-news/ci_28656440/lawmakers-revive-california-right-die-bill?source=rss

Tricky Tax Timing For State Lawmakers to Fund Health Care [KQED, 8/17/15]: The fate of a tax that funds health care for California’s poorest citizens seems to be a great example of how in politics, as in life, timing really is everything. 

http://ww2.kqed.org/news/2015/08/17/tricky-tax-timing-for-state-lawmakers-to-fund-health-care

Efforts to attract new teachers stall in state Legislature [EdSource, 8/17/15]: Efforts to reinstate state support to attract new teachers to the profession have stalled in the state Legislature, despite a shrinking supply of teachers that is spreading beyond traditionally high-needs areas such as special education, math and science, and bilingual education. 

http://edsource.org/2015/efforts-to-attract-new-teachers-stall-in-state-legislature/84550

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:

"Religious Freedom" as a Shield and a Sword: Tensions Between Conflicting Rights [Jurist, 8/11/15]: Professor Marcus provides a thorough analysis and background of the current debate around the RFRA.

http://jurist.org/forum/2015/08/nancy-marcus-religious-freedom.php

Court's Free-Speech Expansion Has Far-Reaching Consequences [NY Times’ “Sidebar” blog, 8/17/15]: It is not too early to identify the sleeper case of the last Supreme Court term. In an otherwise minor decision about a municipal sign ordinance, the court in June transformed the First Amendment.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/18/us/politics/courts-free-speech-expansion-has-far-reaching-consequences.html

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:

 

U.S. labor board dismisses Northwestern football players' union bid [Reuters / Jurist, 8/17/15]: The U.S. National Labor Relations Board said on Monday it dismissed a case brought by football players at Northwestern University seeking to unionize, saying it did not have jurisdiction to rule in the case.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/08/17/us-usa-football-northwestern-idUSKCN0QM1Q620150817

http://jurist.org/paperchase/2015/08/nlrb-dismisses-petition-for-college-athlete-union.php

Read the NLRB ruling:

http://howappealing.abovethelaw.com/NorthwesternNLRBDecision.pdf

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

An Avoidable Human Rights Disaster in the Dominican Republic [Justia, 8/18/15]: Professor Buchanan discusses the ongoing human rights disaster in the Dominican Republic stemming from that country’s treatment of Haitians. He argues that the U.S. should withdraw financial support for the Dominican Republic’s security forces in order not to provide support for human rights violations.

https://verdict.justia.com/2015/08/18/an-avoidable-human-rights-disaster-in-the-dominican-republic