Monday, March 31, 2014

March 31, 2014

yes I think racism is a big problem because there is still racial slurs about people who are different color than white and they have no right to judge people because of their skin color.

Monday, March 24, 2014

March 24, 2014

A disease has killed 59 people out of 80 and it has  also killed two children on that would be heart breaking to see that and yet to hear that.

Friday, March 21, 2014

Supreme Court Cases

Religion

High school student Joshua Davey wanted to go on to college. Like many kids his age, he was looking for financial help to do so. He applied for an academically-competitive Promise Scholarship, a fund sponsored by taxpayers in his home state of Washington. He soon got the good news that he had won the scholarship. His happiness was short-lived, however. The state took back the money when it learned of his intended major, theology. The Washington state constitution, like that of 36 other states, specifically bans the use of public money to fund religious instruction. Davey chose to forfeit the money and enroll in a private Christian college.
Davey, however, believed his First Amendment rights to free religious exercise were being violated. If the state of Washington provided college financial aid to students pursuing secular areas of study, Davey reasoned, then it should provide that same money to students pursuing religious courses of study. He eventually took his case to the US Supreme Court.
The Court disagreed with Davey and ruled that states could deny public scholarship money to students being trained for the ministry. The Court held that states have a long-standing interest in keeping the government distinct from religion.
The Court determined that there was no infringement on free exercise because individuals were still free to pursue their desired courses of study and religious careers: “It imposes neither criminal nor civil sanctions on any type of religious service or rite…It does not deny to ministers the right to participate in the political affairs of the community. And it does not require students to choose between their religious beliefs and receiving a government benefit. The state has merely chosen not to fund a distinct category of instruction.”


Minority

In 2006, Congress amassed a 15,000 page record supporting its judgment that minority voters in certain places needed specific protections to be able to participate equally in the political process. The Supreme Court today held that Congress must now return to the drawing board to reconsider which jurisdictions in the country should be covered by Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act.
The Supreme Court declined the request by Shelby County, Alabama to strike down Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. Section 5 requires some states and localities to illustrate that proposed changes to the voting process don’t suppress minority voters before those changes can take effect. The Court did not rule on the constitutionality of Section 5 itself, which has been upheld in four previous challenges.
Today’s ruling conflicts with our deeply held value in America that every individual has the sacred right to vote. Our country is stronger when more—not fewer—people participate in the political process.
Today will be remembered as a step backwards in the march towards equal rights.
We must now confront the poison of voter suppression in the places where it is most intense without our most effective antidote.  Congress must step in to aggressively and expeditiously prevent an onslaught of attacks on the right to vote. The ink will barely be dry on this decision before people will start hatching plans to get between Americans and the ballot box.
Congress has the power to make good on the promise that every American should have the right to vote, and it must exercise that power forthwith.

School system

Powell v. National Board of Medical Examiners
U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
Decided April 7, 2004

 Summary: Learning disabled student sued the NBME and the University of Connecticut after she failed the Step 1 Medical Licensing Exam three times and was dismissed from medical school. Plaintiff requested a waiver of the Step 1 Exam requirement from UConn which they refused and was subsequently denied accommodations of extended time on the exam by the NBME. The Second Circuit held that Powell failed to show that, even if she was disabled, she was otherwise qualified to continue to be a medical student at UConn; noting that she had a background of educational difficulty and an average to low-average IQ. The court also held that there was no proof UConn discriminated because they had provided extensive accommodations to plaintiff but were not required to offer accommodations that fundamentally altered the nature of the service, program or activity. Finally, the court found that based on the limited evidence submitted, the NBME followed its standard procedure in denying Powell's request for accommodations.

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Notes

The Inferior Court

They were created to function.

U.S. district court are the federal trial courts- 677 judges handle more than 35000 cases per year- 80% of the federal caseload.

There are two little-known about multi-judge panels that play a key role in ongoing effects to combat terrorism in the U.S. & abroad.

The district courts do not hear cases within original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.

Most decisions in the federal district courts are final- meaning the cases start and end there.

These courts were created by congress to relieve the Supreme Court of hearing ALL appealed cases.

Each court has 6-28 judges and 1 supreme court justice as assigned to each district.

a federal trial court- only tries civil cases that arise out of the nations customs and other trade related laws

March 20, 2014

I agree with the Judicial Restraint

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

March 19, 20104

I honestly think that its was hijacked.
Yes because there were children on that plane.

Friday, March 14, 2014

March 11, 2014

1) yes they should put people before profit because it would increase the business and then they would not have to worry about the profit if they put people first.
2) no because all the government wants is money and that is all they want. They don't care if people get the right medication they need.

March 10, 2014

1) I believe that he has a point but in the meantime he doesn't because with him cutting our taxes will cause more crisis than anything else and there will be times where there will be more bankruptcy than any other time.
2) himself

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

March 12, 2014

1) Because they didn't want anyone to worry
2) Wanted it to be a suicide or homicide

Friday, March 7, 2014

notes on March 7, 2014

  1. National convention- called every four years to officially nominate presidential candidates.
  2. primaries- the device each party uses to select its nomination for president... typically frontloaded- New Hampshire is always the first primary.
  3. Delegate Selection process- began as winner take all.... now moved to proportional representation- 15% or more receives delegates in proportion to their votes.
  4. Caucuses- a closed meeting of a political party which gather to select delegates to the national convention.
  5. convention schedule- day 2- adopt platform and keynote address......day 3- select or affirm choice for vice presidential candidate.......day 4- select and affirm presidential candidates done by delegates voting or candidate delivers acceptance speech.
  6. Nominee Characteristics- typically the current president is nominated...typically has long runof political experience, governship has been important, senate used to be a springboard....typically protestants from large states......good speakers who seem to have a stable family life and also have a pleasant and healthy appearance.

Thursday, March 6, 2014

notes for March 6, 2014

  1. Presidential Election 
  2. same number of senators and house of representatives. 
  3. Aaron Burr and Thomas Jefferson each got 73 votes.
  4. A reaction to the election of the 1800.

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

March 5, 2014

I honestly believe that the U.S. will be better than what it is now if he dies.