Tuesday, February 14, 2023
Some terms - 2/14/23
- Fallible.
- Corruption.
- Insurrection.
- Confirmation Bias.
- Hypothetical.
- Anomaly.
- Reason.
The latest on legislative priorities - 2/14/23
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced a list Monday of 30 wide-ranging bills that he has designated his legislative priorities, including providing property tax relief and increasing natural gas plants to improve the reliability of the state’s power grid. He also detailed more specifically his plans to push a socially conservative agenda that would ban certain books in schools, restrict transgender student athlete participation in collegiate sports and end gender-transition treatment for young people.
- Gov. Greg Abbott says he favors ban on transgender women competing in collegiate women’s sports.
Gov. Greg Abbott said on Saturday that he would back legislation banning transgender student athletes from competing on a collegiate level on teams that match their gender.
“This next session, we will pass a law prohibiting biological men to compete against women in college sports,” Abbott said at the Young America’s Foundation Freedom conference in Dallas. He made the comments during an interview billed as a “fireside chat” with former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.
- LT. GOV. DAN PATRICK ANNOUNCES TOP 30 PRIORITIES FOR THE 2023 LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
Senate Bill 1 – State Budget
Senate Bill 2 – Restoring Voter Fraud to a Felony
Senate Bill 3 – Increasing the Homestead Exemption to $70,000
Senate Bill 4 – Adding Additional Property Tax Relief
Senate Bill 5 – Increasing the Business Personal Property Tax Exemption
Senate Bill 6 – Adding New Natural Gas Plants
Senate Bill 7 – Continuing to Improve the Texas Grid
Senate Bill 8 – Empowering Parental Rights – Including School Choice
Senate Bill 9 – Empowering Teacher Rights – Teacher Pay Raise
Senate Bill 10 – Adding 13th Checks for Retired Teachers
Senate Bill 11 – Keeping Our Schools Safe and Secure
Senate Bill 12 – Banning Children’s Exposure to Drag Shows
Senate Bill 13 – Protecting Children from Obscene Books in Libraries
Senate Bill 14 – Ending Child Gender Modification
Senate Bill 15 – Protecting Women’s College Sports
Senate Bill 16 – Banning Critical Race Theory (CRT) in Higher Education
Senate Bill 17 – Banning Discriminatory “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” (DEI) Policies in Higher Education
Senate Bill 18 – Eliminating Tenure at General Academic Institutions
Senate Bill 19 – Creating A New Higher Education Endowment Fund
Senate Bill 20 – Removing District Attorneys Who Refuse to Follow Texas Law
Senate Bill 21 – Removing Judges Who Refuse to Follow Texas Law
Senate Bill 22 – Assisting Rural Law Enforcement Funding – Increasing Pay and Needed Equipment
Senate Bill 23 – Creating A Mandatory 10-Year Prison Sentence for Criminals Committing Gun Crime
Senate Bill 24 – Expanding Alternatives to Abortion
Senate Bill 25 – Creating New Scholarships for Registered Nurses
Senate Bill 26 – Expanding Mental Health Care Beds Across Texas – Focus on Rural Counties
Senate Bill 27 – Creating A New Business Specialty Court
Senate Bill 28 – Addressing Texas’ Future Water Needs
Senate Bill 29 – Banning Local COVID-19 Mandates
Senate Bill 30 – Supplemental Budget
The Political Rights in the First Amendment and the Related Political Institutions
In the section on civil liberties and the Bill of Rights we discussed the first two clauses of this amendment - the establishment and free exercise clause. Here we cover the rest, those pertaining to the political freedoms. There are four, they are:
Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
- First Amendment Explained.
Let's lay out what types of activities related to each each
- the freedom of speech
- - political speech.
- - Mills v. Alabama.
- - Seditious Conspiracy.
- - Campaign Funding as Speech.
- - Interest Group Contributions.
- the press
- - printing presses - technology.
- - Freedom of Information.
- - The media industry.
- - Copyright law of the United States.
- - seditious libel.
- The right of the people peaceably to assemble.
- - Freedom of assembly.
- - Freedom of association.
- - Sons of Liberty.
- - Interest groups.
- - Political parties.
- - Political action committees.
- to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
- - The right to petition.
- - Agency Capture.
- - Lobbyists
- - Government Relations
Regarding "Deadlock"
Some background in case this is your subject for the 1000 word paper.
In case you need help figuring out how to start.
From NPR: Congress wasn't always this dysfunctional (except it kind of was).
. . . it's part of a continuing deterioration of order on Capitol Hill that really dates back to the Berlin Wall coming down and the end of the Cold War. Once we were freed of that common enemy, there was no reason anymore to stop fighting amongst ourselves. And so this golden era that we remember, from World War II on through the 1950s and '60s, is gone now. And we're back to where we were in the 1920s, or the 1880s, or the 1850s.
It's not coincidental that the huge Speaker battles occurred in the four or five years before the Civil War, when America was struggling with big economic and regional issue like slavery. It's been rare in the 20th century and so far in this century, but this could be a sign of things to come.
- CONGRESSIONAL POLARIZATION: TERMINAL CONSTITUTIONAL DYSFUNCTION?
Political polarization has become a major focus in contemporary discussions on congressional activity and governance. The tone of these discussions has grown increasingly grim, as many political scientists argue that a constitutional system of divided and shared powers hardens current levels of partisan warfare into legislative gridlock. Proposals for reform abound. Scholars and political commentators have called for modifications to the electoral process and to party structure, for additional oversight of the culture among members of Congress, and for increased attention to demographics and economic inequality within the electorate. These proposals sometimes conflict, and usually face daunting legal or political obstacles to adoption.
- From Vox: Congressional dysfunction.
When people talk about congressional dysfunction they usually mean that Congress, despite its vast authority, seems paralyzed in the face of the nation's toughest problems. The paralysis usually stems from disagreements between the two parties, and is exacerbated by the unusual construction of the US Congress, which makes it possible for one party to control the House while the other controls (or at least exercises veto power) in the Senate. A secondary (and arguably related) problem people are sometimes referring to is the perception that the personal relationships between members of the two parties are angrier than they've been in the past.
- Six Ways to Fix a Dysfunctional Congress (Part 1).
For citizens that believe in a progressive federal government, Congress does not legislate enough. For citizens that believe in a limited government, Congress creates too many laws. In reality, there are instances where preventing legislation can be more beneficial than passing it; there are also occasions when legislation is necessary. But to make Congress more functional, reforms should seek to improve the quality of legislation, not the quantity. For this series, quality means legislation that considers all parties—even if those considerations do not lead to bipartisan support. Understanding what second and third order effects legislation may have is just as important—if not more important—than its intended effects.
Unfortunately, most proposed solutions for the issues gripping Congress possess a pro-passage bias. Experts and citizens alike advocate for more legislation as evidence to show that Congress works. Others argue Congress’s dysfunction is unrelated to the number of bills passed. Lee Drutman and Kevin Kosar, leading scholars in this area, explain that because Congress operates within an understaffed and inexperienced legislature, the sub-par results are linked to these staffing issues. Kosar further explains that Congress has ceded too much power to the Executive Branch, endangering the balance of the federal government. Kathy Goldschmidt, another leading authority in this area, agrees that staffing issues are problematic to Congress’s institutional health. But she also notes other issues facing Congress—the lack of deliberation, nonpartisan research and a withering technological infrastructure.
Monday, February 13, 2023
Sunday, February 12, 2023
Are the UFO's really drones?
- Many Military U.F.O. Reports Are Just Foreign Spying or Airborne Trash.
Government officials believe that surveillance operations by foreign powers and weather balloons or other airborne clutter explain most recent incidents of unidentified aerial phenomena — government-speak for U.F.O.s — as well as many episodes in past years.
The sightings have puzzled the Pentagon and intelligence agencies for years, fueling theories about visiting space aliens and spying by a hostile nation using advanced technology. But government officials say many of the incidents have far more ordinary explanations.
- UFO Sightings By US Troops Surge.
A big reason for the increase is that the Pentagon and the intelligence community are now paying better attention to UAPs, according to the intelligence officials. In August 2020, the Pentagon stood up the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force, or UAPTF, which has since been rebranded the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office.
“AARO and ODNI assess that the observed increase in the UAP reporting rate is partially due to a better understanding of the possible threats that UAP may represent, either as safety of flight hazards or as potential adversary collection platforms, and partially due to reduced stigma surrounding UAP reporting. This increased reporting allows more opportunities to apply rigorous analysis and resolve events,” the report said.
Most of the sightings can be identified as Chinese surveillance drones, weather balloons, and other forms of aerial clutter, Pentagon officials said.
- Adversary Drones Are Spying On The U.S. And The Pentagon Acts Like They’re UFOs.
We may not know the identities of all the mysterious craft that American military personnel and others have been seeing in the skies as of late, but I have seen more than enough to tell you that it is clear that a very terrestrial adversary is toying with us in our own backyard using relatively simple technologies—drones and balloons—and making off with what could be the biggest intelligence haul of a generation. While that may disappoint some who hope the origins of all these events are far more exotic in nature, the strategic implications of these bold operations, which have been happening for years, undeterred, are absolutely massive.
Our team here at The War Zone has spent the last two years indirectly laying out a case for the hypothesis that many of the events involving supposed UFOs, or unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), as they are now often called, over the last decade are actually the manifestation of foreign adversaries harnessing advances in lower-end unmanned aerial vehicle technology, and even simpler platforms, to gather intelligence of extreme fidelity on some of America's most sensitive warfighting capabilities. Now, considering all the news on this topic in recent weeks, including our own major story on a series of bizarre incidents involving U.S. Navy destroyers and 'UAP' off the Southern California coast in 2019, it's time to not only sum up our case, but to discuss the broader implications of these revelations, what needs to be done about them, and the Pentagon's fledgling 'UAP Task Force' as a whole.
Saturday, February 11, 2023
From the AISD website: INTERNET POSTINGS REQUIRED FOR TEXAS SCHOOL DISTRICTS
Here is a list of the information that AISD is required to make public.
The list also includes the laws that require this data be made public, which is yet another way to see how federalism is embedded in the governing system.
- Click here for it.
Here's some content related to AISD finance:
- Landowner Bill of Rights (Texas Property Code § 21.0112)
- Proposed Budget Summary of Proposed Budget (Texas Education Code § 44.0041)
- Adopted Budget (Texas Education Code § 44.0041)
From the Contemporary Arts Museum: Amoako Boafo: Soul of Black Folks
A recent exhibit of a Ghanaian artist.
- Click here for info.
Friday, February 10, 2023
Houston city council delays vote on redistricting
- Click here for a map of Houston's city council districts.
- Click here for Houston's City Charter.
- From The Texas Tribune: Houston’s at-large City Council districts deprive Latinos of fair representation, lawsuit alleges.
Citing the underrepresentation of Latinos on Houston’s City Council, one of the nation’s oldest Latino civil rights organizations is suing in hopes of undoing the system the nation’s fourth-largest city uses to elect its governing body.
In a federal lawsuit filed Monday, the League of United Latin American Citizens and four individual Latino residents allege the city undercuts the voting strength of Latino voters by continuing to elect five of its 16 council members through at-large elections, in which all city voters are able to vote. Eleven council members are elected from individual districts.
The suit asks a federal judge to block use of the partial at-large system in future elections, arguing the system violates the federal Voting Rights Act’s protections against discrimination.
Houston City Council considers new noise ordinance cracking down on nois...
- Chapter 30 - NOISE AND SOUND LEVEL REGULATION.
Plainly audible when describing a sound or noise means any amplified sound or noise that can be clearly heard by a person with normal hearing faculties such that a reasonable person would believe such sound or noise unreasonably disturbs, injures, or endangers the comfort, repose, health, peace, or safety of others in violation of this chapter. The term does not require the clear appreciation of specific words of speech or specific words of a song.
- Reasonable Person.
A phrase used to denote a hypothetical person who exercises qualities of attention, knowledge; intelligence, and judgment that society requires of its members for the protection of their own interest and the interests of others. Thus, the test of negligence is based on either a failure to do something that a reasonable person, guided by considerations that ordinarily regulate conduct, would do, or on the doing of something that a reasonable and prudent (wise) person would not do.
From the Washington Post: Pentagon looks to restart top-secret programs in Ukraine
Another look at checks and balances - in this case, tension between the legislative and executive branches. In this case regarding the gathering of intelligence.
- Click here for the article.
The Pentagon is urging Congress to resume funding a pair of top-secret programs in Ukraine suspended ahead of Russia’s invasion last year, according to current and former U.S. officials. If approved, the move would allow American Special Operations troops to employ Ukrainian operatives to observe Russian military movements and counter disinformation.
...Critics, including some on Capitol Hill, say such activities risk drawing the United States into a more direct role in the Ukraine war. Defense officials maintain, though, that unlike the Pentagon’s larger and more overt effort to arm the Ukrainian military, the secretive surrogate programs would not contribute directly to Ukraine’s combat capability because the operatives involved and their U.S. handlers would be restricted to performing only the nonviolent tasks they had undertaken until their suspension last year.
Thursday, February 9, 2023
From the Austin American Statesman: Lawmakers seek to expand religious freedom in Texas. Here's what they're proposing.
This fits with our discussion of civil liberties in Texas.
- Click here for the article.
Freshman Democratic Rep. Salman Bhojani, one of the state's first Muslim legislators, on Tuesday unveiled three bills he has filed that aim to improve the ability of Texans of all faiths to practice their religions.
