Posts for May 9, 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 (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:

Chief justice's suspension adds to Alabama's political mess [AP, 5/8/16]: Alabama politics are at a low point even by Alabama standards: In a state that trails the nation in many areas, three top elected officials are embroiled in scandal or facing removal from office while a former governor serves time in federal prison on a corruption conviction.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_ALABAMA_CHIEF_JUSTICE

GOP rallies around court blockade [Politico, 5/8/16]: Republicans are crushing the Democrats in the spending battle over Garland -- and it's only going to get more expensive.

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/05/gop-supreme-court-merrick-garland-222898

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:

Looming marijuana ruling could limit federal prosecutions [AP, 5/8/16]: Rolland Gregg and his family have fought federal marijuana charges for more than three years, arguing that the roughly 70 marijuana plants investigators found on their Washington property were for their own medicinal use and fully complied with state law.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_MARIJUANA_PROSECUTION_FIGHT

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:

California elections are a bonanza for signature-gatherers [AP, 5/8/16]:  Steve Kriston is accustomed to insults from shoppers. Some tell him to get a job when he solicits signatures to qualify measures for California's ballot. This is my job, he responds.

http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CA_CALIFORNIA_PRIMARY_GATHERING_SIGNATURES_CAOL-?SITE=CASON&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2016-05-08-12-27-31

Donald Trump says he's all for bringing together the Republican Party, but all losers and lightweights will have to fall in line [AP, 5/8/16]: Donald Trump says he's all for bringing together the Republican Party, but the many GOP officials he's branded losers and lightweights will have to fall in line because the voters have spoken. 

http://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2016-05-08/trump-says-gop-unity-would-be-nice-not-essential

Talkative Trump in Line to Receive Top U.S. Intelligence Secrets [Bloomberg, 5/9/16]:  Donald Trump, the most voluble U.S. presidential candidate in memory, will soon be entitled to regular briefings on some of the nation’s most sensitive intelligence secrets.

http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-05-09/talkative-trump-in-line-to-receive-top-u-s-intelligence-secrets

The Supreme Court’s Next Big Fight Over Money in Politics [The Atlantic, 5/7/16]: Will the justices gut the rest of McCain-Feingold—and make it easier for wealthy donors to influence elections?

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/05/supreme-court-soft-money/480978/

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: