Supreme Court Extravaganza

This morning the Supreme Court of the United States (or SCOTUS for short) concluded it's 2013-14 term and, in holding with tradition, saved its most controversial rulings for the last day. The Court handed down decisions on several important issues including: warrentless searches of cell phones, internet TV, and the power of President Obama to make appointments to executive agencies without congressional approval. In each of these decisions, the court has set meaningful precedent that will impact the future of our country, the role of government in Americans' lives, and possibly the 2014 congressional midterm elections.

Because each case is long I am including a list of several articles on each one to help us better understand the impact these rulings will have. I urge you to look at each of the cases the Court has ruled on, however, you only need to write your comment on one of the decisions made by the court (of course I would welcome anyone who wants to comment on more than one!) Also, if any of these items interest you, you are welcome to read more than just what I post below!

Riley v. California
Get a warrant! Today’s cellphone privacy decision in Plain English
Cellphone Ruling Could Alter Police Methods, Experts Say

American Broadcasting Companies v.  Aero
How copyright law blocks cheap Internet TV: In Plain English
Aero Loses at Supreme Court, in Victory for TV Broadcasters

National Labor Relations Board v. Noel Canning
Court strikes down recess appointments: In Plain English
Justices’ Decision Opens Fresh Debate on Limits of Presidential Power

General Questions for Discussion

** NOTE** There are too many cases for me give you specific questions, so instead here are some general questions to help you decipher the Court's rulings in these momentous cases.

What issues were at bar in these cases? (Think executive vs congressional power, privacy rights, etc)
What precedents were set by these rulings?
What will will they mean for you?
How is federal power impacted by these rulings?
How can/will the Obama administration and/or Congress react?
What does this mean for President Obama's recess appointments?
What does this ruling tell us about the make-up of the Supreme Court? (Liberal v. Conservative)
What insights could this give us on the upcoming midterm elections?

If the House is A-Rocking Don't Come A-Knocking: Cantor Out as Majority Leader

From POLITICO.com 6/12/14:

"Eric Cantor thought he was setting out to nudge the Republican Party gently in a winning direction. Instead, the voters of his home district pushed him over a political cliff.
The Virginia lawmaker’s surprise defeat in a primary election has already sent a shudder through the party in 2014, rattling lawmakers and delivering an abrupt reality check to politicians who think the GOP rank and file is eager for an ideological reboot."

As budding political scientists I'm sure you have all heard the stunning news coming out of Washington in the last several weeks (wink!).  Eric Cantor (R-VA), the current Majority Leader in the House of Representatives (not sure what that is? Watch the video below), has been defeated in a primary election by a more conservative Republican. Cantor is the first House Majority Leader in history to lose a primary election, and his loss delivers a significant blow the Republican party's hopes of solidifying their base of support entering the midterm elections in November 2014 and the presidential election in 2016. 

Cantor's loss is particularly interesting because it comes at the hands of the Tea Party - a conservative wing of the Republican party. The Tea Party has made a name for itself by running more conservative candidates against moderate Republican incumbents and beating them in primary elections. Their goal is to remove moderate Republicans from elected office and replace them with more conservative Congressmen. However, Cantor is no moderate, in fact, he has been one of President Obama's greatest opponents in Congress.

Finally, Cantor's loss is unprecedented in modern politics because he seemingly had everything a candidate would need to win: a strong record of support from his district, a legislative record of success, a leadership position that gave him a national spotlight, and millions of dollars to spend on his campaign. In fact, Cantor spent nearly $2 million while his opponent, Dave Brat, spent only $200,000! Now all we can do is try and figure out what this will mean for the midterm elections coming in November and future of the Republican Party.

Read the Articles Here:

Cantor Loses

Eric Cantor lesson to GOP: Stray at your own risk.

What's a House Majority Leader, Anyway?

Questions for Discussion

What should the Republican party take away from Cantor's loss?

How will Cantor's loss impact Congress? 
Is there any legislation that will be impacted by Cantor's loss?

Does this have any impact on the congressional midterm elections in 2014? The presidential election in 2016?

Is Cantor's loss good or a bad for President Obama?

Is this a victory for the Democrats or a loss for the Republicans?

Before you comment  please read my post on current event comments below!

Current Event Comments

Before you begin commenting on my current event posts for you summer assignment I thought I would lay down a couple ground rules to help you decipher what is and what is not a current event.

To be credited with a current event post:

1. You must make sure you are commenting on a current event post, not another type of post.
 The best way for you to determine what is and what is not a current event is to look at the label . All current events will be labeled current events, and other videos will be labeled accordingly. For example, commenting on my "Jimmy Fallon and President Obama Slow Jam the News" YouTube video is welcomed, but it will not get you credit for a current event comment (notice it's "Just for Fun" label). Seriously, go watch that, though, it's pretty funny.

2. Your post must attempt to analyze the current event.
Do not simply try to answer the questions that I pose. You need to consider the importance of the event and its impact on the country politically, socially, economically, etc.

3. This is a political discussion - be opinionated and provocative!
Make sure that your comment addresses both the article posted and your classmates' comments. This blog should be treated as an extension of our classroom discussions. If you're the first to comment, end with a question for your classmates or me.

If you're looking to see what a good current event post comment looks like check one out from last year:
The Senate's "Nuclear" Meltdown

I Forgot!

Hello all! I forgot to tell everyone to please visit the welcome page (in the top right hand corner) and introduce yourself to the class by commenting on the page. There are some brief instructions on the page on how I would like you to do this, but if nothing else it will let me know that you have access to the blog and know how to use it. Lastly, please spread the word to your fellow classmates to comment before the end of school so that I know everyone has access. Thanks!

Also, don't forget to vote in our poll!

Jimmy Fallon, President Obama, and Brian Williams Slow Jam The News

As you're all aware by now, over the next two and a half months you will be posting and commenting on current events shaping American politics. Hopefully, by the end of the summer you will all become astute political observers and possibly even news junkies (like me). As a way to help us "get in the mood" (ha!) for our discussions on current events and politics, here are a couple of videos from Jimmy Fallon's recurring "Slow Jam the News" segment. 

Awww yeah...

Lastly, remember that while the majority of your posts and comments should focus on the serious discussion of American politics, you don't need to limit yourself to only serious material. The blog should be a place for you share you thoughts on politics and other topics, both serious and not so serious.