The bills, which have bipartisan support in the Texas House, would expand the state’s list of optional holidays to include additional religious holy days, prevent STAAR tests and end-of-course exams from being held on religious holidays, and clarify that religious leaders of all faiths are authorized to perform marriages.
“Religious freedom is one of the most important and fundamental rights guaranteed to us in our Constitution. It's more than just the right to worship; it’s the right to dignity and autonomy for every person,” said Bhojani, D-Euless. “As legislators, it is our duty to ensure that Texas is the religious freedom state, where we can practice our faith with pride, where we can pray in a church, synagogue, mosque, temple, jamatkhana or gurdwara, where we can love God by any name.”
In a news conference Tuesday, Bhojani was joined by fellow freshman Rep. Suleman Lalani, who along with Bhojani are the first two Muslim lawmakers to be elected to the Texas House, to tout the bills. Rep. Jacey Jetton, a Republican from Richmond who is Christian, joined the conference to show bipartisan support for the legislation.
“We're here to celebrate togetherness; we are here to show that when we stand united we can do a lot of things," said Lalani, D-Sugar Land. "Together, we can make Texas the land of the free and the home of all faith."
“The diversity of Texas is both within our nationalities but also with our religions, with our backgrounds – it all can be celebrated, and should be celebrated,” said Jetton. “These are steps forward to ensure that everyone from all backgrounds, all religious faiths, are able to worship here in Texas.”
House Bill 1882 would add All Saints Day, Diwali (a Hindu holiday), Eid al-Adha, Eid al-Fitr, Passover, Vaisakhi (a Sikh holiday) and Vesak (a Buddhist holiday) to the state’s list of optional holidays, which currently only includes Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Good Friday.
House Bill 1883 would prohibit the State Board of Education from administering state tests like the STAAR test and end-of-course exams on religious holidays.
According to current state law, Christian ministers, Jewish rabbis and “a person who is an officer of a religious organization and is authorized by the organization” can legally officiate marriages in Texas.
House Bill 1884 removes the language specifying Christian ministers and Jewish rabbis from the law, with the intent of clarifying that religious leaders of any faith are authorized to perform marriages.
Last legislative session, a bill identical to HB 1884 and another bill that added Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, both Muslim holidays, to the state’s list of optional holidays passed out of the House with broad bipartisan support but did not make it out of the Senate.
Jetton has also filed two bills this session that are similar to Bhojani’s:
HB 373 would add Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha and one day of Diwali to the state’s list of optional holidays.
HB 1212 would instruct schools to accept a note from a student’s parent, rather than requiring documentation from a religious leader, to excuse a student’s absence to observe a religious holiday.
Freshman Rep. Charles Cunningham, a Republican from the Houston area, several House Democrats and religious leaders also attended the news conference Tuesday.
Rabbi Kelly Levy, a leader at the Reform synagogue Congregation Beth Israel in Austin, shared her experience growing up Jewish in Texas and having to fight to receive excused absences when she missed school for Jewish holidays.
“As a mother to a kindergarten student, I now know what it's like to explain repeatedly why my 6-year-old missed school for the High Holy Days, and why it is, in fact, an excused absence,” Levy said. “We cannot continue to allow our students of multifaith backgrounds to feel othered anymore in this state.”
____
TLO: House Bill 373.
TLO: House Bill 1212.
TLO: House Bill 1882.
TLO: House Bill 1883.
TLO: House Bill 1884.
From The Texas Tribune: How a 12-year-old federal lawsuit turned a judge into Texas’ foster care czar
More on federalism. The United States has argued that Texas needs to reform its foster care system. Texas would prefer to not.
- Click on the article.
When U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack declared in 2015 that Texas foster kids were leaving state care more damaged than when they entered, it forced the state to confront decades of missteps.
After a yearlong trial for the lawsuit, which was filed in 2011, the Corpus Christi judge found Texas was violating the constitutional rights of foster children by exposing them to an “unreasonable risk of harm.” Caseworkers were carrying more than double the standard for caseload limits, children were being placed far from their home counties, and the state was not enforcing residential facilities’ compliance with licensing standards.
“Texas’s foster care system is broken, and it has been that way for decades,” Jack wrote in a damning 260-page ruling that landed like a bomb. “All the while, Texas’s … children have been shuttled throughout a system where rape, abuse, psychotropic medication, and instability are the norm.”
She put the foster care system under federal oversight and has spent more than seven years issuing order after order: Hire more caseworkers, stop placing children in unsafe settings, track child-on-child abuse. She appointed “special masters” — also called court monitors — to track the state’s compliance.
When it comes to foster care reform in Texas, the federal judge is holding most, if not all, of the cards. Her court hearings seeking progress updates on her orders have commanded political attention, pressuring the Department of Family and Protective Services and state lawmakers to fix the concerns Jack has raised. Initially, Texas’ top leaders resisted her demands. But after years of federal oversight, the state’s child welfare agency has started to implement the court-ordered reforms.
“When you look at how micromanaged a lot of this is, and how much time, energy and resources are spent, I feel like she is as much the commissioner of the agency as the commissioner is and has been for a while,” said state Rep. James Frank, R-Wichita Falls.
Texas has spent $41.3 million on the court monitors alone. That’s in addition to fees to cover staff member’s and attorney’s time, transcription services and travel.
Terminology:
U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack foster kids
trial
lawsuit
violating the constitutional rights of foster children
“unreasonable risk of harm.” Caseworkers
residential facilities
licensing standards.
“Texas’s foster care system
damning 260-page ruling
federal oversight
Department of Family and Protective Services
state lawmakers
the state’s child welfare agency
started to implement the court-ordered reforms.
lead plaintiffs
contempt of court
tracking foster kids.
severe mental health and behavioral needs
advocacy group
Children’s Rights
state’s top leaders saw out-of-state actors overstepping their jurisdiction.
court’s injunction
federalism concerns
chair of the Texas House Democratic Caucus
5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
what Jack could require
district and appellate courts
attorney general
Paul Yetter, the lead attorney in the suit
Texas was the “most resistant state that we had seen.”
Health and Human Services Commission
independent agencies
Abbott appoints
commissioners
state legislators
funding both agencies
writing laws about what they must do.
Texas House Human Services Committee
Court Appointed Special Advocates volunteer
Senate Bill 1896
SB 1896
Child Protective Services
Southern District of Texas by President Bill Clinton in 1993.
“senior status,” a state of semi-retirement for federal judges.
State Rep. Terry Meza, D-Irving
court monitors
Active Learning Assignment #5
Spring 2025
GOVT 2305
President Trump - as promised - started his second term with a series of executive actions. Most of these proposals are supported by Congress. This is no surprise since his party controls each chamber and he has ensured they are loyal to him. However, he does not control the courts. Many of his actions have been checked in the courts with lawsuits.
