Monday, January 2, 2017

Posts for January 2, 2017
These are the posts that are accumulated in our weekly newsletter which goes out throughout the school year. The posts are organized by the major units in our Constitutional 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:

Where the supreme court battle goes from here: 'There will be a huge fight' [The Guardian, 12/31/16]: Donald Trump has promised to nominate a conservative in the mould of Antonin Scalia -- but Democrats seem ready to battle to prevent that from happening.

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]

Obama could still force Merrick Garland onto court during 'intersession recess' [Wash Times / Bloomberg, 1/2/17]: President Obama will have one last chance to force Judge Merrick Garland onto the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday -- but it's a legal gamble and one that has so many pitfalls that even those who say he could get away with it believe it isn't worth the fight.

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:

Intellectuals for Trump [The New Yorker, 1/9/17]: A rogue group of conservative thinkers try to build a governing ideology around a President-elect who disdains ideology.

Legislation and the Legislative Process (TOPIC 20)

Claiming mandate, GOP Congress lays plans to propel sweeping conservative agenda [Wash Post, 1/1/17]:  For six years, since they took back the House of Representatives, Republicans have added to a pile of legislation that moldered outside the White House. In their thwarted agenda, financial regulations were to be unspooled. Business taxes were to be slashed. Planned Parenthood would be stripped of federal funds. The ­Affordable Care Act was teed up for repeal — dozens of times.

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

NY Gov. Cuomo vetoes bill requiring state to pay for indigent defense [Jurist, 1/1/17]: The bill was passed six months ago with bipartisan support, though the lawsuit giving rise to the issue was settled approximately 2 years ago. After weeks of negotiation Cuomo vetoed the bill, with a spokesperson stating that "[u]nfortunately, an agreement was unable to be reached and the Legislature was committed to a flawed bill that placed an $800 million burden on taxpayers — $600 million of which was unnecessary — with no way to pay for it and no plan to make one." Cuomo assured that it would be "revisited" in the upcoming legislation cycle.

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:



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