^{Posts January 18, 2918}

^{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 5^th edition of Constitutional Law] Some recent articles that are relevant to this unit

Justices to Hear Cases on Voting Rights and Internet Taxes [NY Times / USA Today, 1/13/18]:  The Supreme Court on Friday added 12 cases to its docket, including ones on whether voting districts in Texas were the product of racial discrimination and whether online merchants must collect sales taxes.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/12/us/politics/justices-voting-rights-internet-taxes.html?_r=0

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/01/12/supreme-court-adds-texas-election-districts-challenge-others-wisconsin-maryland/1028063001/

II.         Defining the Political System: Federalism and Checks and Balances [See TOPICS 11-15 in the 5^th edition of Constitutional Law] Some recent articles that are relevant to this unit:

California may buck Congress with its own health insurance requirement [CalMatters, 1/17/18]:  With Congress ending the requirement that all Americans have health insurance, California leaders are preparing to counter that move by securing health care for as many residents as possible in a fortified state insurance exchange.

^{https://calmatters.org/articles/california-may-buck-congress-health-insurance-requirement/}

California vs. the feds over offshore drilling [Capitol Weekly, 1/17/18]: The rubber is hitting the road, the gloves are coming off and California leaders are suiting up for battle. At least, figuratively.

^{http://capitolweekly.net/california-feds-offshore-oil-drilling/}

^{The American Presidency [TOPIC 15_]}

Americans think Trump doesn’t work as hard as most presidents [Wash Post, 1/17/18]:  Less than 48 hours after President Trump returned from his three-day weekend at Mar-a-Lago, some bad news arrived for the chief executive in the form of a new poll from Quinnipiac University. Fifty percent of Americans, it turns out, think Trump works less hard than past presidents. 

^{https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/kelly-calls-some-of-trumps-campaign-pledges-on-immigration-and-wall-uninformed-meeting-attendees-say/2018/01/17/3e2524bc-fb86-11e7-a46b-a3614530bd87_story.html?utm_term=.1a460ea38b86}

III. The Political System: Voting and Campaigns

The Helpful Role Lawyers Can Play in Rebuilding American Democracy [Justia, 1/12/18]: Professor Amar offers some wisdom he shared during his keynote remarks at the swearing-in ceremony of new lawyers in Springfield, Illinois, describing how lawyers can help build American democracy. Amar comments on the specific duties and responsibilities lawyers swear to uphold, and explains why these duties are critical to the very foundations of our country.

^{https://verdict.justia.com/2018/01/12/helpful-role-lawyers-can-play-rebuilding-american-democracy}

Open Season in the House [Sabatos Crystal Ball, 1/18/18]: GOP Retirements Help Dems, But Beating GOP Incumbents More Important 

http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/articles/open-season-in-the-house/

The Democrat Trumpworld fears most [Politico, 1/15/18]:  In recent weeks, the president has been handicapping the prospective 2020 field and finding potential challengers wanting.

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/15/trump-democrats-2020-election-340623?cid=apn

Republicans lack votes to prevent a shutdown [Politico, 1/17/18]:  House Republicans are short of the votes they need to avoid a government shutdown, but Speaker Paul Ryan and GOP leaders remain confident they will pass a stopgap funding measure when it comes to the floor on Thursday.

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/17/republicans-government-shutdown-congress-344198?lo=ap_a1

IV.       Cminal 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] Some recent articles that are relevant to this unit:

Sex for sale is not a constitutional right, court rules [SF Chron, 1/17/18]: A federal appeal court ruled Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018, in a California case that the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2003 decision declaring a constitutional right to “intimate conduct” such as gay sex didn’t apply to sex for sale.

https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Sex-for-sale-is-not-a-constitutional-right-court-12505404.php

Supreme Court Skeptical of Lawyer's Conduct in Death Penalty Case [USA Today, 1/16/18]: The Supreme Court struggled Wednesday with a murder Supreme Court Skeptical of Lawyer's Conduct in Death Penalty Case

death sentence.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/01/17/supreme-court-struggles-murder-suspects-denial/1040988001/

Does the Automobile Exception to the Warrant Requirement Extend to Private Driveways? [Justia, 1/17/18]:  Professor Colb considers a question raised, but most likely not to be decided, in a criminal procedure case currently before the US Supreme Court. That case, Collins v. Virginia addresses the automobile exception to the Fourth Amendment warrant requirement, and Colb explores some reasons for eliminating the automobile exception altogether.

https://verdict.justia.com/2018/01/17/automobile-exception-warrant-requirement-extend-private-driveways

V.        1^st Amendment (Speech, Religion, Press and Assembly) [See TOPICS 29-33 in the 5^th edition of Constitutional Law] Some recent articles that are relevant to this unit:

As Trump announces 'Fake News Awards,' GOP senators assail his attacks on the press as antidemocratic [LA Times, 1/18/18]: On a day President Trump promised to deliver “Fake News Awards,” two Republican senators as well as several Democrats warned on Wednesday that his unceasing attacks on a free press are undermining a fundamental tenet of democracy and emboldening despots abroad.

http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-fake-news-trump-20180117-story.html

Supreme Court free speech case could destroy a generation's rights to life and speech [Wash Examiner,1/1/18]: Which one of the following is true?

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/supreme-court-free-speech-case-could-destroy-a-generations-rights-to-life-and-speech/article/2644371

 Attorney genera The Justice Department on Tuesday sided with the Archdiocese of Washington in its legal battle to display Christmas ads on Metro buses l sides with archdiocese in battle over Christmas bus ads [Wash Post, 1/15/18]:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/attorney-general-sides-with-archdiocese-in-battle-over-christmas-bus-ads/2018/01/16/f0bd6162-fafe-11e7-a46b-a3614530bd87_story.html?utm_term=.f98ef7476fc6

VI.       14^th Amendment, Discrimination, Privacy, Working, Citizenship & Immigration [See TOPICS 34-41 in the 5^th edition of Constitutional Law] Some recent articles that are relevant to this unit:

^{Breaking the Bonds of Bias [Wash Post, 1/14/18]:} The #MeToo movement is sparking a wave of start-ups that is devoted to improving workplace environments

The Trump Presidency and the #MeToo Movement [Justia, 1/18/18]: Professor  Hamilton likens the relationship between the #MeToo movement and Donald Trump’s presidency as a David versus Goliath moment. Hamilton describes the contrast in apparent values between the two but finds comfort in the #MeToo movement’s demonstration that there is still identifiable right and wrong that we as a society can see and discuss.

https://verdict.justia.com/2018/01/18/trump-presidency-metoo-movement

^{Internat ional Law, Citizenship and Immigration [TOPIC 40-42}

The Dangerous Supreme Court Case Nobody Is Talking About [National Review,, 1/15/18]: NIFLA v. Becerrahas huge implications for free speech, religious freedom, and the pro-life cause.

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/455470/nifla-becerra-supreme-court-case-religious-freedom-free-speech