Other methods have also been used to push back on other actions.
I want you to do some research and see which of his actions are likely to suceed, some will not. Explain your reasoning.
Remember that the system of checks and balances is intended to allow the actions of each branch to be checked by the others. This is less about Trump specifically than the office of the presidency generally.
You can find his activities in a variety of places. Here's one:
- All of the Trump Administration’s Major Moves.
GOVT 2306
The Texas Constitution allows the governor to declare certain laws "emergencies" which simply means that they can be considered first. This power is established in Article 3, Section 5.
Governor Abbott did so in his recent state of the state address.
Read it here: State of the State Address.
Do a little research and see which ones are likely to pass and which are not.
Explain.
- It is due for full credit on midnight the following Monday.
- It will be subject to a penalty if turned in late.
- Is can be turned in for partial credit until the end of the semester.
- The grade is commensurate to the quality of the work.
- There is a 150 word minimum requirement.
- You may write as much as you wish.
_________________________
Past Assignments: Fall 2024:
For both GOVT 2305 and GOVT 2306
What is the Difference Between a Democracy and a Broligarchy?
For GOVT 2305: Which best describes the United States?
For GOVT 2306: Which best describes Texas?
We tend to describe ourselves as democracy, meaning that the people rule. But is this really true?
Is our governmental system really based on decisions made by the electorate, or are they really made by a smaller group of well connected individuals?
In the opening readings you were introduced to three types of government based on the number of people in charge, these were autocracy, oligarchy, and democracy. Oligarchies - rule of the few - can some in many forms: Aristocracy, Meritocracy, Technocracy, Theocracy, Plutocracy, etc . . .
The term "broligarchy" derives from the term "tech-bro" which refers to the people who have made tons of money with companies like Facebook, Amazon, and the like. These people are becoming more active politically, and don't necessarily like to share power.
So what does this mean for the nature of our governing system?
Do some research and see what you can find.
Requirements:
__________________________
These are past assignments:
Summer 2024:
The Supreme Court has just issued a decision in a case involving laws against outdoor camping in a city on Oregon.
I want you to read through the decision and explain how it exemplifies the relationship between the different levels of government. The language might be tough, but see what you can come up with.
For more on the case, click below:
ScotusBlog: City of Grants Pass, Oregon v. Johnson.
Oyez: City of Grants Pass, Oregon v. Johnson.
All requirements apply
:)
___________
Spring 2024:
In the first assignment, I wanted you to tell me what you want to be when - and if :) - you grow up.
Now I'd like you to apply that to what you have learned so far about the political organizations to the issues surrounding your chosen occupation.
What interest groups and other organizations represent it? Are there electoral issues that impact it? How is it treated by the media? If its treated at all?
As you know:
___________
Part assignment:
- What is a megadonor?
- Who are they?
- How much impact do they have on politics?
- Do they undermine democracy?
For 2305, answer this in terms of national politics.
For 2306, answer this in terms of Texas politics.
- This entry may or not help give you a head start.
__________
As you know:
- It is due for full credit on midnight the following Monday.
- It will be subject to a penalty if turned in late.
- Is can be turned in for partial credit until the end of the semester.
- The grade is commensurate to the quality of the work.
- There is a 150 word minimum requirement.
- You may write as much as you wish.
From the Constitution Annotated: The President's Legislative Role
We will dig into Biden's State of the Union Address, but before we do, here is background about its place in Article 2, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution.
- Click here for it.
The first two clauses of Article II, Section 3 relate to the President’s legislative role. The first clause, directing the President to report to the Congress on the state of the union, imposes a duty rather than confers a power and serves as the formal basis of the President’s legislative leadership. The President’s legislative role has grown substantially since 1900. This development, however, reflects changes in political and social forces rather than any pronounced change in constitutional interpretation. The rise of parties and the accompanying recognition of the President as party leader, the appearance of the National Nominating Convention and the Party Platform, and the introduction of the Spoils System all contributed to the growth of the President’s legislative role.1 While certain pre-Civil War Presidents, mostly of Whig extraction, professed hesitation regarding usurping legislative powers,2 still earlier Presidents—including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Andrew Jackson—took a very different line, albeit less boldly and persistently than their later successors.3 Today, there is no subject on which the President may not appropriately communicate to Congress, in as precise terms as he chooses, his conception of its duty. Conversely, the President is not obliged by this Clause to impart information which, in his judgment, should in the public interest be withheld.
For more:
- List of In-Person Annual Message and State of the Union Addresses.
- State of the Union Address.
- Annual Messages to Congress on the State of the Union (Washington 1790 - the present).
- History, Evolution, and Practices of thePresident’s State of the Union Address.
From the Houston Chronicle: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, without evidence of disenfranchised voters, calls for new Harris County election
A recurrent theme recently. People who lose elections, or are unhappy with the results, want them redone.
- Click here for the article.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick this week joined other GOP state officials in calling for Harris County to redo its November 2022 election based on claims that voters were turned away due to alleged paper ballot shortages, though Patrick said he has no idea if any voters were actually disenfranchised.
Patrick's comments at a Magic Circle Republican Women's Club event on Monday were first reported by the Texas Tribune.
“How many people went to go vote that didn’t go back? We don’t know,” Patrick said at the event. “So we do need to have a new election.”
A spokesperson for the Secretary of State’s office told the Texas Tribune only a court order could force a redo of an election.
Asked how many voters Patrick believes were turned away and based on what evidence, Patrick's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Harris County Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis on Tuesday issued a response to Patrick's comments. "Election deniers will stop at nothing to stay in power, even if it costs us our democracy," he said. "The ongoing attacks on Harris County come from the same playbook that drove extremists to storm the Capitol."
Patrick's comments come a week after Gov. Greg Abbott tweeted a similar assertion. Abbott, without citing any evidence or estimate of disenfranchised voters, said a Harris County ballot paper shortage was "so big it may have altered the outcome of elections" and "may necessitate new elections."
Wednesday, February 8, 2023
Kennedy v. Bremerton School District
One of the more recent cases involving the establishment and free exercise clauses. The Supreme Court has become more accommodating in the past decade.
- Oyez.
- Scotusblog
- Wikipedia.
For more: Click here.
The establishment clause has generally been interpreted to prohibit 1) the establishment of a national religion by Congress, or 2) the preference of one religion over another or the support of a religious idea with no identifiable secular purpose. The first approach is called the "separationist" or "no aid" interpretation, while the second approach is called the "non-preferentialist" or "accommodationist" interpretation. In separationist interpretation, the clause prohibits Congress from aiding religion in any way even if such aid is made without regard to denomination. The accommodationist interpretation prohibits Congress from preferring one religion over another, but does not prohibit the government's entry into religious domain to make accommodations in order to achieve the purposes of the Free Exercise Clause.
The clause itself was seen as a reaction to the Church of England, established as the official church of England and some of the colonies, during the colonial era.
Click here for more about the formation of the Church of England with the king as its head.
For more:
- First Act of Supremacy 1534.
The first Act of Supremacy was passed on 3 November 1534 (26 Hen. VIII c. 1) by the Parliament of England.[1] It granted King Henry VIII of England and subsequent monarchs Royal Supremacy, such that he was declared the Supreme Head of the Church of England. Royal Supremacy is specifically used to describe the legal sovereignty of the civil laws over the laws of the Church in England.[citation needed]
The act declared that the king was "the only supreme head on Earth of the Church of England" and that the Crown shall enjoy "all honours, dignities, preeminences, jurisdictions, privileges, authorities, immunities, profits, and commodities to the said dignity."[2] The wording of the act made clear that Parliament was not granting the king the title (thereby suggesting that they had the right to withdraw it later); rather, it was acknowledging an established fact.
- Supreme Head of the Church of England.
The title of Supreme Head of the Church of England was created in 1531[1] for King Henry VIII when he first began to separate the Church of England from the authority of the Holy See and allegiance to the papacy, then represented by Pope Clement VII. The Act of Supremacy of 1534 confirmed the King's status as having supremacy over the church and required the nobility to swear an oath recognising Henry's supremacy.[1] By 1536, Henry had broken with Rome, seized assets of the Catholic Church in England and Wales and declared the Church of England as the established church with himself as its head. Pope Paul III excommunicated Henry in 1538 over his divorce from Catherine of Aragon.
The Unenumerated Rights
- From US Legal: Amendment IX – Non-Enumerated Rights (1791).
Some of the non-enumerated rights recognized by Supreme Court are as follows:
- right to make one’s own choice about having children/ right to reproductive autonomy/right to be free from compulsory sterilization[xi]
- right to an abortion based on right to privacy[ii].
- right to choose and follow a profession[iii];
- right to attend and report on criminal trials[iv];
- right to receive equal protection not only from the states but also from the federal government[v];
- right to a presumption of innocence and to demand proof beyond a reasonable doubt before being convicted of a crime[vi];
- right to associate with others[vii];
- right to privacy[viii];
- right to travel within the United States[ix];
- right to marry or not to marry[x];
- right to educate one’s children as long as one meets certain minimum standards set by the state[xii];
- right to vote, subject only to reasonable restrictions to prevent fraud, and to cast a ballot equal in weight to those of other citizens[xiii];
- right to use the federal courts and other governmental institutions and to urge others to use these processes to protect their interests[xiv];
- right to retain American citizenship, despite even criminal activities, until explicitly and voluntarily renouncing it[xv]; [For more on loss of citizenship click here and scroll down to "loss of citizenship.]
The Supreme Court has also used this power not to recognize certain rights asserted by people. In Wash. v. Glucksberg, 521 U.S. 702 (U.S. 1997), the Supreme Court ruled that the right to die is not a non-enumerated constitutional right.
There's more to come, but this gives you an idea of how expansive the court can be in determining what these rights are - of course they can always change their minds.
The Incorporation of the Bill of Rights to the States.
Click here for the our e of the info below: LII: incorporation doctrine.
__________First Amendment (fully incorporated)
- Guarantee against the establishment of religion: Everson v Board of Education, 330 U.S. 1 (1947)
- Free Exercise of Religion: Hamilton v. Regents of the University of California, 293 U.S. 245 (1934), Cantwell v. Connecticut, 310 U.S. 296 (1940)
- Freedom of Speech: Gitlow v. New York 268 U.S. 652 (1925)
- Freedom of the Press: Near v. Minnesota 283 U.S. 697 (1931)
- Right of Assembly and Petition: DeJonge v. Oregon 299 U.S. 353 (1937)
- Freedom of expressive association: Even though not directly mentioned in the Amendment, See Roberts v. United States Jaycees 468 U.S. 609 (1984) where the court states that “implicit in the right to engage in activities protected by the First Amendment is a corresponding right to associate with others in pursuit of wide variety of political, social, economic, educational, religious and cultural ends.”
Second Amendment (fully incorporated)
- Right to keep and bear arms: McDonald v. Chicago, 561 U.S. 742 (2010).
Third Amendment (not incorporated)
Fourth Amendment (fully incorporated)
- Freedom from unreasonable search and seizure: Mapp v. Ohio, 367 U.S. 643 (1961)
- Requirements in a warrant: Aguilar v. Texas, 378 U.S. 108 (1964)
Fifth Amendment (partially incorporated)
- Right to indictment by a grand jury (not incorporated): Hurtado v. California, 110 US 516 (1884);
- Double Jeopardy: Benton v. Maryland, 395 US 784 (1969)
- Right against Self-Incrimination: Malloy v. Hogan, 378 US 1 (1964)
- Protection against taking property without due compensation: Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Co. v. City of Chicago, 166 U.S. 226 (1897).
Sixth Amendment (partially incorporated)
- Right to a Speedy Trial: Klopfer v. North Carolina, 386 U.S. 213 (1967)
- Right to a Public Trial: In re Oliver, 333 U.S. 257 (1948)
- Right to an Impartial Jury: Parker v. Gladden, 385 U.S. 363 (1966)
- Right to notice of accusations: In re Oliver 333, U.S. 257 (1948)
- Right to Confront Hostile Witnesses: Pointer v. Texas, 380 U.S. 400 (1965)
- Right to compulsory process to obtain witness testimony: Washington v. Texas, 388 U.S. 14 (1967)
- Right to Confront Favorable Witnesses: Washington v. Texas, 388 U.S. 14 (1967)
- Right to Counsel: Gideon v. Wainwright, 372 U.S. 335 (1963)
- Right to jury selected from residents of the state and district where the crime occurred (not incorporated)
Seventh Amendment (not incorporated)
Eight Amendment
- Protection against excessive bail: Schilb v Kuebel, 404 U.S. 357 (1971)
- Protection against excessive fine: Timbs v. Indiana, 586 U.S. ___ (2019)
- Protection against cruel and unusual punishments: Robinson v California, 370 U.S. 660 (1962).
House Committee Hearing: “Protecting Speech from Government Interference and Social Media Bias, Part 1: Twitter’s Role in Suppressing the Biden Laptop Story”
An example of oversight, as well as civil liberties in the age of social media.
- Click here for it.
- Opening statement.
- Video.
From the Houston Chronicle: Remembering Jeff Blackburn: Texas attorney who exonerated dozens, exposed Tulia drug bust
Civil liberties don't defend themselves.
- Click here for the article.
In the summer of 1999, police in the tiny town of Tulia carried out one of the largest drug stings in West Texas history. Nearly 50 people were arrested, almost all of them Black, and several were quickly sentenced to life in prison. "Tulia's Streets Cleared of Garbage," the local newspaper declared.
Convictions in the remaining cases seemed all but certain, even though they were riddled with inconsistencies. None of the defendants had drugs on them when they were arrested and the allegations against them hinged on the often-contradictory testimony of a single undercover police officer. So in a last-ditch effort, one of the defendants’ lawyers asked for help from a prominent young attorney in Amarillo named Jeff Blackburn.
Over the next four years, Blackburn exposed one of the country’s most celebrated drug busts as a sham. Together with a team of lawyers and activists, he helped prove that the undercover officer was a serial liar. He secured early releases for dozens of the defendants and even convinced then-Texas Gov. Rick Perry to pardon them.
Blackburn’s work in Tulia helped set the stage for more than a decade of reforms to Texas’ criminal justice system -- many of which are still considered the most transformational in the country. As founder of the Innocence Project of Texas, he helped exonerate dozens more people and, in the process, convinced lawmakers to do improve evidence requirements in criminal cases and increase compensation for the wrongfully convicted.
Tuesday, February 7, 2023
From CNBC: How the Supreme Court could soon change free speech on the internet
The Supreme Court continues to make adjustments.
- Click here for the article.
When Elon Musk announced his offer to buy Twitter for more than $40 billion, he told the public his vision for the social media site was to make sure it’s “an inclusive arena for free speech.”
Musk’s actions since closing the deal last year have illuminated how he sees the balance internet platforms must strike in protecting free expression versus user safety. While he’s lifted restrictions on many previously suspended accounts including former President Donald Trump’s, he’s also placed new limitations on journalists’ and others’ accounts for posting publicly available flight information that he equated to doxxing.
The saga of Musk’s Twitter takeover has underscored the complexity of determining what speech is truly protected. That question is particularly difficult when it comes to online platforms, which create policies that impact wide swaths of users from different cultures and legal systems across the world.
This year, the U.S. justice system, including the Supreme Court, will take on cases that will help determine the bounds of free expression on the internet in ways that could force the hand of Musk and other platform owners who determine what messages get distributed widely.
The boundaries they will consider include the extent of platforms’ responsibility to remove terrorist content and prevent their algorithms from promoting it, whether social media sites can take down messaging on the basis of viewpoint and whether the government can impose online safety standards that some civil society groups fear could lead to important resources and messages being stifled to avoid legal liability.
“The question of free speech is always more complicated than it looks,” said David Brody, managing attorney of the Digital Justice Initiative at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law. “There’s a freedom to speak freely. But there’s also the freedom to be free from harassment, to be free from discrimination.”
From ScotusBlog: OCTOBER TERM 2022
- Click here for a list of cases the U.S. Supreme Court will hear - and has heard - this term.
Some local government news - 2/7/23
- Local officials look to Legislature for lobbying reform.
Texas lawmakers have filed several bills relating to reforming the role of lobbying in the state government as some local officials are concerned about their voices being heard at a state level.
As of Jan. 30, a total of 11 bills have been filed relating to lobbying in the state House and Senate, with two being attached to Texas District 11 Sen. Mayes Middleton, R-Wallisville, who represents Brazoria, Galveston and a part of Harris counties. The Texas Ethics Commission defines lobbying as “making direct communications with members of the legislative or executive branch of Texas state government to influence legislation or administrative action.”
Middleton filed a bill with a description stating “Relating to the use by a political subdivision of public funds for lobbying activities,” and another one described as “Relating to lobbying by former members of the legislature; creating a criminal offense.” He described the topic as an important issue for him for this legislative session.
“What [lobbying] does is it diminishes [voters’] voice, because someone's paying to lobby against the things that you believe in with your property taxes,” Middleton said.
Pearland Mayor Kevin Cole said it is important for the city of Pearland’s voice to be heard by lawmakers in Austin. He said he and the council rely on the Texas Municipal League, or TML, as a third party for vouching for the city’s needs at a state government level.
- New Cy-Fair ISD attendance zones to balance enrollment.
In a split 4-3 vote, the Cy-Fair ISD board of trustees approved new attendance boundaries at a Jan. 12 meeting to populate three new campuses opening in the next two years—Middle School No. 20, Elementary School No. 58 and Elementary School No. 59.
Dozens of other attendance boundaries were also altered to relieve overcrowded schools, better utilize campuses operating under capacity and better align feeder patterns, district officials said.
“I know that it’s not easy. There are certainly a million and one different ways that you could possibly accomplish this,” Chief of Staff Teresa Hull said Dec. 8. “It’s unfortunate that I do think that this is a situation we’re going to find ourselves in over the next few years as the district completes its build-out, but we still have to address growth in different areas and we have to balance some of those enrollments.”
A committee of 18 district officials representing curriculum, athletics, transportation and other departments developed the recommendation.
- Montgomery County files resolution requesting $15.5M from state for active shooter training facility.
The Montgomery County Commissioners Court approved a resolution seeking $15.5 million from the Texas Legislature to fund an active shooter training facility.
Montgomery County Commissioners Court is seeking to formally acquire the former Keefer Crossing Middle School in New Caney and recondition it to support a permanent active shooter training facility which can be used by agencies across the state.
“The Appropriations Committee has already had conversations about this, and they are in the process of building the [state] budget now,” said Jason Millsaps, executive director of the Montgomery County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. “The senators that represent the county and the legislators from the House asked for this resolution so they can stick it in the committee file to show the interest, and that the county is unified in its request.”
The facility has been rented by Montgomery County since Oct. 1 and operated jointly by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and Montgomery County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. According to the resolution, roughly 1,200 first responders have completed the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training, or ALERRT, at the facility, which is performed by certified instructors.
“One of the nice things about this is if you come to the class, mixing the officers in from other jurisdictions is exactly how they’ll be during a response to an active shooter. They’re not all going to be from the same agencies,” said Millsaps.
Links - 2/7/23
- Zone of Death.
- Black Rock City.
- Common Law.
- Originalism.
- Gambling with First Amendment Rights: Playing the Cards Dealtby Valley Broadcasting Co. v. United States.
- Supreme Court rules for sports betting.
- HJR 97.
- Houston Spaceport.
- Houston Airport System.
- Houston Code of Ordinances: Aviation.
- Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad Company.
- crime spree.
From the American Civil Liberties Union: U.S. Supreme Court
A look at current cases involving civil liberties.
All of these are related to parts of the Bill of Rights.
- Criminal Law Reform.
- Religious Liberty.
- Capital Punishment.
- Free Speech.
- Privacy and Technology.
Monday, February 6, 2023
Sunday, February 5, 2023
From the Texas Tribune: Company that wants to build oilfield dump in East Texas gave $53,750 in campaign donations to regulators
There's a sensible reason why companies fund campaigns.
