Posts for May 23, 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:

The First Batch of Decisions Each Term [“Empirical SCOTUS” blog, 5/222/17]: Through the first thirty-five slip-opinions of the Supreme Court’s 2016 term there are notable similarities and differences from the Court’s prior terms. Read this interesting analysis. For example: “There have been 19 unanimous opinions through the first 35 this term. Must be some kind of record, right? Not quite.”

https://empiricalscotus.com/2017/05/22/the-first-batch/

The Grove Park Inn [Atlas Obscura, 5/21/17]: The U.S. Supreme Court's secret Cold War relocation facility in the mountains of North Carolina.

http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/grove-park-inn

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]

Trump drags his scandals back into the spotlight on foreign trip [Politico / CNN, 5/22/17]: The president delivers another self-inflicted wound by vigorously denying he revealed Israel was the source of intelligence. 

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/05/22/trump-peace-mideast-israel-meeting-238678?lo=ap_a1

http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/22/politics/trump-israel-russia/index.html

White House seeks 90-day delay in Obamacare subsidy suit [Politico, 5/22/17]: The Trump administration and House of Representatives Monday asked a federal court for another 90-day delay in a lawsuit over Obamacare insurance subsidies, undermining the future of the health care marketplaces as insurers look for certainty from the government before committing to offer coverage next year.

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/05/22/white-house-to-seek-90-day-delay-in-obamacare-subsidy-suit-238674

Trump's budget hits his own voters hardest [Politico, 5/22/17]: Donald Trump, whose populist message and promises to help American workers propelled him to the White House, is set to issue a budget proposal on Tuesday that instead takes aim at the social safety net on which many of his supporters rely.

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/05/22/trump-budget-cut-social-programs-238696

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:

Supreme Court Upholds Rejection Of North Carolina Congressional Districts [NPR’s Nina Totenberg on “All Things Considered.” 5/22/17]: The Supreme Court upheld the rejection of two congressional districts in North Carolina by a lower court. The lower court ruled the districts had been unlawfully drawn to diminish the voting power of African Americans and ordered them redrawn.

http://www.npr.org/2017/05/22/529550282/supreme-court-upholds-rejection-of-north-carolina-congressional-districts

Cooper v. Harris [Slate, 5/22/17]: We saw a unique vote split with Justices Kennedy, Alito, and Roberts dissenting in part in the 5-3 decision.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2017/05/in_cooper_v_harris_the_supreme_court_strikes_a_blow_against_racial_redistricting.html

Disagreeing With Rick Hasen on the North Carolina Case [Electiono Law Blog, 5/22/17]:

http://electionlawblog.org/?p=92706

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

Campus killing: Suspect is a member of 'Alt Reich' FB group, police say [CNN, 5/22/17]: This much we do know: A white University of Maryland student is accused of fatally stabbing a black student who was visiting campus. What we don't know is whether the suspect, who police say is a member of a Facebook group called Alt Reich, committed a hate crime. But the university's police chief said the online group's content is disturbing.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/22/us/university-of-maryland-stabbing/index.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:

Supreme Court sets aside case of Christian baker, same-sex wedding cake [Wash Times, 5/22/17]: The Supreme Court on Monday put off a decision on whether to hear a highly watched case involving a Christian baker who declined to make a cake for a same-sex wedding — the 13th time the high court has held the decision over, sparking speculation the justices will duck the case.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/may/22/supreme-court-sets-aside-case-masterpiece-cakeshop/

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: