Chief Justice John Roberts made his case for judicial independence in his annual year-end report as the Supreme Court enters the second half of one of its most consequential terms to date, weighing in on whether to overturn Roe v. Wade and uphold federal rules to combat the spread of the coronavirus.
Why it matters: It's an opportune time for the chief justice to make his case as Gallup polling from December shows Roberts leading all other federal officials in approval among a cross-section of Americans.
The pandemic that never seems to end will likely dominate our attention in 2022, along with President Biden's struggling agenda and Donald Trump's continuing hold over the GOP.
Here’s what else Axios’ newsletter authors and expert reporters will be watching — from interest rates to Big Tech scrutiny to whether last year's climate pledges will lead to meaningful action this year. (Sign up for their newsletters here.)
Americans are less optimistic and more nervous about what 2022 has in store for the world than they were heading into 2021, according to a new Axios/Momentive poll.
And this year, democracy ranked second among the issues survey respondents said matter most to them, behind jobs and the economy and just ahead of health care.
Amtrak will reduce its schedule between New Year's Eve and Jan. 6 amid a recent spike in coronavirus cases among employees, according to a statement obtained by the Washington Post.
Why it matters: The Omicron variant has driven up infections across the United States, upending vacation plans and disrupting travel. About two dozen trains will be affected, according to the Post.
