Posts for April 11,
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:
‘It was just
awful': The Clarence Thomas hearings, in the words of those who were there [Wash Post, 4/9/16]:
In 1991, George H.W. Bush nominated Clarence Thomas for a seat on the
Supreme Court, just five days after civil rights icon Thurgood Marshall announced
that he was retiring after 24 years. Thomas, despite an impressive résumé, had
served as a federal judge for only 19 months. None of the American Bar
Association’s Standing Committee for the Federal Judiciary members rated him
“well-qualified.”
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]
Inside Obama's Supreme Court charm offensive [Politico, 4/10/16]: The president personally reached
out to several Republicans -- to no avail.
Obama plays the Trump card on the GOP [Politico,
4/10/16]: Add this to Donald Trump’s
list of accomplishments on the campaign trail this year: He’s absolved
President Barack Obama of responsibility for all the problems he’s faced with
Congress over the last seven years.
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:
Trump, Cruz prepare mass-money arms race in California [Politico,
4/10/16]: Ted Cruz lands in California
on Monday for two rallies in a state where voters won’t head to the polls for
nearly 60 days, but the West Coast swing is anything but a diversion. It’s
preparation for the campaign’s endgame.
Tough Going for Trump In
Delegate Race [CNS, 4/11/16]: A month after
effectively crushing his competition in the South Carolina Republican
presidential primary, Donald Trump found himself losing ground in the state on
Saturday through what one longtime political observer called "a
coordinated national effort to deny Trump the nomination."
Reich has known Clinton 50 years, so why is he endorsing
Sanders? [SF Chron, 4/10/16]: So given all that personal and
professional history with the Clintons, it is telling that the UC Berkeley
professor has endorsed Bernie Sanders for president. Being besties, apparently,
has its limits.
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
How Racist is Too Racist [The Marshall Project,, 4/10/16]: Take their quiz on
juror bias. They’ll give you the juror’s statement. You tell them if the
court upheld the conviction or reversed it because of jury bias. (Warning:
Contains highly objectionable language.)
In Pa. and elsewhere,
death penalty is dying a slow death [Phil. Inquirer, 4/11/16]: No one has
been executed in Pennsylvania since Philadelphia torturer-murderer Gary Heidnik
in 1999. And he requested it. He is one of only three prisoners put to death
since the reinstatement of the death penalty in 1976.
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20160411_In_Pa__and_elsewhere__death_penalty_is_dying_a_slow_death.html
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20160411_In_Pa__and_elsewhere__death_penalty_is_dying_a_slow_death.html
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:
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:
International Law, Citizenship and Immigration [TOPIC 40-42]
Rights groups: next
UN chief must stand up for human rights [Jurist, 4/11/16]: Six human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, are calling
for the next UN Secretary-General to do everything he or she can to protect
innocent civilians whose nations face armed conflict. The groups have outlined eight priorities that they
believe the next UN Secretary-General must address to protect human rights in
nations such as Syria, Iraq and South Sudan.
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