Thursday, March 24, 2016

Posts for March 24, 2016
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:

Deciphering Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland [Reuters, 3/22/16]: While announcing D.C. Circuit Judge Merrick Garland as his pick to replace Justice Antonin Scalia on the U.S. Supreme Court, President Barack Obama praised the judge for his “sterling record as a prosecutor.” Even in tough cases, the president said, Garland “took pains to do everything by the book.”

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:

Justices divided over health law birth control plan [AP / Reuter / Bloomberg News, 3/23/16]: The Supreme Court seems deeply divided over the arrangement devised by the Obama administration to spare faith-based groups from having to pay for birth control for women covered under their health plans.

The American Presidency [TOPIC 15]

Biden tries to clear his name on Supreme Court nominees [Politico, 3/23/16]: A month of being a Senate Republican talking point appears to be enough for Vice President Joe Biden.

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:

Assessing Trumps Path to 1237 [Sabato’s Crystal Ball, 3/24/16]: A look at the remaining contests shows how he could get there.

'Western Tuesday' Big for Sanders, Big for Cruz [CNS, 3/23/16]: "Western Tuesday" was a very good Tuesday indeed for Sen. Bernie Sanders, who won big in Idaho and Utah, and did respectably well in Arizona, where delegates were awarded proportionately.

Dean Sees Road To White House In Suburbia [CNS, 3/23/16]: Forget all the talk about contentious brokered conventions and political rallies that devolve into outright brawls, when it comes to what's really going to decide the 2016 presidential election, there's no question it's going to come down to the nation's suburbs.

Blocked Voting: Was Virginia's clearly racist gerrymandering unconstitutional? [Slate, 3/23/16]: Wittman v. Personhuballah centers around a congressional district in Virginia that has historically been majority-minority. In 2012, Republican legislators redrew the district in a manner that packed in even more black voters—arguably reducing their voting power in other districts.

June primary: California buckles up [Capitol Weekly, 3/23/16]: Brace yourselves, Californians. The violent, vicious and volatile Republican political campaigns that have destroyed civility across parts of the South and Midwest are increasingly likely to cross the Sierra and spread vitriol in the Golden State.

Clinton in California rips Trump, Cruz on terrorism fighr [Politico / CNS, 3/23/16]: Condemning the oratorical bombast and verbal “loose cannons” employed by her Republican rivals to combat global terrorism, Democrat Hillary Clinton cast herself Wednesday as the presidential candidate best equipped to handle the persistent global threats and defeat the Islamic State.

Politifact CA: Mostly True: Bernie Sanders' claim about America's 'lowest on earth' voter turnout [PolitiFact, 3/23/16]: Does the United States have a lower voter turnout rate than countries from Germany to Greece, and the Netherlands to New Zealand?

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


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:

First Five: An interview with Martin Baron, Gawker and Hulk Hogan, Europe’s free-speech apocalypse, Mexico’s embattled journalists  [Newseum, 3/23/16]: The Newseum’s lastest 1st Amendment update.

UC regents say anti-Semitism has 'no place' on campus but reject blanket censure of anti-Zionism [AP, 3/23/16]: University of California regents said Wednesday that anti-Semitism has "no place" on a college campus but declined to endorse a sweeping statement that would have condemned anti-Zionism as a form of discrimination.

School Board Ordered to Stop Prayers at Meetings [CNS, 3/23/16]: A school board in Southern California cannot begin meetings with Christian prayer or recite Bible verses, a federal judge has ruled.

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:




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