Posts for March 31, 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:
The Most Powerful Justices Across Time [“Empirical SCOTUS” blog, 3/30/17]: The most “powerful”
might surprise you. But maybe not.
Gorsuch nomination
and hearings
First two Democrats back
Trump's U.S. Supreme Court pick
[Reuters, 3/30/17]: Senators Joe Manchin and Heidi Heitkamp on Thursday
became the first Democrats to support the confirmation of President Donald
Trump's Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch, giving Republicans two of eight
Democratic votes needed to avoid a nasty fight on the U.S. Senate floor next
week.
Gorsuch battle brings Senate
to brink of a new low [Politico, 3/30/17]: And there's no bipartisan
'gang' this time to save it from itself.
McCain Seeks Last-Ditch Deal to Avoid 'Nuclear' Fight
on Gorsuch [Bloomberg, 3/30/17]:
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]
Is the Trump’s
Norm-Breaking Presidency Un-American Or Merely Unorthodox? [Justia, 3/31/17]: John W.
Dean, former counsel to President Richard Nixon, argues that President Trump’s
norm-breaking presidency goes beyond unorthodox to being outright un-American.
Dean points out a few of the differences between the start of Trump’s
presidency and that of previous presidents and concludes it is considerably far
behind all others who preceded him.
Russians took Trump’s side in GOP primary, too, expert
tells Senate panel [McClatchy DC, 3/30/17]: Before Russian propaganda
and fake news targeted Hillary Clinton, it went after Republican opponents of
Donald Trump, including Sen. Marco Rubio and Sen. Lindsey Graham, as well as
former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, according to a cyber security expert who
testified before the Senate Thursday.
Michael Flynn Makes Bid for Immunity
Deal [CNS, 3/31/17]: Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn
is in talks with the House and Senate intelligence committees on an
immunity deal that would shield him from what says would be “unfair
prosecution” if he talks about the Trump presidential campaign’s contacts with
Russia.
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)
GOP-Led Committee Assails Climate Science at
House [CNS, 3/30/17]: Drawing the battle lines on the House floor, Rep. Lamar Smith
opened a hearing of the science committee he chairs by condemning modern
climate science.
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
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:
Campus free speech zones under fire [FAC, 3/30/17]: A Philadelphia college free speech organization is
leading a challenge of "free speech zones" that they say
unconstitutionally limits student speech. Colleges routinely adopt rules that
establish the zones they say are needed to contain protests and isolate outside
provocateurs.
Defamation: ‘Veggie hate crime’
laws curb speech by food safety advocates [FAC, 3/30/17]: In
recent years states have enacted food disparagement laws, known as "veggie
hate crime" laws, that pave the way for the food and farm industries to
sue for statements that might damage reputations or harm sales.
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:
North Carolina
Legislature Votes to Repeal ‘Bathroom Bill’ [CNS, 3/30/17]: The
Republican-controlled North Carolina Legislature voted Thursday to repeal an
anti-transgender “bathroom bill,” but a revised law meant
to quiet protests drew fire even as it went to Democratic Gov.
Roy Cooper for his signature.
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