Posts for May 10, 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:
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:
Bad Faith or Bad
Principle? On Chief Justice Roberts, the Affordable Care Act and Judicial
Restraint
[Huff Post, 5/8/16]: Was Chief Justice John Roberts’ unconvincing
opinion affirming the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act’s individual
mandate driven by bad faith? Or was it instead grounded in a coherent but
incorrect conception of judicial duty?
The
American Presidency [TOPIC 15]
The Dangers of the Ever
More Powerful Presidency [the New Yorker, 5/9/16]: In his book “The Decline and Fall of the American Republic,” Bruce
Ackerman writes that the power of the American Presidency today vastly exceeds
what the founders had in mind and, as a result, is “a serious threat to our
constitutional tradition.”
Obama to Pay Historic Visit
to Hiroshima [CNS, 5/10/16]: President Barack Obama will travel to
Hiroshima this month, making the first visit by a sitting American president to
the site where the U.S. first dropped an atomic bomb.
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:
Should the Voting Age Be Lowered to 16? [KQED,
5/9/16]: They pay taxes. They have to abide by the same laws as everyone else.
And many are old enough to work and get behind the wheel. But for teens under
18, the right to vote is still out of reach.
Report: California Voter Registration Experiencing
‘Historic Growth’ [KPBS, 5/9/16]: As early voting in California’s June
primary gets underway, a new report estimates that more than half of registered
voters in San Diego County will cast a ballot in the election. The National
University System Institute for Policy Research predicts a 50 percent voter
turnout.
Trump's empty administration [Politico, 5/9/16]:
As presumptive nominee takes first steps on transition, GOP policy veterans say
they're not interested.
Legislation and the Legislative
Process (TOPIC 20)
California lawmakers set to vote on gender-neutral
restrooms [AP, 5/9/16]: In California, Democratic Assemblyman Phil
Ting of San Francisco aims to help transgender people, parents with kids of
different genders and adults caring for aging parents.
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
California Supreme Court rules backpack no different from
clothing in gun case [AP, 5/9/16]: The California Supreme Court says
carrying a loaded gun in a backpack strapped to the body is no different from
carrying it in clothing a person is wearing, and both are illegal in public.
Miami judge declares Florida's death-penalty law is
unconstitutional [Miami Herald, 5/9/16]: A
Miami-Dade judge has ruled that Florida’s death penalty is unconstitutional
because jurors are not required to agree unanimously on execution — a ruling
that will add to the ongoing legal debate over Florida’s capital punishment
system.
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:
Constraints on Beggars Crumble After U.S. Supreme Court Case [Bloomberg, 5/9/16]: A U.S. Supreme Court decision that let an
Arizona pastor put up signs directing people to church services has frustrated
cities’ attempts to control swelling numbers of panhandlers.
Is the comic stage a safe haven for freedom of
expression? [Newseum, 5/9/16]: The
introduction of comedy to ancient Athens, and the subsequent reactions to its
extremities by both public authorities and the general public, sheds light on
the continuing current debates regarding free speech.
Free speech: An evolution through history into a
protected freedom [Newseum, 5/9/16]: A
series of Newseum Institute articles by contributor Ashley Mehra over the
coming year will offer a historical perspective to the current debate on the
extent of free speech in America.
Federal Judge: ‘Right to Criticize Public Officials
Clearly Established’ [Newseum,
5/10/16]: A recent decision from a federal court in Illinois reaffirms that the
essence of First Amendment freedom is the ability to criticize government
officials.
ACLU challenges
Mississippi religious freedom law [Jurist, 5/9/16]: The law, set to take effect July 1, allows state employees
to refuse to issue same-sex-marriage licenses and allows private businesses and
religious groups to deny services to members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender (LGBT) communities without the threat of punishment.
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:
Texas Turns Up Heat
on School Bathrooms [CNS, 5/10/16]: Texas
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Monday demanded that the superintendent of Fort Worth
Independent School District be fired for a policy friendly to transgender
students.
International Law, Citizenship and
Immigration [TOPIC 40-42]
UN to Continue
Secretary-General Search in June [CNS,
5/10/16]: The U.N. General Assembly's president says he is scheduling another
round of question-and-answer sessions with candidates to succeed Ban Ki-moon as
secretary-general on June 7.
No comments:
Post a Comment