The Ancestral Puebloan culture’s complex astronomy reveals a legacy of scientific observation and a spiritual tradition, with its powerful impact on the Southwest.
Written on the Landscape:Mysteries Beyond Chaco Canyon (2024) illustrates new ground-breaking research in Anna Sofaer’s exploration of the Chaco Canyon world of magnificent architecture that flourished 1,000 years ago across 70,000 square miles of the American Southwest. The third film in the Chaco Canyon trilogy – Search blends stories from indigenous and non-indigenous scholars to convey an ancient culture’s vital relevance to us today.
Chaco Canyon’s high-desert landscape in the American Southwest (approximately 70,000 square miles known as the Four Corners) was home to a once flourishing ancient culture with connections to Mesoamerica. Today it’s revealed in occasional physical remnants. For one, traces of their monumental architecture possess such incredible beauty and simplicity that they bring to mind the most creative of contemporary design.
The cultural flowering of this civilization began in the mid-800s and lasted more than 300 years. A unifying and expressive cosmology, especially their integration of solar and lunar cycles, was a sublime key feature of the Chacoan way of life. Archeologist Anna Sofaer has spent her life studying the Chacoan people. In the film, she serves as our guide, sharing her Solstice Project’s latest research using aerial imagery and LiDAR (lasers that measure distances and create three-dimensional models). Astronomical alignments and their connections to the landscape in the canyon are reflected in the most unpredictable ways.
WRITTEN ON THE LANDSCAPE:
Mysteries Beyond Chaco Canyon conveys the brilliant achievements of the Chaco civilization—many of which are in grave danger today. This new one-hour documentary reveals the astounding reach of the Chacoans across a region of the American southwest nearly twice the size of Ireland. Without modern tools, wheels or beasts of burden, these ancient people built ceremonial Great Houses and connected them to places of spiritual power with massive “roads,” remarkably straight and as wide as modern two-lane streets. The Chacoans’ feats have been long obscured in a fragile desert environment—only now to be recovered through beautiful aerial footage and with the new technology of LiDAR (aerial laser scanning) revealing the true expanse of the Chacoans’ complex world.
Filmmakers Anna Sofaer and Christopher Beaver take viewers on an exciting exploration of the minds and inspirations of this remarkable culture driven by religion and cosmology. The people emerge from a thousand years ago through new insights of archaeologists, and the words of descendant Pueblo people who hold knowledge of their ancestors to this day.
WRITTEN ON THE LANDSCAPE is the third in a series of films on the Chacoan people by Anna Sofaer who came across the Sun Dagger in 1977 and has spent the rest of her life exploring its significance. The previous films, The Sun Dagger and The Mystery of Chaco Canyon , were narrated by Robert Redford and produced by The Solstice Project for PBS. Ancient Observatories: Chaco Canyon
Grade Level: 5 – 12, College, Adults US Release Date: 2024 Copyright Date: 2024 DVD ISBN: 1-961192-21-7
Reviews “This ethereal and educational film takes viewers through the intricacies of long-standing mysteries that surround Chaco Canyon and discusses how knowledge of astronomy and the sacred was interwoven with its architecture. The film’s collection of stunning imagery combined with flawless narration and insightful commentary from Puebloan descendants creates an experience that leaves viewers wondering about the history of the site, yet peculiarly satisfied that we are ever-so-closer to deciphering aspects of the culture that have long remained an enigma.”Tracy Loe, Editor, American Archaeology magazine “This film is a journey not only through history but through the very soul of a land and its people.”Robert Redford “We have no idea how their thinking went, unless you look at astronomy. Anna Sofaer’s film, Written on the Landscape, is the finest documentary film ever produced about the Chaco Culture. She gives a sweeping and beautiful account of the ancestor’s footprints as written on the landscape.”Phillip Tuwaletstiwa, Member of the Hopi Tribe, Former Deputy Director of the National Geodetic Survey, NOAA “Eye-opening…The Solstice Project’s first two films, The Sun Dagger and The Mystery of Chaco Canyon provided inspirations to my indigenous way of teaching. Written On the Landscape connects previous research and develops a deeper understanding of Chaco. Indigenous cultures related to the Chaco world practice their daily activities through what was learned in the Chaco Canyon and yet the Chaco culture is still a mystery to all.”Kirby Gchachu, educator, Zuni Pueblo “Extraordinarily beautiful and deeply compelling, and brings us tantalizingly close to understanding the mystery of Chaco’s cosmology. I was struck by the Pueblo speaker’s warning toward the end of the film about the danger of human efforts to harness nature, and the parallel between the fate of the Chaco people and the likely fate of our world today.”John Shattuck, Professor of Practice in Diplomacy, Tufts University, former Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor “This visually arresting film presents emerging and, in many ways, revolutionary ideas about Chaco Canyon. Diverse voices contemplate relationships between places, human creations, the earth and the sky, revealing the depth and insight of indigenous philosophy and the fundamental dialog between knowledge and power. Stunning footage and ingenious animations convey these points in accessible and inspiring ways. At once grand and intimate, Written on the Landscape conveys the poetry, wisdom and experience of the Chaco World for the benefit of people today, and tomorrow.”Scott Ortman, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Director, Center for Collaborative Synthesis in Archaeology, University of Colorado-Boulder “This is a rich, visually engaging investigation of the sophisticated astronomical knowledge at the center of a cosmological system built by the Chacoan peoples, embodied in architecture arranged in relation to the land and in material culture left behind. The documentary places the known and unknown about the Chaco of the first millennium in context with descendant Puebloan peoples – these are the communities with the knowledge and insight to interpret the past. Written on the Landscape has a message important for the classroom and a general audience.”Ross Frank, Associate Professor of Ethnic Studies, University of California-San Diego “Building upon many of the remarkable astro-archaeological discoveries showcased in the documentary, The Mystery of Chaco Canyon, this new film also illuminates intriguing connections between the ancient Chacoans in what is today northwestern New Mexico and the Mayans in Mesoamerica. Not only did the Chacoans trade with their neighbors to the south, but they also had a similarly stratified society where elites oversaw the sprawling Chacoan complex. Written on the Landscape underscores impressive cultural advancements in pre-Columbian North America and is a great teaching tool, ideal for classroom use.”
A full moon rises from behind the San Juan Mountains in southern Colorado on Dec. 15, 2005. Chimney Rock (right pinnacle) and Companion Chimney (left pinnacle) frame the moon when viewed from the site of the Ancestral Puebloan ruin (foreground) at the time of the full moon nearest the winter solstice when the moon is at its major northern standstill, which occurs every 18.6 years (and is the case in this photograph).
This phenomenon is believed to be associated with the time and place of the construction of the pueblo, which dates from the late 11th century A.D. This site is now a national monument. Adriel Heisey/Courtesy the Solstice Project.
Written on the Landscape: Mysteries Beyond Chaco Canyon, delves deeper into the remarkable world of Chaco Canyon, known for its magnificent architecture that flourished 1,000 years ago across an immense high desert of the American Southwest.
This film unveils Anna Sofaer and the Solstice Project’s latest research, revealing how astronomical alignments and their connections to the sacred landscape in the central canyon are mirrored throughout the Chaco world. With aerial imagery, precise surveying, and LiDAR technology, the research uncovers a Chacoan region extending from Chaco Canyon across 70,000 square miles of the American Southwest – a vast high desert known as the Four Corners.
The film expands our understanding of the culture’s reach of ritual architecture and enigmatic ‘roads’ across this region and explores its connections with Mesoamerica. Insights from Puebloan advisers and new understandings of Mesoamerican parallels shed light on the symbolic power of cardinal directions, the interplay of vertical and horizontal axes, ritual roads, cacao, shells, spirals, and the sun and moon.
As the journey unfolds and highlights Pueblo Bonito as a significant ritual center and powerful hub to the larger region, the depth of the Chacoan people’s knowledge and ingenuity affirms their legacy as pioneers of scientific observation and spiritual integration.
The film also serves as a call to protect this ancient heritage from environmental degradation and continuing threats of energy extraction. Written on the Landscape showcases the enduring genius of the Chaco people, leaving audiences in awe of their advanced engineering skills and profound astronomical knowledge, applied in acts of spiritual devotion. Puebloan participants in the film affirm their historical connections with Chaco Canyon and the larger region, giving insights into the spiritual significance of the Chacoan people’s remarkable achievements.“Our partnership with New Mexico PBS over the past twenty five years has enabled The Solstice Project to introduce many thousands of people across the state to the great mysteries and unequivocal brilliance of the Chacoan people who created this magnificent community.” – Anna Sofaer, Founder, The Solstice Project
Country music legend Patsy Cline was a trailblazer in her genre:
Paving the way for artists who followed in her footsteps.
This GREAT PERFORMANCES presents “Patsy Cline: Walkin’ After Midnight,” a star-studded concert filmed at the historic Ryman Auditorium, Patsy’s home stage in Nashville, to celebrate her life, legacy and music.
The concert features artists from numerous genres like country, pop, rock, gospel, bluegrass including Wynonna Judd, Ashley McBryde, Grace Potter, Beverly D’Angelo, Crystal Gayle, Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, Mickey Guyton, Kristin Chenoweth, Rita Wilson, Natalie Grant, Kellie Pickler, Pam Tillis, Tigirlily Gold, Reyna Roberts, Tami Neilson, Tiera Kennedy, Mandy Barnett, Annie Bosko, The Isaacs and Home Free.
The celebration features archival interviews and commentary from fellow artists and those who knew Patsy including her husband, Charlie Dick, and friends like Loretta Lynn, Dottie West, Roy Clark, Harlan Howard and Owen Bradley.
Song List: “Walkin’ After Midnight” – Mickey Guyton “Three Cigarettes in An Ashtray” – Tami Neilson “Always” – Crystal Gayle “Big City Small Town Girl” – Rita Wilson “I’ve Loved and Lost Again” – Reyna Roberts “Too Many Secrets” – Beverly D’Angelo “Strange” – Grace Potter “So Wrong” – Pam Tillis “How Can I Face Tomorrow” – Tigirlily Gold “Sweet Dreams” – Wynonna “Leavin’ On Your Mind” – Ashley McBryde “I Fall To Pieces” – Kristin Chenoweth “Back In Baby’s Arms” – Tiera Kennedy “Seven Lonely Days” – Home Free “You’re Stronger Than Me” – Annie Bosko “The Woman I Am” – Kellie Pickler “You Belong To Me” – The Isaacs “Just a Closer Walk with Thee” – Natalie Grant “Why Can’t He Be You” – Mandy Barnett “She’s Got You” – Rita Wilson “Imagine That” – Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo “Crazy” – Wynonna
What two personality traits are linked to dementia?
Neuroticism, low conscientiousness, and negative affect were associated with dementia diagnoses across samples, measures, and time. Other personality traits may be more protective; for example, conscientiousness, extraversion, and positive affect were associated with a lower risk for dementia.
What are the 6 Cs in dementia care?
Care, Compassion, Courage, Commitment, Competence and Communication carry many different meanings within the care setting. They are our building blocks for improving care and collaborations amongst the multi-disciplinary teams that we work with.
Ability-focused programsThese programs can include equine and horticulture therapies, as well as education programs for local businesses.
Social engagementIncluding people with dementia in social gatherings, clubs, and everyday activities can improve their well-being.
What is looping in dementia?
Looping is very common in dementia care. It can involve the repeating of stories or fixations. How you approach it and/or embrace it makes a world of difference in your interaction with the individual. Allow it to happen and you can have a deeper, richer interaction with your loved one.
A demonstration of the delayed 3 word recall test used to assess patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease This is usually part of a wider test called the ACE-III where you do other testing elements in the interim What do you have the person while they are waiting 3-5 min? Is it completely quiet or do you distract them with another conversation or activity?
What do dementia eyes look like?
It’s common for people with dementia to stare blankly at a wall or into the void as if distracted. They may also seem to avoid eye contact. This is often referred to as “glassy eyes” or “glazed eyes,” though it may have other causes.
Here are some Don’ts:
Don’t argue. Don’t confront. Don’t remind them they forget. Don’t question recent memory.
Don’t ask direct questions, listen and learn, and don’t contradict. That’s the TL;DR summary of the three golden rules of dementia. But applying them in the wrong context — and not knowing what to expect at each stage of dementia — can make using these rules much more challenging.
Here are some tips for communicating with someone with dementia:
Speak calmly
Listen to their concerns
Avoid arguing
Reassure them that they are safe and you are there to help
Use gentle touching to help them calm down
Don’t confront them
Don’t remind them they forget
Don’t question recent memory
What is the Happy Pill for dementia patients?
Antidepressants. Antidepressants such as sertraline, citalopram, mirtazapine and trazodone are widely prescribed for people with dementia who develop changes in mood and behaviour. There is some evidence that they may help to reduce agitation – particularly citalopram.
There’s no single or “best” food to fight dementia. Eating patterns that include several anti-inflammatory foods may help to prevent or slow dementia. These include leafy greens, nuts, berries, whole grains, beans, and olive oil.
What is the daily drink for dementia?What is the daily drink for dementia?
Souvenaid | Dementia Australia Souvenaid® is a nutritional supplement that contains a combination of nutrients that are thought to support brain functions affected in mild cognitive impairment and early Alzheimer’s disease.
What is the number one trigger for dementia
Three of the most common types of behavioral triggers in dementia patients are confusion, pain or discomfort, and a changing or overwhelming environment.
By Linda Rath A lot of people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) report having trouble with memory, attention, and mental focus. They forget names and appointments, struggle to find the right words and have trouble making and carrying out plans. Some say that the loss of mental clarity, commonly called brain fog, is almost as distressing as arthritis itself.
Limited Research
It’s hard to say exactly how common fuzzy thinking is in RA because researchers have largely ignored it. “We have relatively good literature on cognitive problems in lupus and fibromyalgia, where brain fog is well established, but nobody has really studied RA,” explains Patti Katz, PhD, a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.
Katz and her colleagues looked at 15 studies on RA and cognition published between 1994 and 2016. Many were small – less than 100 patients – and not all were high quality. Yet most showed that people with rheumatoid arthritis performed more poorly on cognitive tests than their peers or controls. Memory, verbal communication, attention, concentration and problem-solving seemed to cause the most trouble.
Who Gets It and Why?
There are several theories why cognitive problems may be more common in RA and other inflammatory types of arthritis.
Some scientists, including Mark Swain, MD, a professor at the University of Calgary in Canada, think inflammation tops the list. More than a decade ago, he and his colleagues demonstrated that chronic inflammation in the body – the result of cytokines like tumor necrosis factor (TNF) – can change the way the brain functions. The brain doesn’t change structurally, but networks of nerves start talking to each other differently. This can contribute to many disease-associated symptoms, including brain fog.
Swedish researchers reached the same conclusion after following nearly 1,500 patients with various joint disorders for two decades. They found a significantly higher rate of cognitive decline in those with RA and suggested that chronic inflammation “played an important role in increasing the risk.”But Katz thinks it might not be that simple.“
RA is a disease that has a lot of elements, and we need to think about all of them because people are really complicated,” she says.
Some factors that may contribute to brain fog include:
• Pain. It’s well known that chronic pain can affect thinking. Some of the brain’s pain processing centers overlap with areas involved with memory and attention. When they compete for limited processing resources, pain often wins out. Pain may also rewire how the brain works.
