The Week's Best Articles From the Washington Monthly
The Big Beautiful Bill is sinking, Trump DOJ asks Supreme Court to make itself irrelevant, and Zelensky's big bet. Plus, a new behemoth biography of Mark Twain.
The Week's Best Articles From the Washington Monthly
The Big Beautiful Bill Is Sinking Because Speaker Johnson Can't Keep His Promise to Fiscal Hawks
Either the Freedom Caucus accepts that the deficit won't get cut, or the Republican budget package will collapse under its weight.
by Bill Scher, Politics Editor
In Birthright Citizenship Case, Trump DOJ Asks Supreme Court Justices to Make Themselves Irrelevant
Attempting to limit trial judges’ power to issue nationwide orders, the solicitor general argued that every crying newborn rendered stateless by MAGA executive order had better get their own lawyer.
by Garrett Epps, Legal Affairs Editor
An epic new biography of Samuel Clemens confirms the Missourian’s literary mastery but contends that the most important character he ever created was his own.
by Sara Bhatia, Contributor
The Congressional Budget Office Still Works
The nonpartisan CBO that scores legislation is giving an honest analysis of President Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill," and that's a good thing.
by Bill Scher, Politics Editor
The U.S. Didn't Single-Handedly Broker an India-Pakistan Armistice
The Trump administration dangerously complicated matters, offering more proof of why we need experts, what it disparages as the "Deep State."
by Jonah Blank, Contributor
Zelensky's Big Istanbul Gamble
As he heads to Turkey for high-stakes negotiations with Russia this week, the Ukrainian leader is betting that Trump will soon realize that Putin doesn’t want peace.
by Tamar Jacoby, Kyiv-based Correspondent
Trump v. Letitia James—Hypocrisy and Vengeance in the Palace of Justice
Will the president and Attorney General Bondi really try to prosecute New York's Attorney General over a mortgage application?
by James D. Zirin, Contributor
Diversity Without Racial Preference
Richard Kahlenberg has championed race-neutral means to achieve liberal ends. His new book meets the moment.
by Lloyd Green, Contributor