Posts for March 25, 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:

Gorsuch hearings

Neil Gorsuch Makes the Case for His Own Independence [New Yorker, 3/24/17]: The Supreme Court confirmation hearing for Judge Gorsuch has been an endurance event. Contained herein is a good summary.

http://www.newyorker.com/news/benjamin-wallace-wells/neil-gorsuch-makes-the-case-for-his-own-independence

Filibustering Gorsuch Is Still a Bad Idea [Bloomberg, 3/24/17]:

https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-03-24/filibustering-gorsuch-is-still-a-bad-idea

The Supreme Court Didn't Really Smack Down Gorsuch [Bloomberg, 3/24/17]:

https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-03-23/the-supreme-court-didn-t-really-smack-down-gorsuch

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:

GOP health law repeal thwarted, but ‘Trumpcare’ already under way [SF Chron, 3/24/17]: Most notably, the Internal Revenue Service has relaxed its enforcement of the requirement to buy insurance, known as the individual mandate. Republicans largely oppose the requirement as onerous, but Democrats view it as a vital to the law’s effectiveness, because it means people who are healthy — not just those who are sick — must buy insurance. That spreads the risk of incurring high health costs across more people.

http://www.sfchronicle.com/health/article/GOP-health-law-repeal-thwarted-but-11026796.php

The American Presidency [TOPIC 15]

‘The closer’? The inside story of how Trump tried — and failed — to make a deal on health care [Wash Post, 3/24/17]: Shortly after House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) unveiled the Republican health-care plan on March 6, President Trump sat in the Oval Office and queried his advisers: “Is this really a good bill?”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/the-closer-the-inside-story-of-how-trump-tried--and-failed--to-make-a-deal-on-health-care/2017/03/24/3e6353d6-0fdc-11e7-9d5a-a83e627dc120_story.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:

California Rep. Adam Schiff becomes leading voice of opposition [SF Chron, 3/24/17]: California Rep. Adam Schiff has been all over the news this week as the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, which is investigating links between Russia and Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. 

http://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/California-Rep-Adam-Schiff-becomes-leading-voice-11026808.php

Legislation and the Legislative Process (TOPIC 20)

Inside the GOP’s Health Care Debacle [Politico, 3/24/17]: Eighteen days that shook the Republican Party—and humbled a president. 

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/03/obamacare-vote-paul-ryan-health-care-ahca-replacement-failure-trump-214947

Republicans Admit Defeat On Health Care Bill [NPR, 3/24/17]: "Obamacare is the law of the land. It is going to remain the law of the land," House Speaker Paul Ryan admitted shortly after he pulled the bill. "We're going to be living with Obamacare for the foreseeable future. I don't know how long it's going to take us to replace this law."

http://www.npr.org/2017/03/24/521395060/ryan-trump-meet-as-more-republicans-defect-from-health-care-bill

Tax reform next? Maybe not. [Politico, 3/24/17]: The GOP was counting on repeal of Obamacare and its nearly $1 trillion in taxes to help finance sweeping tax cuts. 

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/03/tax-reform-obamacare-repeal-replace-failure-236485

The Health Care Bill

White House launches damage control after health bill collapses [Politico, 3/24/17]: ‘This is 100 percent a Ryan failure,’ one senior administration official said after the Obamacare repeal bill was pulled on Friday.

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/03/obamacare-bill-votes-white-house-react-236475

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

Utah lowers DUI threshold to lowest in US [Jurist, 3/24/17]: Utah Governor Gary Herbert signed House Bill 155 into law on Friday, lowering the blood alcohol limit for drivers from the current .08 percent to .05 percent. The new limit, the lowest threshold in the US, applies to both drivers and to anyone who is carrying a gun. The law is scheduled to go in effect on December 30, 2018.

http://www.jurist.org/paperchase/2017/03/utah-lowers-dui-threshold-to-lowest-in-us.php

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]

Lawsuit filed against Massachusetts man for alleged war crimes committed in Haiti [Jurist, 3/24/17]: The Center for Justice & Accountability filed a lawsuit on Thursday in the US District Court of Massachusetts against former Haitian Mayor Jean Morose Viliena alleging he committed crimes against humanity in Haiti between 2007 and 2009. 

http://www.jurist.org/paperchase/2017/03/lawsuit-filed-against-massachusetts-man-for-alleged-warcrimes-committed-in-haiti.php