• Depression. Depression is common in RA. Symptoms can include trouble with planning, decision-making, memory and mental clarity – the same symptoms reported by people with brain fog. Katz says one of the challenges of studying cognitive problems is the difficulty in distinguishing them from depression. Some researchers – though not Katz – see brain fog as a symptom of depression, not a separate condition.
• Cardiovascular Disease. People with RA are more likely to have narrowed or blocked arteries in the brain – the result of systemic inflammation. This can cause problems with memory, thinking and reasoning.
• Arthritis Meds. Methotrexate is a mainstay of RA treatment and corticosteroids are sometimes used for short-term pain relief. Both may cause cognitive problems, mood changes and confusion. A small study published in Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology in 2017 found that RA patients treated with methotrexate and other conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) had higher risk of developing dementia than those who took other medications. Moderate to high doses of corticosteroids can lead to cognitive problems in some people, more commonly women.
• Lack of Exercise. Few things have a stronger demonstrated link to brain health than exercise. Thousands of studies show the long-term benefits, but new research suggests exercise can have an immediate effect, too. Carson Smith, MD, and colleagues in the University of Maryland School of Public Health found that older adults’ memory improved significantly after a single 30-minute exercise session. A French study found that just a 15-minute jog boosted energy and mental clarity.
What the CDC Says
In 2017, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) researchers published a study comparing cognition in more than 6,000 people with and without arthritis. Unlike earlier, smaller studies, it found no difference in brain function between the two groups. The researchers say they had different results because they considered pain, depression, lack of exercise, age and other factors linked to both brain fog and RA.
Once these were accounted for, people with RA showed no more cognitive problems than other older adults. What was associated with elements of impaired brain function were a sedentary lifestyle, depression and having a lower socioeconomic level. The implication is that RA itself doesn’t cause brain fog, but factors associated with it may.
Targeting Several Risk Factors If cognitive problems are complex, then the solution needs to be complex, too. That’s the thinking behind a groundbreaking clinical trial in Finland called the FINGER study. In this two-year randomized controlled trial involving more than 1,200 older adults with an elevated risk of dementia, lifestyle changes including an anti-inflammatory diet, exercise and brain training cut cognitive decline by 30%. Targeting several risk factors will deliver the optimal benefits.
Here are some tips that can help you keep your brain sharp:
• Sleep well. Deep, restorative sleep helps to clear away the cobwebs. Develop a healthy sleep routine and stick to it. Make sure your bedroom is cool and dark, avoid late-day caffeine and turn off screens at least an hour before bed.
• Talk to your doctor about medications. If you take conventional DMARDs or long-term corticosteroids, discuss the pros and cons of switching to another drug. Talk about your other meds, too. Some, including anticholinergics (used to treat overactive bladder, COPD and other conditions) can also cause brain fog.
• Don’t skip workouts. There’s almost nothing exercise doesn’t help. Pain, mobility, mood, fatigue and mental clarity all may improve in a single session, but the greatest benefits happen over time.
• Notice brain fog patterns. Your symptoms may be worse in the morning or when you’re tired or stressed. Try to schedule tasks that require focus and attention when you’re at your best.
• Be present. It’s easy to worry about the future, especially when you have a chronic illness.
But concern about things that haven’t happened yet take up valuable mental space. Instead, focus on the present moment, says Ashira Blazer, MD, a rheumatologist and assistant professor at NYU Langone Health in New York
Bottomline, whether having RA directly contributes to cognitive impairment or not, following a healthy lifestyle and keeping your disease under control can help keep brain fog at bay.
Learn about the possible links between rheumatoid arthritis and cognitive effects and how to manage them.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease causes a type of dementia that gets worse unusually fast. More common causes of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s, dementia with Lewy bodies and frontotemporal dementia, typically progress more slowly. Through a process scientists don’t yet understand, misfolded prion protein destroys brain cells.
Environmental factors there include: 1) a climate that is both very cold and humid resulting in housing frequently harboring molds that are capable of producing a neurotoxic mycotoxin 2) the Gulf of Finland as well as Finnish lakes harbor cyanobacteria that produce the neurotoxin, beta-N-methyl amino-L-alanine, known …
These are the first AD incidence rates to be reported from southern India. The incidence rates appear to be much higher than that reported from rural north India, comparable with that reported from China, and marginally lower than that reported from the western world. Incidence of Alzheimer’s disease in India: A 10 years follow-up study – PMC
BlazePod trains your Reactive Intelligence… What’s that you ask?… It’s not just the speed in which you react, but the way in which you respond. This is made up of 3 major elements;
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Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris revealed for the first time some big economic plans on Friday, but these experts had mixed reactions on how much some of them would help everyday Americans.
Many of these plans resonate with voters who have struggled in the past few years with soaring inflation, but some experts are wary of what they call “price controls” to fight high prices and how Harris intends to pay for some of her proposals.
Any changes to the tax code also would require congressional approval and depend heavily on which party controls the House and Senate, tax experts say.”It’s optimistic and targeted to improve the middle class; however, we have yet to see details, and it’s unclear how the congressional elections will impact the likelihood of passage,” said Mark Baran, managing director at consulting firm CBIZ MHM’s National Tax Office.
Former Republican New York congressman and senior vice president at business consultancy Alliantgroup Rick Lazio said in an email that the Harris campaign will need to consider “the societal costs of unsustainable higher public debt and its impact on inflation and the ability to respond to unplanned events, like recession, wars, pandemics, and natural disasters.”
The nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimated her full plan would increase deficits by $1.7 trillion over a decade and grow to $2 trillion if temporary housing policies were made permanent. “The Harris campaign has said this would be paid for through taxes on corporations and high earners and that they support the revenue raisers in the President’s fiscal year 2025 budget but has not put forward specific offsets as part of their agenda to lower costs for American families,” it said in a release.
To get a better view of what experts liked and questioned, USA TODAY has compiled a more detailed look of each proposal.
Child tax credit
A return to COVID-19-era child tax credit policies, which were $3,600 for qualifying children under age 6 and $3,000 for other qualifying children under age 18.
The credit is now $2,000 per qualifying child under age 17 and phases out for single filers earning over $200,000 and married couples with more than $400,000 in income. Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance has floated a $5,000 credit and hinted at no income thresholds.
New, expanded tax relief of up to $6,000 for families with a newborn.
“We were super-excited to see her propose this big expansion,” said Mary Nugent, adviser of domestic policy at nonprofit Save the Children US. “To put it front and center and to be including this new kind of bonus for new parents with those youngest kids is really exciting in terms of the impact.”
Either Harris’ or Vance’s plan would reduce child poverty significantly , she said. The enhanced credit during the pandemic did so by half, she noted. “Most families would see an increased credit and, the top line there is that we would see massive cuts in child poverty.”
Health care and food prices
$35 price cap on insulin for Medicare recipients to cover insulin and annual out-of-pocket costs of $2,000 for all Americans, not just seniors.
Stiffer regulations and strict antitrust enforcement to prevent increased costs for consumers on drugs and food.
The Groundwork Collaborative, a nonprofit progressive advocacy group, praised Harris’ push to hold companies accountable. “When just a handful of big companies control the majority of the market, or even control the market in a single region, they have the power to raise prices without worrying about a competitor nipping at their heels,” Lindsay Owens, the group’s executive director, said in a statement.
Economists were less enthusiastic, calling Harris’ efforts “price controls.”
“Harris is continuing with the Biden administration theme of blaming high inflation on corporate greed and price gouging – be it oil producers, pharmaceutical firms or, in this case, grocery retailers – rather than excessively loose pandemic-era fiscal and monetary policies,” wrote Paul Ashworth, chief North America economist for research firm Capital Economics, in a note. “She wants Congress to pass a federal ‘price gouging’ ban. It sounds uncomfortably like price controls, which could lead to product shortages.”
New tax incentives for builders who construct “starter homes.”
Provide up to $25,000 in down-payment support for first-time homeowners.
