Posts for December 21, 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:
Dozens Of Obama's Judicial Nominees, Including
Historic Picks, Won't Make It Onto The Bench [BuzzFeed, 12/20/16]: Fifty-two of President Obama's judicial nominees
didn't get a vote in the Senate; They include lawyers and judges who would have
added new diversity to the federal bench.
Supreme Court Nominations
Will Never Be the Same [Bloomberg, 12/20/16]: The
Republican Senate changed the rules of confirmation drastically by refusing
even to consider Judge Merrick Garland’s nomination. And against the odds, it
paid off for them.
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:
When is Self-Abortion
Murder? Lessons of a Tragedy [Justia,
12/21/16]: Colb comments on a recent situation in which a Tennessee woman was
charged with attempted murder for trying unsuccessfully to terminate her
pregnancy with a coat hanger at 24 weeks. Colb explains why attempted murder
doesn’t seem to be an appropriate charge in this situation, and she explains
the role that policies put forth abortion opponents might have played in
forcing the woman to attempt an abortion in this manner.
CA prepares for health care battle [Capitol
Weekly, 12/20/16]: The results of a presidential election won by Republican
Donald Trump has some in a panic. And with GOP majorities in both houses of
Congress, Trump presumably can do just about anything.
The
American Presidency [TOPIC 15]
Michelle Obama: 'We are gonna be there for the next
president' [Politico, 12/20/16]: First lady Michelle Obama pledged
Monday that she and President Barack Obama will do what’s best for the country
and “be there” however needed to help Donald Trump succeed as America’s next
president.
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:
Legislation and the Legislative
Process (TOPIC 20)
Trump posse browbeats Hill Republicans [Politico,
12/20/16]: In early December, Rep. Bill Flores made what seemed like an obvious
observation to a roomful of conservatives at a conference in Washington. Now, lawmakers
are loath to say anything remotely critical, fearful they might set off the
president-elect or his horde of enforcers.
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
1,900 people died while being arrested in 2015.
Two-thirds were intentionally killed. [McClatchy DC, 12/20/16]: There
has been a lot of debate recently over excessive force by police, especially
after several high-profile deaths during arrests. Now a government agency is
adding some vital statistics to that conversation.
Sheriff-Elect Backs Inmates in Class Action Bail Fight in Houston
[CNS, 12/21/16]: Harris County, which runs Texas’s biggest jail, must face a
class action accusing it of running a “wealth-based detention system,” jailing
misdemeanor defendants who can’t afford bail, a federal judge ruled. And,
siding with the plaintiffs, the sheriff-elect called the system
unconstitutional.
California Supreme Court
halts death penalty measure [AP / “At the Lecturn” blog, 12/20/16]: The California Supreme Court on Tuesday blocked a
voter-approved measure intended to speed up the appeals process for the state's
Death Row inmates to give it time to consider a lawsuit challenging the
measure.
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:
Key question of Slants
case at SCOTUS: Is trademark registration speech? If so, whose? [“On the case” blog,
12/20/16]: These are fraught and unsettled times when it comes to
racially and culturally offensive speech in America, so I suppose it’s no
surprise that an awful lot of groups have strong feelings about Lee
v. Tam, the U.S. Supreme Court case that will decide the First
Amendment constitutionality of the federal law prohibiting the registration of
disparaging trademarks.
South Carolina will debate bill to block porn on new
computers [Ars Technica, 12/20/16]:
Citizens who wanted to opt out of porn filter would have to pay $20 fee.
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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