Left Side of the Aisle #224

Left Side of the Aisle
for the week of October 22-28, 2015

Good News: Interior Dept. cancels plans to sell leases to drill for oil in the Arctic.
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/national/economy/article39543321.html

Good News: gun control laws in NY and CT upheld by federal appeals court.
http://www.ca2.uscourts.gov/decisions/isysquery/7541c52a-9924-4ba1-af2b-59f16bbeb2a5/3/doc/14-36_14-319_opn.pdf#xml=http://www.ca2.uscourts.gov/decisions/isysquery/7541c52a-9924-4ba1-af2b-59f16bbeb2a5/3/hilite/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/federal-court-gun-laws_56250954e4b08589ef4816a6
http://www.wsj.com/articles/appeals-court-upholds-core-parts-of-two-post-newtown-gun-laws-1445272717
http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/heller_decision_leaves_room_for_new_gun_restrictions_retired_justice_steven/

Footnote: gun control being Constitutional means little if the laws can't get passed.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/19/us-usa-court-guncontrol-idUSKCN0SD1NA20151019
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/gun-control-poll_56252adae4b02f6a900d2865

Outrage of the Week: the continuing toll of gun violence.
http://www.vox.com/cards/gun-violence-facts/guns-per-capita-america-us
http://www.vox.com/cards/gun-violence-facts/guns-international-comparison-us-homicide
http://www.vox.com/cards/gun-violence-facts/gun-homicide-decline-crime-drop
http://www.vox.com/cards/gun-violence-facts/gun-homicide-effect-increase
http://www.vox.com/cards/gun-violence-facts/gun-suicide-attempt-control
http://www.nationaljournal.com/s/53345/states-with-most-gun-laws-see-fewest-gun-related-deaths
http://www.vox.com/cards/gun-violence-facts/mass-shootings-rare-united-states
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2015/oct/02/mass-shootings-america-gun-violence?CMP=ema_565a
http://shootingtracker.com/wiki/Mass_Shootings_in_2015
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/14/people-are-getting-shot-by-toddlers-on-a-weekly-basis-this-year/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2014/09/04/how-often-do-children-in-the-u-s-unintentionally-shoot-and-kill-people-we-dont-know/
http://www.examiner.com/article/boy-kills-girl-over-puppy-boy-11-charged-with-first-degree-murder-of-girl-8
http://www.aol.com/article/2015/10/11/gun-violence-researchers-becoming-an-endangered-species/21247776/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/janetstemwedel/2015/10/01/congress-still-bans-cdc-scientists-from-studying-gun-violence/

Ya Gotta Just Laugh: TX to allow guns on campus - while Texas A&M bans nerf guns.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/10/15/1432991/-Texas-university-will-allow-guns-in-dorm-rooms-but-nerf-guns-are-strictly-prohibited

Clown Award: AK Gov. Bill Walker
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2015/10/alaska-gov-says-state-urgently-needs-more-oil-drilling-pay-climate-change
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-34501867

Everything You Need to Know: about money in politics
http://www.healio.com/infectious-disease/hiv-aids/news/online/%7B745d9cc5-df37-4139-b1ac-6dde7b8ae463%7D/daraprim-price-jump-raises-concerns-among-id-groups-providers
http://democrats.oversight.house.gov/sites/democrats.oversight.house.gov/files/documents/2015-09-21%20EEC%20Sanders%20to%20Turing%20Pharmaceuticals.pdf
https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2015/10/15/bernie-sanders-rejects-ceo-martin-shkreli-campaign-donation/FcSKxu1VIr7pubg9cI3CQN/story.html

Only the poor face drug tests to receive any public aid or benefit
http://www.ncsl.org/research/human-services/drug-testing-and-public-assistance.aspx
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/02/26/court-rejects-florida-law-requiring-drug-testing-for-welfare-recipients/
http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Drug-testing-welfare-applicants-popular-but-can-4416545.php?t=0dbaab4db5b05374ef
http://www.tbo.com/ap/politics/welfare-drug-testing-yields--positive-results-252458
https://malegislature.gov/Bills/BillHtml/143634?generalCourtId=12
http://www.wvgazettemail.com/article/20151019/GZ01/151019454/1101