Posts for October 7, 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:

A discussion about the Supreme Court's new term [Charlie Rose Show, 10/6/15]: With Jeffrey Toobin of CNN and The New Yorker and Adam Liptak of The New York Times

http://sharetv.com/watch/997009

How the Supremes Rule on Global Law [Daily Beast, 10/6/15]: Justice Stephen Breyer's new book thoughtfully discusses how the Court should reconcile foreign and domestic legal issues; but it may be too little too late.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/10/07/how-the-supremes-rule-on-global-law.html

Constitution Check: Did the Pope intervene in America's marriage controversy? Constitution Daily, 10/6/15]: Lyle Denniston, the National Constitution Center’s constitutional literacy adviser, looks at how the temperature of the conversation about cultural change can rise rapidly when religion gets involved.

http://blog.constitutioncenter.org/2015/10/constitution-check-did-the-pope-intervene-in-americas-marriage-controversy/

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:

“Shout Your Abortion” Movement Raises Questions About the “Coming Out” Analogy [Justia, 10/7/15]: Dorf discusses the #ShoutYourAbortion movement intended to destigmatize abortion. He cautions that while the #ShoutYourAbortion movement could resemble some other movements, it may also be different in some important ways.

https://verdict.justia.com/2015/10/07/shout-your-abortion-movement-raises-questions-about-the-coming-out-analogy

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:

Legislation and the Legislative Process (TOPIC 20)

McCarthy in command [Politico, 10/6/15]: More than 200 Republicans have committed to supporting him for speaker, according to multiple sources familiar with his operation.

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/10/kevin-mccarthy-house-republicans-speaker-214488#ixzz3nqDh7mH9

Prop 49 Battle Reaches California Supreme Court [CPR, 10/6/15]: Local governments in California often seek voters’ opinions on non-binding advisory measures. But can the state Legislature do the same thing? The California Supreme Court heard oral arguments on that question Tuesday.

http://www.capradio.org/58482

Brown's Seat Challenged Over Right-to-Die Bill [CNS, 10/7/15]: Opponents of California's assisted-death bill filed referendum papers Tuesday, just one day after Gov. Jerry Brown signed the contentious bill into law. To put the referendum on the 2016 November general election, Seniors Against Suicide has 90 days to collect a minimum of 365,880 signatures.

http://www.courthousenews.com/2015/10/07/browns-seat-challenged-over-right-to-die-bill.htm

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
 
 

Let the Press In [The Marshall Project, 10/6/15]: Society won’t fix a prison system it can’t see.

https://www.themarshallproject.org/2015/10/05/let-the-press-in

A Supreme Court Case for Fans of 'The Wire' [Bloomberg View, 10/6/15]: Tuesday, in Ocasio v. U.S., a scenario ripped straight from the greatest television show ever made will be considered in the highest court in the land. Whoever said statutory analysis can’t be fun?

http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-10-06/a-supreme-court-case-for-fans-of-the-wire-

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:

Newseum Launches All-New Online Educational Platform [Newseum, 10/7/15]: The Newseum is proud to announce the launch of NewseumED, an interactive website that brings history, civics and media literacy to life. This new educational resource provides teachers and students free access to curated, standards-aligned content, leveraging the Newseum’s primary source collection, interactive tools, films, exhibits and lesson plans to make history relevant to today and shed new light on First Amendment issues.

http://www.newseuminstitute.org/2015/10/07/newseum-launches-all-new-online-educational-platform/

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:

Backers of new sex-ed law see step forward in safety, tolerance [SF Chron, 10/6/15]: California kids will get one of the most rounded educations on sex and sexuality in the country under new legislation that advocates called a victory in providing information that could prevent disease and teen pregnancy as well as sex-based violence and prejudice.

http://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Backers-of-sex-ed-law-see-step-forward-in-safety-6554321.php?t=7fe4c0982b00af33be&cmpid=twitter-premium

Gov. Brown signs Equal Pay Act in Calif. [Office of the Gov., 10/6/15]: “Sixty-six years after passage of the California Equal Pay Act, many women still earn less money than men doing the same or similar work,” said the Governor. “This bill is another step twoards closing the persistent wage gap between men and women.”

https://www.gov.ca.gov/news.php?id=19149

Read the Bill (SB 358):

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/15-16/bill/sen/sb_0351-0400/sb_358_bill_20150831_enrolled.pdf