Predicting the Political Future (A Site to See)

What's the best way to keep your mind sharp during the strike? Read! Study! Discuss! In English!

I have a more substantial post in the works, but for right now, I strongly recommend that all of you go to visit Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball. This is a site maintained by a politics professor from the University of Virginia, one of America's best universities. The University was founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson (America's third president - he bought the Louisiana Territory from Napoleon.) Sabato is a respected analyst of American politics and I like his style - he's nonpartisan and he doesn't take himself too seriously.

Sabato updates the site every week to two weeks, so check back often. He covers a lot of topics that are not talked about in the mainstream press, like Congressional races and revising the Constitution. Also, he has a fabulous moustache.

Be well, my students. I will see you all soon.

clairvoyantly yours,

Eric

ps: don't forget to look at those Supreme Court cases for your expose topics!

Court to Hear Case About Gun Control

Whoa! This is a big one. The Supreme Court today agreed to hear a case this spring concerning the gun control law in Washington, DC. The law there is one of the strictest in the country, so I'm betting that the decision will have a big impact on legislation elsewhere. This also make gun control a hot issue in the presidential election - the court will give its decision just months before Americans choose their next president. Very interesting.

You fine people can read about the court's acceptance of the case

here and here

unarmed,

Eric

Oral Presentations, Strikes, Forthcoming...

Hello there, students of law! Hope you all are in good spirits, whatever your opinion on the strike. I also hope you all have been looking at Supreme Court cases to work on for your exposes! Don't forget, the Cornell Law link on the side of this page will take you to the site with all of the cases. As soon as you have chosen, be sure to e-mail me so I can give you the green light.

You have now had an extra week to complete the homework I distributed on November 8,9, and 10. Should be looking good! We'll be discussing that this week in class, so don't forget to bring it with you!

I'll be posting again sometime soon with some extra reading material.

best

Eric

Sarkozy Speaks to Congress

President Sarkozy spoke to a joint session of the US Congress on Wednesday, receiving lots of applause and even standing ovations from the American lawmakers for his speech.

“President Sarkozy has hit a home run out of the ballpark,” said Representative Tom Lantos, the California Democrat who is chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. “I expect a spectacular renaissance in French-American relations.”

the whole speech (nysun)

some accounts of the speech from the press:
nytimes
Le Monde
BBC

What do you think of Sarkozy's speech? What should be the nature of the Franco-American alliance? What are your predictions about the future relationship between the two countries? Do you anticipate the "spectacular renaissance" that Lantos predicts?

(nb: please be sure to be respectful in the comments and vive le discours!)

Nebraska, Freedom of Religion, Schoolhouse Rock

We've been talking in class over these first few weeks about the separation of powers in the US Government. "Separation of powers" is the idea that different responsibilities in government should be handled by different branches of government. It's a French idea - thanks Montesquieu (take a look at his The Spirit of Laws in English or in French)!

So both federal and state governments in America are separated into three distinct branches: legislative, executive and judicial. At the federal level, the legislature is called Congress. It is bicameral, which means it has two houses. Those two houses are the House of Representatives and the Senate.

All the states have a bicameral legislature too. Except one: NEBRASKA! Nebraska has a unicameral legislature. Only one house! Why? Follow the links to find out!

Nebraska's Unicameral Legislature (from wikipedia)

Nebraska Legislature : Official Website

Fun Facts about Nebraska

Nebraska: a very exciting place

***

Some of you had a very good question in our last class about the process of swearing witnesses in during court proceedings. Traditionally, a witness is sworn in by placing his / her hand on the Bible and saying "I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God." Many of you asked how this can be the case if the establishment clause of the First Amendment is to be respected. What happens is someone who is not Christian has to testify? And what about the President? Doesn't he/she also swear on the Bible before taking office?

All good questions! Here are some answers:

In North Carolina in 2005, a Muslim woman who had to testify in court wanted to swear on the Koran rather than the Bible. It created a lot of controversy because the judge refused. According to state law in North Carolina, a witness must swear on the "Holy Scriptures" to be admitted as a witness. You can read about this incident here and find a good opinion piece about it here.

As for the president and other elected officials, they are not required to swear on the Bible to take office. Congressman Keith Ellison, a Muslim from Minnesota, was elected almost exactly one year ago. He chose to swear on the Koran rather than the Bible.

And what about those people who aren't religious? There's an option for them too! Rather than swearing on the Bible, Koran, or some other holy text, witnesses and officials also have the option of "affirmation" rather than swearing, which is a totally secular process. I learned in this testy blog post that John Quincy Adams swore on a book of law. Theodore Roosevelt simply held up his hand, swearing on nothing. And Franklin Pierce and Herbert Hoover used an affirmation instead of swearing. You can read the President's Oath of Office here.

So, friends, there you go. Can't wait to see you all in class this week. It's going to be great.

I swear.

federally yours,

Eric P.

Welcome!

Hello to all my wonderful students! I have created this blog to stay in touch with you all during the weeks between our class sessions. I'll be using it to give you extra reading material and a look at some aspects of American culture and society that we won't have time to discuss in class. Come back often, share your thoughts, and explore the links that are here for you!

Bests,

Eric