Posts October 19, 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.

National Civil Conversation Webinar [CRF, 10/18/17]: Now is the time to empower students to constructively discuss controversial issues; develop speaking, listening, and close reading skills; and improve understanding of their role in a democracy. Join them for a free webinar that will help you facilitate engaging, structured, and standards-aligned academic discussions in your classes! View the registration for their webinar on this subject to be held Thursday, November 2, 2017, 7:00 p.m. (ET), 6:00 p.m. (MT), 5:00  p.m. (CT) , 4:00 p.m. (PT).

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScLFA40rwQKF7GIGPVBFIbWBEsEmSknB4I016NENiP2HGplcQ/viewform

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:

Judges vs. Bureaucrats: Who should defer to whom? [Slate, 10/18/17]: Slate is running a series of monthly dialogues between two of the nation’s most esteemed jurists, Richard A. Posner and Jed S. Rakoff.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2017/10/two_judges_explain_why_they_don_t_buy_the_logic_of_chevron_deference.html

Feud: Elena and Neil [Slate, 10/18/17]: Why rumors of a Gorsuch-Kagan clash at the Supreme Court are such a bombshell.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2017/10/why_rumors_of_a_gorsuch_kagan_supreme_court_clash_are_such_a_bombshell.html

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:

A Case To Watch: Garza v. Hargan [“Take Care” blog, 10/19/17]: Tomorrow, the D.C. Circuit will apparently hear oral argument on the government's emergency motion to prevent an undocumented young woman from obtaining an abortion before it becomes too late for her to do so.

https://takecareblog.com/blog/a-case-to-watch-garza-v-hargan

What Happens When Very Few People Own Quite a Few Guns? [Justia, 10/19/17]: Professor Buchanan considers the implications of the fact that a very small number of Americans own a very large percentage of the privately owned guns in the United States. Specifically, he considers whether the already-enormous number of guns owned by Americans means that we are doomed to live with gun violence forever, no matter what a future Congress might do, and whether the concentration of guns in the hands of Donald Trump’s supporters raises any special concerns about attempts to impeach the president.

https://verdict.justia.com/2017/10/19/happens-people-quite-guns

18 States and DC Fight to Keep Health Care Subsidies [CNS, 10/19/17]: Nineteen attorneys general asked a federal judge Wednesday for a nationwide emergency restraining order to stop President Trump from ending subsidies that reduce health care costs for lower-income Americans. Oral arguments are slated for Monday.

https://www.courthousenews.com/18-states-seek-judicial-order-keep-healthcare-subsidies-coming/

The American Presidency [TOPIC 15]

Trump cries foul on judges, but he's ahead of Obama [AP, 10/19/17]: President Donald Trump says Democrats are holding up his judicial nominees, but almost nine months into his presidency, he has had more judges confirmed than President Barack Obama did in the same time period, and his numbers aren’t far off those of other recent presidents.

https://apnews.com/388d042f055f4ee8a17838d9157c77cb/Trump-cries-foul-on-judges,-but-he's-ahead-of-Obama

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:

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

Why Are Prosecutors Putting Innocent Witnesses in Jail? [New Yorker, 10/17/17]:  Across the country, people who committed no crimes are being locked up to compel their testimony in court.

https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/why-are-prosecutors-putting-innocent-witnesses-in-jail

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:

An Analysis of DOJ's Brief in Masterpiece Cakeshop  [“Take Care” blog, 10/18/17]: The DOJ brief raises important theoretical questions about the scope of judicial review under the freedom of speech clause of the First Amendment.

https://takecareblog.com/blog/an-analysis-of-doj-s-brief-in-masterpiece-cakeshop

Who's to Blame for America's Sexual Harassment Nightmare? The Supreme Court, for one [Slate, 10/17/19]: In fiscal 2016, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission received nearly 7,000 complaints alleging sexual harassment. State agencies received thousands more. And these numbers don’t begin to tell the full story: The EEOC estimates that roughly 3 out of 4 individuals who experience workplace harassment do not report it. An overwhelming majority of harassment victims are women.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2017/10/blame_the_supreme_court_for_america_s_sexual_harassment_nightmare.html