Posts for August 2, 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:
Supreme Court Appointments a Big Deal Because
Government Constantly Overstepping Bounds [Reason.com, 8/1/16]: If the other branches of government stayed within
their constitutional limits, the Supreme Court wouldn't be as prominent.
How Scalia Made It Difficult to Bring Cases to Court [The Atlantic, 8/1/16]: The late Supreme Court justice
wrote a number of opinions that limited the ability of racial minorities,
victims of police misconduct, and others to vindicate their constitutional
rights.
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:
What is legal
interpretation anyway? [Volokh Conspiracy, 8/1/16]: The standard picture has a hard time
telling us *which* of the possible theories of meaning we should use (the
speaker’s intent, the reader’s understanding or something else?) and *what*
documents that theories apply to (the enacted text alone, or more?).
The
American Presidency [TOPIC 15]
Obama challenges GOP to drop support for Trump [AP,
8/2/16]: President Barack Obama slammed
Donald Trump as "woefully unprepared" to serve in the White House on
Tuesday and challenged Republican lawmakers to drop their support for their
party's nominee. "There has to come a point at which you say enough,"
Obama declared.
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:
Gallup: Trump support tumbles after conventions [Politico,
8/1/16]: In the wake of the Republican and Democratic national conventions,
voters are more likely to support Hillary Clinton than Donald Trump, according
to a Gallup poll released Monday.
McCain
Rebukes Trump for Comments About Soldier's Family [Roll Call, 8/1/16]:
Arizona Sen. John McCain blasted Donald Trump for his attacks on the family
members of an American solider killed in Iraq in 2004 who have feuded with the
Republican presidential nominee since the father's speech at the Democratic
National Convention last week.
Trump suggests general election could be 'rigged' [AP,
8/2/16]: Trump's extraordinary claim — one he did not back up with any
immediate evidence — would, if it became more than just an offhand comment,
seem to threaten the tradition of peacefully contested elections and challenge
the very essence of a fair democratic process.
AP Fact Check: Trump gets much wrong on Ukraine [AP,
8/1/16]: Donald Trump is trying to claw back a string of inaccurate comments
about Ukraine, but he's yet to get it right. On the weekend, Trump asserted in
an ABC interview that Russia would not enter Ukraine, not seeming to know
Russian troops were already there.
Is SCOTUS a Good Reason to Support Trump? [Reason.com, 8/1/16]: Libertarian and Conservative
Legal Experts Weigh In.
Will the Court Revisit Shelby County? [Slate, 8/1/16]: It doesn't seem likely the Supreme
Court will overturn its disastrous Voting Rights Act ruling, even if there's a
new liberal on the bench.
It's 'Christmas' for challengers
to voting restriction laws [CNN / Slate, 8/1/16]: o say
that the last few weeks have been good for challengers to voting restriction
laws across the country would be an understatement.
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
It's OK to Hold Police to
a Higher Standard [Bloomberg View, 8/1/16]: Can
police be held to a higher standard than civilians? The Ohio Supreme Court said
no last week, in striking down a law that criminalizes sex between a police
officer and a minor.
Appeals Court Rules
in Separate Strip-Search, Prom Breath-Test Cases [School Law Blog, 8/1/16]:
A federal appeals court, in separate rulings
involving the Fourth Amendment, has denied immunity for a school administrator
in the strip search of a student to look for drugs, but upheld the use of
portable blood-alcohol tests for students entering the high school prom. (We
previously posted on these two cases.)
The strip search is D.H. v. McDowell and can be found
at:
The prom case is Ziegler v. Martin Co. Sch. Dist., and can be found at:
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:
Abigail Fisher:
Affirmative action plaintiff 'proud' of academic record [BBC, 8/1/16]: Abigail Fisher's case against the University of Texas
at Austin (UT) thrust her into the very centre of heated and overlapping public
debates about race and identity, integration, privilege and education in the
United States.
No comments:
Post a Comment