- Click here for the article.
A company seeking to build an oilfield waste dump near wells and waterways in East Texas has showered regulators with upwards of $50,000 in political contributions since 2019.
Texas Ethics Commission filings reviewed by Inside Climate News show that McBride Operating LLC contributed $10,000 to Texas Railroad Commission Chair Christi Craddick on Nov. 28. Fifteen days later, Craddick joined fellow commissioners Jim Wright and Wayne Christian in giving the company another opportunity to address concerns about its controversial application to build an oilfield waste site in the city of Paxton.
While commissioners must recuse themselves from cases in which they have a “personal or private interest,” these rules do not apply to cases related to political donors. The protracted debate over the Paxton waste dump permit raises questions about whether campaign finance and ethics rules in Texas allow oil and gas companies to sway regulators, environmental and corporate accountability advocates say.
Those advocates have long called for reforms to rein in the influence of oil and gas companies over the Railroad Commission.
“The railroad commissioners are personally responsible for cheapening and tarnishing their office by continuing to take significant amounts of money from parties who have cases on their docket,” said Andrew Wheat, research director of Texans for Public Justice and co-author of the Captive Industry report with Virginia Palacios of the nonprofit Commission Shift.
McBride and Craddick both denied that campaign contributions had any impact on their actions regarding McBride’s proposed waste site.
“Chairman Craddick considers fact and merit alone,” said Mia Hutchens Hale, Craddick’s director of public affairs. “Maintaining public trust is of utmost importance and she operates with complete transparency.”
Relevant terms:
- regulators
- political contributions
- Texas Ethics Commission
- McBride Operating LLC
- Texas Railroad Commission
- Christi Craddick
- Jim Wright
- Wayne Christian
- city of Paxton.
- recuse
- waste dump permit
- campaign finance and ethics rules
- environmental and corporate accountability
- Andrew Wheat
- Texans for Public Justice
- Virginia Palacios of the nonprofit
- Commission Shift.
- “constitutionally protected democratic process.”
- Sabine River
- technical permitting division
- Eric Garrett
- Paxton Water Supply Corp.
- Captive Agency report
- Texas Sunset Advisory Commission
- conflicts of interest
For GOVT 2306's essay assignment - week of 2/6/23
These are a few stories related to the various priorities of the Texas Legislature.
I'll add more.
- Gambling proponents have a new plan to ask Texas voters to legalize casinos.
- Texas Senate leaders signal intent to spend big on border security.
- Texas cities debate costly infrastructure investments in age of extreme weather.
- Texas Legislature gears up to tackle long-standing and fresh issues in public education. Here’s what you need to know.
The Inherent Authority of a Court
This is a new one for me.
Its fits within our occasional look at the concept of "inherent powers," which can be defined as such:
Inherent powers are powers of a branch of government not specifically listed in the constitution. They are powers given to a branch of government, like the executive branch, to perform the essential duties of government. They are not powers or rights that are available to private citizens or corporations, but rather are purely used for the government to perform its duties and function properly. However, beyond any powers inherent in the establishment of a branch of government, a political body governing a nation has inherent powers that allow it to tend to the wellbeing of its citizens. Inherent powers can be compared to the responsibilities of a caterer. Not every decision a caterer makes, like what ingredients to choose or what utensils to use, is going to require oversight and approval by a committee. Instead, the caterer does what they need to do to get the job done, choosing what ingredients and utensils they think are best for the job.
This includes the powers of court officials - namely judges - to make decisions that allow courts to perform its duties.
Here's info:
- Inherent Powers of Federal Courts: Procedural Rules.
- Inherent Powers Over Judicial Procedure.
- Inherent Judicial Authority: A Study in Creative Ambiguity.
- The Far Reach of the Courts' "Inherent Power" to Sanction Misconduct.
Patrick Henry argues that Britain intends to attack the colonies
It's been a while since I read Patrick Henry's "Give me Liberty" speech.
- Click here for it.
I did so recently and this part stuck out to me:
I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided; and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past. And judging by the past, I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of the British ministry for the last ten years, to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves, and the House? Is it that insidious smile with which our petition has been lately received? Trust it not, sir; it will prove a snare to your feet. Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss. Ask yourselves how this gracious reception of our petition comports with these war-like preparations which cover our waters and darken our land. Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation? Have we shown ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled, that force must be called in to win back our love? Let us not deceive ourselves, sir. These are the implements of war and subjugation; the last arguments to which kings resort. I ask, gentlemen, sir, what means this martial array, if its purpose be not to force us to submission? Can gentlemen assign any other possible motive for it? Has Great Britain any enemy, in this quarter of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies? No, sir, she has none. They are meant for us; they can be meant for no other.
He is obviously using how understanding of history to come to the conclusion that the British intended to attack and control the colonists.
Analysts continue to figure out whether one country intends to attack another, and if so how,
A notable obituary in the Galveston Daily News: Chief William Henry "Willie" Wisko, Jr.
Chief Wisko seems to have been the driving force behind the development of many local fire departments. Fire safety is a major role of local government.
On November 17, 1962, at the age of 19, Willie started his career with the Galveston Fire Department. After several years with Galveston, he left the department to pursue a business venture selling fire equipment. In 1974, he accepted the position of Fire Chief for a new community north of Houston called Kingwood. There he built a volunteer fire department and was instrumental in the establishment of an Emergency Medical Service. In 1978, he returned to Galveston as an Administrative Assistant to the Fire Chief. In 1980, he was named Fire Marshal and in 1988, he was appointed Fire Chief for the City of Galveston. He retired from Galveston in 1998.
Willie and Jessica moved to Austin in 1999. He worked several years with Simplex Grinnell, then in 2006, he accepted a position with FEMA as a Public Assistance Specialist. This position afforded him the opportunity to travel around the United States assisting folks recover from a variety of disasters, including his last assignment in Tampa, Florida where he suffered his sudden illness.
Willie was always looking for something else to do. During his career, he was very active in several fire associations including the Galveston Firefighter’s Association Local 571, Harris County Firefighter’s Association, Galveston County Firefighter’s Association, State Firefighter’s & Fire Marshal’s Association, Texas Fire Chief’s Association, Moody Memorial Methodist Church, Kingwood Methodist Church and First Methodist Church of Austin. He also played a key role in the establishment of the Congressional Fire Service Caucus in Washington D.C. and was proud to be a sustaining member of Santa Fe Fire & Rescue.
War Games
Thanks to the student who sent me these links.
They build off a conversation in class about the military's role in assisting the development of war based video games.
All from Wikipedia:
- America's Army.
