Third Saturday Seminar 2015-2016
Return of the Elders, Unleash your Wisdom
Session 05
“The Ninth Man”
A Discussion with Curt Gibby
Saturday, 20 February 2016 (Third Saturday)
9:30AM til 12:00 NOON
Room B-102, Lone Star College – Montgomery
3200 College Park Drive – Conroe, TX – 77384 – 936.273.7000
Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia died unexpectedly while in office during the final year of President Obama’s term setting off a cacophony of ideas about what should be or not be done about it. Should the President send a candidate to the Senate for confirmation. He says if he does, it would be someone of impeccable credentials who would put the Constitution and the Law first. (Does that really mean above all his or her political convictions?) He would ask the Senate for a fair hearing and an up or down vote. So far the majority leader of the Senate has said the whole process should be put on hold. Others are more circumspect. With our Senate so polarized, would either side want to put a candidate jurist who had a reputation for being entirely fair, rational and unbiased on the nine judge panel?
What about the case load for the fall? We will talk about it.
Whether you liked Antonin Scalia or not, most people respected his ability and if they encountered him personally they usually liked him personally.
For those who like to “read ahead” I suggest the following:
Along with the title and link, I have included (usually) the opening paragraph(s) to whet the reader’s appetite. You are encouraged to open the link and read further.
The homepage of the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States (colloquially known as “SCOTUS“[1]) is the highest federal court of the United States. Established pursuant to Article III of the United States Constitution in 1789, it has ultimate (and largely discretionary) appellate jurisdiction over all federal courts and over state court cases involving issues of federal law, plus original jurisdiction over a small range of cases. In the legal system of the United States, the Supreme Court is the final interpreter of federal constitutional law, although it may only act within the context of a case in which it has jurisdiction.
6 Major Supreme Court Cases That Would Have Been Different Without Scalia
In terms of the ideological balance of the Supreme Court, the death of Justice Antonin Scalia is monumental. With Scalia, the court had four reliable conservative votes and, in Justice Kennedy, the court had a conservative swing vote.
That led to many decisions that were decided by a razor thin 5-to-4 margin. To gauge Scalia’s importance, we dug through the Supreme Court Database and found that during Obama’s presidency, 53 cases have been decided by a 5-4 majority that included Scalia.
The following two articles are somewhat repetitive, the second give the case names if you want to pursue them further (GCG)
What happens to Supreme Court cases this year?
Washington (CNN)This Supreme Court term was already set to be a blockbuster and consequential. Justices are considering a major challenge to public sector unions, a race-conscious admissions plan at the University of Texas, the first big abortion case since 2007, challenges to voting rights, the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive mandate and a challenge to President Barack Obama’s immigration actions.
On The Docket, In Limbo: Scalia’s Death Casts Uncertainty On Key Cases
Antonin Scalia’s death leaves a void in many ways, but the most immediate effect will be on the outcome of several major cases pending before the Supreme Court.
Scalia’s absence means some of these cases may result in 4-4 tie votes in the weeks and months just ahead. In that event, the rulings made by lower courts will be allowed to stand. Court observers have been scrambling to assess which of the pending cases in the current term were most likely to wind up in ties.
These include cases that test abortion-access restrictions in Texas; the right of public employee unions to collect mandatory dues; two cases of conflicting rights involving religious liberty; the means by which population is defined for political purposes; and the legal enforceability of President Obama’s executive actions broadening a program of deferred deportations for certain immigrants.
What legacy did Justice Scalia leave on the Supreme Court?
In an early sign of a possible bitter confirmation battle ahead, the Senate Republican majority leader and Republicans running for president all say the Scalia vacancy should be filled only by the next president. When Scalia died yesterday of natural causes at age 79, he had been on the Supreme Court for 30 years.
From the moment he took his seat on the high court in 1986, Scalia was a forceful, eloquent, and sometimes controversial voice for conservative issues. His influence and opinions extended into many areas of American life and politics.
Scalia was in the 5-4 majority in Bush v. Gore, which ended the 2000 presidential election recount and sent George W. Bush to the White House. He also voted with the majority in striking down campaign finance laws as a restriction on free speech.
Potential Nominees Obama May Consider to Fill Antonin Scalia’s Seat By CHARLIE SAVAGE FEB. 14, 2016
The death of Justice Antonin Scalia in a presidential election year has set up a challenge for President Obama and his legal advisers. They must weigh the best person to put forward, knowing that Republican senators may block that nominee no matter who is chosen. At the same time, if a Democrat prevails in the presidential election, Mr. Obama’s nominee might be confirmed in the Senate’s lame-duck session or would be an obvious front-runner to be renominated by his successor in 2017. (Th)ere are six contenders being discussed by close observers of judicial politics. (go to Link to read about them)
As usual (Our world is still in “interesting times”). We will start the session with Current Events (Distractions)
Texas Democratic Delegation 2016
Texas Republican Delegation 2016
Apple Phone cannot be decrypted
FDA issues Zika guidelines for blood banks
OPEC and Russia want to Reduce Oil Production, but Iran is not/maybe Interested . http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/energy/article/Iran-could-halt-temporary-truce-in-OPEC-6835120.php
ISIS cuts salaries across the board in half, collects taxes and fees in US Dollars. Fighters get free food but no more free Snickers Bars and energy drinks. Can’t support major offensives. IS in Lybia hoped to provide oil and money.
Air Travel Between Cuba and US to begin maybe by fall.
China fortifies Woody Island with surface to air missles (not new)
Supposedly Cease Fire negotiated, but Syria-Russia and Iran won’t stop attacking Allepo
Turkey wants allies to join ground operation
The Hillary Email saga continues.
Third Saturday Seminars – Spring 2016
6 Sessions
To refer to an ancient Chinese saying, “our world is in interesting times” and individual citizens are assaulted with a blinding array of propaganda from every conceivable source. The Third Saturday Seminar is about demystification of what is going on around us. Time will also be spent on current events. Meets 1/16, 2/20, 3/12, 4/16 (2nd Sat), 5/21 and 6/18. Meets on Montgomery Campus in B102.
15216 S 1/16-6/18 9:30 a.m.-Noon B102 Gibby
LSC-Montgomery
3200 College Park Drive, Conroe, TX 77384
ALL- Montgomery Links:
Academy for Lifelong Learning: LSC-Montgomery
http://www.lonestar.edu/all-montgomery.htm
Steven Gorman
Program Manager, Academy for Lifelong Learning,
LSC-Montgomery 936.273.7259
steven.gorman@lonestar.edu
Registration
How do I register for a class? You can fill out a registration form and submit it to us:
· In person: LSC-Montgomery (3200 College Park Dr., Conroe, TX 77384), Continuing Education/ALL Office Building E (Room 205)
· Phone: 936.273.7446
· Fax: 936.273.7262
Reminder for ALL members:
Please let us know if you change your address, phone number, or email. Call 936.273.7446 or email: MCALL@LoneStar.edu.
“Some part of our being knows this (the universe) is where we came from. We long to return. And we can. Because the cosmos is also within us; We’re made of star-stuff. We are a way for the cosmos to know itself.” Carl Sagan
Curt Gibby
Director