Posts for March 13, 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.

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:

U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor at UC Berkeley [Berkeley Law on You Tube, 3/10/17]: U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor in conversation with Interim Dean Melissa Murray, UC Berkeley School of Law. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etcWbvwv2iU

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:

The American Presidency [TOPIC 15]

Donald Trump and the Chamber of Secrets [Slate, 3/9/17]: The president's solicitor general nominee Noel Francisco thinks executive privilege should shield pretty much everything. Uh-oh.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2017/03/trump_s_solicitor_general_pick_noel_francisco_really_loves_executive_privilege.html

Is the Historic Role of the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights in Jeopardy or Simply Undergoing an Expected Shift? [EdLawProfs Blog, 3/13/17]: James Murphy's new article in the Atlantic offers a excellent and compelling overview of the Office for Civil Rights.  He details the various people who have headed the Office over the last fifty years and the major policies they have pursued. 

http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/education_law/2017/03/is-the-historic-role-of-the-department-of-educations-office-for-civil-rights-in-jeopardy-or-simply-u.html

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:

Seeing red: Membership triples for the Democratic Socialists of America [LA Times, 3/12/17]: The surge of activism sweeping the U.S. since Donald Trump’s election has energized the nation’s largest socialist organization, which has tripled in size over the last year to claim more than 19,000 dues-paying members. That’s a record for the DSA, which was founded in 1982.

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-democratic-socialists-20170308-story.html

Legislation and the Legislative Process (TOPIC 20)

New Health Care Bill: Find Out Where Your Member Of Congress Stands [NPR, 3/10/17]: NPR and dozens of member stations have asked lawmakers to weigh in on Republicans' Affordable Care Act replacement. Republicans who responded seem split; no Democrats actively backed the bill, but a few in districts won by Trump last November struck a more equivocal tone

http://www.npr.org/2017/03/10/519629973/new-health-care-bill-find-out-where-your-member-of-congress-stands

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:

International Law, Citizenship and Immigration [TOPIC 40-42]

For a clear look at illegal immigration, take a trip to the suburbs [NPR, 3/8/17]: Pew Research Center says two-thirds of those here illegally have been here for more than a decade. Their countries of origin are diverse, and rapidly changing, with increasing numbers from Asia and Africa. More of them are in management than are harvesting crops. And most probably don't live where you'd expect.

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/03/08/517561046/how-americas-idea-of-illegal-immigration-doesnt-always-match-reality