Posts for August 17, 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 (5th ed.) student 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:
What
College Students Care About: One Supreme Court Appointee Can Make a Difference [NYT “Room
for Debate,” 8/17/15]: “As a Southerner whose region’s history is rife with tales of
discrimination, I know that there is no more important issue for 2016
presidential candidates than the question of who they will nominate to sit on
the United States Supreme Court.”
In 2016, your vote counts for
Supreme Court [USA
Today, 8/17/15]: With 3 justices older than 80 by inauguration, titanic battle
on the way.
Exclusion
of Blacks From Juries Raises Renewed Scrutiny [NY Times,
8/16/15]: Here are some
reasons prosecutors have offered for excluding blacks from juries: They were
young or old, single or divorced, religious or not, failed to make eye contact,
lived in a poor part of town, had served in the military, had a hyphenated last
name, displayed bad posture, were sullen, disrespectful or talkative, had long
hair, wore a beard.
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]
With High-Profile Help,
Obama Plots Life After Presidency [NY
Times, 8/16/15]: President Obama’s preparations for an estimated $1 billion
effort, including a library and global foundation, are showing the same fierce
discipline he displayed in winning office.
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:
Outside contender Fiorina
has faced down tough odds before [SF
Chron, 8/16/15]: In one of the most
memorable scenes in her 2006 memoir, “Tough Choices,” Carly Fiorina recalled
marching into the dark recesses of the Board Room — an upscale Washington,
D.C.-area strip club — where a team of rival male AT&T colleagues had
scheduled an important client meeting.
Legislation and the Legislative Process (TOPIC 20)
Big Battles to Watch In
California Legislature’s Final Month [KQED,
8/17/15]: At most, there are only 20 days of official business left at the
state Capitol. By the time it’s over, huge policy and political fights will
have been waged, some of which may set the stage for debates left for the
voters to settle in 2016.
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
The Trials of Ed Graf [Slate, 8/16/15]: In 1988, he was
convicted of killing his stepsons -- based on arson science we now know is
bunk; A quarter of a century later, Texas granted him a new trial, one that
pitted modern forensics against old-fashioned Texas justice.
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:
Journalists chafing under
Obama administration hostility [FAC,
8/13/15]: Media organizations petitioned
President Barack Obama to prevent federal
agencies from withholding information from the public. The groups voiced their
dissatisfaction with a list of grievance including agencies’ practice of
vetting interview questions in advance and monitoring in interviews.
http://firstamendmentcoalition.org/2015/08/journalists-chafing-under-obama-administration-hostility/
Renowned Teacher Says L.A. Schools Won't Get Away
With It [CNS, 8/17/15]: Los Angeles Unified School District pulled an
"internationally renowned" teacher from the classroom and defamed him
after he cited a passage of "Huckleberry Finn" that mentioned nudity,
the teacher claims in court.
http://www.courthousenews.com/2015/08/17/renowned-teacher-says-l-a-schools-wont-get-away-with-it.htm
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:
When Public Servants Refuse to Serve
the Public [The
Atlantic, 8/16/15]: Government employees have an obligation to follow the
letter of the law despite their religious convictions -- or else resign the
offices they hold.
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