Posts for October 6, 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:

Court Kicks Off New Term With Collegiality [WSJ, 10/5/15]: The justices were on their best behavior as the Supreme Court kicked off its new term Monday, careful to avoid interrupting one another or the presenting attorneys as they took on a workaday personal injury case involving a passenger railway fall.

http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2015/10/05/supreme-court-kicks-off-new-term-with-collegiality/

Court Prepares to Take On Politically Charged Cases [NY Times, 9/30/15]: The New York Times’ preview of the term’s cases.

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/10/05/us/politics/supreme-court-prepares-to-take-on-politically-charged-cases.html

The politicization of our Supreme Court [Fox News, 10/5/15]: The Founding generation would have been uncomfortable with the fact that the Court’s docket and decisions are increasingly seen as just one more dimension of our never-ending election cycles.

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2015/10/05/politicization-our-supreme-court.html

The Court's Most Important Cases of the New Term [Slate, 10/5/15]: Just how bad will things be for abortion, affirmative action, unions, and voting rights?

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2015/10/supreme_court_2015_cases_on_affirmative_action_unions_abortion_voting_rights.html

Supreme Court Justices Get More Liberal As They Get Older [538, 10/5/15]: There’s an old saw, often mistakenly attributed to Winston Churchill, that goes something like this: “If you’re not a liberal when you’re 25, you have no heart. If you’re not a conservative when you’re 35, you have no brain.” A person should start left and drift right, and not the other way around, the adage suggests.

http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/supreme-court-justices-get-more-liberal-as-they-get-older/

Will Sandra Day O'Connor's Legacy Live On? [Slate, 10/5/15]: We're lucky it lasted as long as it did.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2015/10/sandra_day_o_connor_s_legacy_supreme_court_rulings_on_abortion_affirmative.html

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:

Supreme Court Landmark Case Marbury v. Madison [C-SPAN video, 10/5/15]:  The guests also responded to viewer questions and comments. Topics included the establishment of the Court and the relationship between Presidents Adams and Jefferson. 

http://www.c-span.org/video/?327710-1/supreme-court-landmark-case-marbury-v-madison

The Myth of the Good Guy With the Gun [Politico, 10/5/15]: Last Thursday afternoon in Austin—in the shadow of the clock tower from which a sniper shot four dozen people in 1966—students, faculty and staff gathered to demonstrate their opposition to a newly passed law that will allow the licensed carry of concealed handguns in college classrooms.

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/10/oregon-shooting-gun-laws-213222

The American Presidency [TOPIC 15]

A dangerous Obamacare lawsuit [Op-Ed in Wash Post, 10/5/15]: If this precedent were allowed to stand, there would be no limit to the kinds of lawsuits that could be brought by one house against the president.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/appeal-house-v-burwell/2015/10/04/d8eec2d6-693f-11e5-9ef3-fde182507eac_story.html

The case is House of Representatives v. Burwell. Read the decision:

http://pdfserver.amlaw.com/nlj/House%20v%20Burwell%20opinion.pdf

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:

Clinton ad highlights McCarthy statement on Benghazi [Politico, 10/5/15]:  Hillary Clinton’s campaign is making sure the name Kevin McCarthy stays in the 2016 headlines for as long as possible.

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/10/hillary-clinton-kevin-mccarthy-benghazi-214453

Legislation and the Legislative Process (TOPIC 20)

California governor signs hard-won right-to-die legislation [Capitol Weekly, 10/5/15]:  California will become the fifth state in the nation to allow terminally ill patients to legally end their lives using doctor-prescribed drugs after Gov. Jerry Brown announced Monday he signed one of the most emotionally charged bills of the year.

http://capitolweekly.net/brown-signs-assisted-suicide-bill-maynard-california/

No Consensus From Marijuana Legalization Advocates On Ballot Initiative [CPR, 10/5/15]: Advocates for legalizing recreational marijuana in California want to put the question to voters next election, but they have not agreed on a ballot initiative. 

http://www.capradio.org/58424

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:

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: