Posts for January 3, 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 (5^th ed.) student textbook.

Education issues to watch in 2017 – and predictions of what to expect [EdSource, 1/2/17]: The first week in January is like the first day of spring training: Everyone’s an expert on predicting what Gov. Jerry Brown will sign and veto and who’ll win the World Series.

https://edsource.org/2017/education-issues-to-watch-in-2017-and-a-guess-on-what-to-expect/574483

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:

RBG: Supreme Champion of Justice and Civil Rights [Hadassah Magazine / SCOTUS blog, 1/2/17]: Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, icon and iconoclast, is not above getting starry-eyed herself. In her chambers, chock-full of photographs, artwork, awards and memorabilia, she singles out a picture of herself with Placido Domingo at Harvard University’s commencement in 2011, when they both received honorary degrees.

http://www.hadassahmagazine.org/2016/12/09/rbg-supreme-champion-justice-civil-rights/

http://www.scotusblog.com/2016/12/ask-author-justice-ginsburg-words/

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:

After Obama, Some Health Reforms May Prove Lasting [NY Times, 1/2/17]: A transformation of the delivery of health care may be an enduring legacy for the president, even as Republicans plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/02/us/politics/obama-health-care-affordable-care-act.html?_r=0

The American Presidency [TOPIC 15]

Inside Trump's strategy to remodel the Supreme Court [Politico, 1/3/17]: The president-elect is narrowing his short list while his advisers look beyond the current opening.

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/trump-strategy-supreme-court-233106

A closer look at Trump's potential Supreme Court nominees [Politico, 1/3/17]: These eight people have been identified by people on the transition team as frontrunners to replace late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/trumps-supreme-court-nominees-233115

Donald Trump's complicated relationship with technology [Politico, 12/30/16]: Donald Trump rarely opens his Apple computer. Friends say he doesn’t surf the Web, preferring to read print newspapers, and he keeps stacks of magazines on his desk. Aides say they have never received an email or text message from him.

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/donald-trump-technology-luddite-233067

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:

Legislation and the Legislative Process (TOPIC 20)

House Republicans pull plan to gut independent ethics panel after Trump tweets [CNN, 1/3/17]: House Republican leaders have pulled a proposal that would gut its independent ethics panel, amid widespread criticism of the plan, multiple lawmakers tell CNN. The decision comes less than two hours after President-elect Donald Trump criticized the timing of the vote, which was scheduled for the first day of the new congressional session.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/02/politics/office-of-congressional-ethics-oversight-of-ethics-committee-amendment/

Capitol action, by the numbers [Capitol Weekly, 1/2/17]: As the California Legislature commences its 2017 Session, the following is a quick look back at historical numbers for bill introductions and gubernatorial bill actions.

http://capitolweekly.net/legislative-action-california-numbers/

The Resistance: Nancy Pelosi [“This Goden State” podcast, 1/2/17]:  As Congress reconvenes, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi talks about the resistance to Donald Trump. 

https://soundcloud.com/shandobilcomcastnet/pelosi-master-6

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

John Grisham on the State of Criminal Justice [The Marshall Project, 1/2/17]: “There are thousands of innocent people in prison serving long sentences for crimes committed by others.”

https://www.themarshallproject.org/2017/01/02/john-grisham-on-the-state-of-criminal-justice?ref=hp-1-111#.6SNFOSmis

Dylann Roof found competent to proceed with penalty phase [Charleston Post & Courier, 1/2/17]: A judge ruled Monday that Dylann Roof is competent to represent himself and proceed with the penalty phase of his federal hate crimes trial, where he faces a potential death sentence for killing nine black parishioners at Charleston’s Emanuel AME Church.

http://www.postandcourier.com/church_shooting/dylann-roof-found-competent-to-proceed-with-penalty-phase/article_4a70e988-d09c-11e6-8c4a-7b3cfd105049.html

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: