This week, frustrations were boiling over in politics and court. Republicans in Congress were frustrated with each other for failing to pass a budget bill. Democrats were frustrated that the GOP is intent on cutting taxes for billionaires and services for everyone else.

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May 16, 2025

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This week, frustrations were boiling over in politics and court. Republicans in Congress were frustrated with each other for failing to pass a budget bill. Democrats were frustrated that the GOP is intent on cutting taxes for billionaires and services for everyone else.

Republicans and Democrats all seemed frustrated — for different reasons — that Trump is determined to line his pockets with shady Crypto schemes and, for his traveling comfort, with a new $400 million luxury jet courtesy of Qatar. Yes, Qatar.

But all of that took a back seat on Thursday when the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case challenging Trump’s unconstitutional effort to undo birthright citizenship. Frustration was evident on all sides.

The hearing began with the Solicitor General expressing his frustration that there have been 40 separate nationwide injunctions issued against Trump’s various schemes to violate the law and Constitution. He also seemed frustrated that plaintiffs bringing these cases are selecting favorable jurisdictions to sue.

Several of the Justices were frustrated that the administration seems to be playing cat and mouse with the courts. On top of that, the Solicitor General refused to commit to any way for the courts to block — definitively for everyone — illegal and unconstitutional actions taken by the president. Other Justices were clearly frustrated that the administration did not appeal the actual merits of birthright citizenship — suspecting it was an intentional way for the government to keep the court from striking it down.

Predicting Supreme Court outcomes can prove frustratingly difficult, but my guess is that we are set to receive…

You’re reading Marc’s weekly roundup — on Fridays, Marc revisits the week’s top stories with his personal insights on where these developments might lead. Today, he dives into:

- How SCOTUS might rule on birthright citizenship

- Justice Sotomayor’s message to lawyers

- A weaponized DOJ

- Fools and cowards of the week

- An overlooked story in Georgia

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