America's Army was a series of first-person shooter video games developed and published by the U.S. Army, intended to inform, educate, and recruit prospective soldiers. Launched in 2002, the game was branded as a strategic communication device designed to allow Americans to virtually explore the Army at their own pace, and allowed them to determine whether becoming a soldier fits their interests and abilities. America's Army represents the first large-scale use of game technology by the U.S. government as a platform for strategic communication and recruitment, and the first use of game technology in support of U.S. Army recruiting.
- Marine Doom.
Marine Doom is a 1996 modification of the first-person shooter Doom II for the United States Marine Corps, which was later made available for download to the public.
. . . In 1996, General Charles C. Krulak, Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, issued a directive to use wargames for improving "Military Thinking and Decision-Making Exercises". He entrusted the Marine Combat Development Command with the task of developing, exploiting and approving computer-based wargames to train U.S. Marines for "decision making skills, particularly when live training time and opportunities were limited".
- Full Spectrum Warrior.
. . . In 2000, the U.S. Army's Science & Technology community was curious to learn if commercial gaming platforms could be leveraged for training. Recognizing that a high percentage of incoming recruits had grown up using entertainment software products, there was interest in determining whether software game techniques and technology could complement and enhance established training methods.
Having established a U.S. Army University Affiliated Research Center (the Institute for Creative Technologies – ICT) in 1999 for the purpose of advancing virtual simulation technology, work began in May 2000 on a project entitled C4 under ICT Creative Director James Korris with industry partners Sony Imageworks and their teammate, Pandemic Studios, represented by co-founders Josh Resnick and Andrew Goldman.
At the time, there was a great deal of interest in leveraging the stability, low cost and computational/rendering power of the new generation of game consoles, chiefly Sony's PlayStation 2 and Microsoft's Xbox, for training applications. Legal restrictions on the PlayStation (using the platform for a military purpose) combined with the default Xbox configuration “persistence” (i.e. missions recorded on the embedded hard drive for after-action review) led to the final selection of the Xbox platform for development.
A commercial release of the game was required for Xbox platform access. The team, however, quickly concluded that a viable entertainment title might differ from a valid training tool. The exaggerated physics of entertainment software titles, it was believed, could produce a negative training effect in the Soldier audience. Accordingly, the team developed two versions of the game. The Army version was accessible through a static unlock code; the entertainment version played normally.
From Politico: U.S. military’s newest weapon against China and Russia: Hot air
We got balloons too.
This story of from July 2022.
- Click here for the article.
The Pentagon is working on a new plan to rise above competition from China and Russia: balloons.
The high-altitude inflatables, flying at between 60,000 and 90,000 feet, would be added to the Pentagon’s extensive surveillance network and could eventually be used to track hypersonic weapons.
The idea may sound like science fiction, but Pentagon budget documents signal the technology is moving from DoD’s scientific community to the military services.
“High or very high-altitude platforms have a lot of benefit for their endurance on station, maneuverability and also flexibility for multiple payloads,” said Tom Karako, senior fellow for the International Security Program and Missile Defense Project director at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
The Pentagon continues to invest in these projects because the military could use the balloons for various missions.
Over the past two years, the Pentagon has spent about $3.8 million on balloon projects, and plans to spend $27.1 million in fiscal year 2023 to continue work on multiple efforts, according to budget documents.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon is working on its own hypersonic weapons program, despite Wednesday’s failure of the latest test.
A bright spot for the U.S. is the balloons may help track and deter hypersonic weapons being developed by China and Russia.
China surprised the Pentagon in August by testing a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile, which narrowly missed its target by roughly two dozen miles.
Russia began ramping up hypersonic weapons development in response to the U.S. withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in 2002. The Russian government claimed to fire a hypersonic missile in an attack on Ukraine in March, marking its first use in combat.
That’s one way the balloons could be useful — augmenting expensive satellites in tracking the missiles. The teardrop-shaped balloons harvest complex data and navigate using AI algorithms.
Active Learning Assignment #4
Spring 2025
GOVT 2305:
Please read the following article:
- Supreme Court will weigh in on effort to found nation’s first religious charter school.
For several decades, the Supreme Court has placed strict limits on the ability of religious schools to receive money from the state or local government.
That may change soon.
The two cases considered in the article above will provide the current Supreme Court to change that. I want you to read up on them and explain to me how this might happen.
GOVT 2306:
As we have discussed in class, the national government has begun aggressively enforcing immigration laws, but there are already accusations that these are being done recklessly and many citizens and legal immigrants are being targetted by law enforcement.
I want you to address the following:
What due process rights to these people have?
In other words, do legal immigrants have the right to due process?
- It is due for full credit on midnight the following Monday.
- It will be subject to a penalty if turned in late.
- Is can be turned in for partial credit until the end of the semester.
- The grade is commensurate to the quality of the work.
- There is a 150 word minimum requirement.
- You may write as much as you wish.
____________________________
Past Assignments:
Fall 2024
Where do you fit in the political typology?
We will be getting into the political institutions soon, which will include a look at political parties and ideology. The Pew Research Center has an online quiz which will tell you which political typology you fit into based on your answers to the questions presented.
I want you to take it and comment on the results.
- Click here for it.
What types of questions did they ask you? Do you think they were appropriate? Did the results suprise you? Why or why not?
Have fun with this.
Past Assignment: Fall 2023
Do we Have a Constitutional Right to Travel?
Recent events - especially following the demise of Roe v Wade - have raised this question. Limits on abortion in Texas have led travel out of state in order to gain access, but some local governments are trying to restrict out of state travel in order to prevent this.
- Conservative activists are pushing ‘trafficking’ laws to prevent women from traveling for an abortion.
- Could GOP States Really Stop Pregnant People From Traveling to Get Abortions?
- Travel Rights in a Culture War.
- Interstate Travel Post-Roe Isn’t as Secure as You May Think.
- The Right to Travel in a Post-Roe World.
Is this an unconstitutional violation of a fundamental right? The problem in stating so is that such a right is not clearly stated in the United States Bill of Rights, or the rest of the constitution.
One might argue that it is contained within the unenumerated rights contained within the 9th Amendment, but those are not specified.
So we are kinda stuck.
What say you? Do we have a constitutional right to travel or not? Explain.
GOVT 2306
Will the Texas 2024-2025 Budget be Balanced? How do we know?
The chapter on finance states that the Texas Constitution requires the state to balance its 2 year budget. How does it do that?
The story below details how that was accomplished in the most recent regular session of the Texas Legislature - the 88th session. Note that much of this involves projections which may or may not be accurate.
- Texas comptroller certifies new $321.3 billion state spending plan, sends to Abbott’s desk.
The more detail, the better the grade.
Requirements:
- It is due for full credit on midnight the following Monday.
- It will be subject to a penalty if turned in late.
- Is can be turned in for partial credit until the end of the semester.
- The grade is commensurate to the quality of the work.
- There is a 150 word minimum requirement.
- You may write as much as you wish.