Axios

Americans agree on at least one thing: A huge margin say their political leaders don't care about them, according to findings from the Axios Vibes survey by The Harris Poll.

Why it matters: This angry, irritated feeling cuts across all groups, without much hope for improvement with a potential Biden-Trump rematch looming in November.

The last year has felt "as close to normal" at Beaverdale Books in Des Moines, Iowa, since COVID-19 forced the store to close for 13 months in 2020-21, says Hunter Gillum, co-owner of the bookstore.

Why it matters: As the GOP presidential candidates make their last push to win the Iowa caucuses, all of them are arguing that Democratic policies have been poor for the economy.

The 2024 campaign for president will unfold amid a striking economic phenomenon: soaring growth rates and ultra-low levels of joblessness in the South and Mountain West, regions that include swing states and several that lean Republican.

Why it matters: The new regional booms help explain why many Americans say they're miserable about the national economy — but are decidedly more upbeat about how things seem closer to home.

President Biden will spend the next 1o months trying to convince voters to trust their wallets about the state of the economy — while acknowledging their persistent concerns about high prices.

Why it matters: Biden's bid for re-election could hinge on whether he can walk that tightrope.

Georgia and Texas, two states in the American South with a history of racial discrimination, top the list of WalletHub's 2024 ranking of "States with the Most Racial Progress."

The big picture: The release of the WalletHub ranking coincides with the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday and ahead of the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act as the nation's population and electorate become more diverse.

The European lead in terms of ESG investing has widened substantially over the past two years, according to a new analysis by ShareAction that echoes similar findings from Morningstar.

Why it matters: The U.S. is home to the largest fund managers in the world — none more so than BlackRock, a company that turns out to have largely stopped voting for ESG resolutions over the past two years.

Last Friday, January 5, the day a door plug flew off an Alaska Airlines airplane in mid-flight, was a day in which approximately 120 Americans died in motor vehicle crashes. Roughly 136 died from opioids. Perhaps 150 died as hospital inpatients due to preventable medical errors. About 230 died of COVID-19. And zero died in aircraft accidents.

Why it matters: Air travel is the one part of American daily life where the general public has zero tolerance for any kind of safety lapse.

Americans are furious about high inflation, according to the Axios Vibes survey by The Harris Poll. Economists say that high inflation has mostly been vanquished. Both are correct.

Why it matters: If you look at the level of prices, they are way up since 2020. If you look at the rate at which prices are changing, it has returned to fairly normal levels. This intuition is crucial to understanding this confusing moment for inflation trends and public opinion around them.

Turmoil in the Red Sea is taking a turn for the worse, and may create new bottlenecks in an already strained global supply chain.

Why it matters: The situation has become another wild card for a world economy increasingly wracked by instability.