“I’m encouraged by the recognition by Vice President Harris of the affordable housing crisis in America,” Lazio said. “There is no congressional district in the nation that hasn’t seen a spike in the housing supply imbalance. Having said that, the devil is in the details, and some of the initiatives like the subsidy for first time homebuyers regardless of their wealth or income needs to be rethought.”
Ashworth also noted many developed countries around the world “have tried to boost homebuilding but have struggled to achieve their goals because of capacity constraints in the construction industry or other bottlenecks, like zoning regulations.”
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which expires at the end of 2025, is a massive tax package passed in 2017 that included provisions that touch almost every American. If it expires, tax rates for most Americans will rise, income brackets will narrow, and the standard deduction would get cut in half which could force many Americans to itemize again, among many other things.
It’s the “big elephant in the room,” Baran said. “Letting it expire completely will hurt middle-class Americans because tax rates will go up.”
Ashworth also noticed the lack of discussion “of whether she would support the extension of the original Trump tax cuts, even for those making less than $400,000 a year. That potential fiscal cliff that would hit at the end of next year is the real policy battleground.”
This is “bad economic policy, but understandable from a political standpoint given that it could be enough to win the election race in Nevada,” Ashworth said. “Assuming there are limits on the amount of income that can be counted as tips and that only income taxes are eliminated rather than payroll taxes too, that tax cut might cost up to $150 billion over the next decade.”
Small and medium-sized businesses.
“I’m disappointed that there was nothing today that spoke to the need to protect and incentivize these businesses that employ half of all Americans, and up until recently have generated most of the industry innovation in America,” Lazio said. He said he’d like to see Harris endorse tax incentives for research and development to spur innovation and to keep tax rates for small businesses steady.
“Small-business people are middle-class people, too,” Baran said.
Her ‘plan’ calls for doling out $25,000 for down payments by up to 3 million first-time home-buyers,
plus $6,000 tax breaks for ‘lower and middle’ income families with children up to a year old.
By Diana Glebova, Josh Christenson and Victoria Churchill | The New York Post
RALEIGH, North Carolina — Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday unveiled the economic policies she would enact in her first 100 days in office — and it comes with a whopping estimated $1.7 trillion in handouts, as well as government price controls on groceries amid ravaging Biden-Harris administration inflation.
Her economic plan includes measures to dole out $25,000 to help first-time homeowners with their down payments and give up to $6,000 tax breaks for lower and middle-income families who have a child in their first year of life. Harris did not say what incomes qualify as “lower” and “middle.”
The housing subsidies alone are “absolutely inflationary” and would “push a $2 trillion dollar deficit even higher,” Brian Riedl, a senior economic fellow at the Manhattan Institute, told The Post, referring to the already projected budget shortfall for 2024. Those subsidies make up just $200 billion of the total $1.7 trillion handouts pledged to voters.
Economists warn that Harris’ price control plans could force small businesses to close. AP
‘Reckless’ handouts
A slew of economists The Post spoke to have already slammed the plan’s hefty price tag amid an already-struggling economy.
“The CRFB estimates make it clear that the Harris agenda—like Biden’s before it—will be fiscally reckless and economically damaging,” Adam Michel, the director of Tax Policy Studies at the libertarian Cato Institute, told The Post.
“Writing people large checks and enforcing price controls is a recipe for expanding demand and shrinking supply, creating shortages and necessitating rationing,” Michel said.
“The $6,000 child tax credit is the next entry in the child tax credit arms race, in which Republicans and Democrats are trying to outdo each other in writing Americans ever bigger checks. It will only get more expensive from here.”
“This is very reckless to be adding this type of debt to our already existing mountain of debt,” said Joel Griffith, an economic research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, told The Post in reference to the rising national deficit that currently sits at $34 trillion and is expected to reach $50 trillion by 2034.
The nonpartisan Tax Foundation in an analysis was particularly troubled by the lack of detail she provided over where the funding for the handouts would come.
Here’s what you need to know about Kamala Harris’ plans for the economy
Harris plans to reduce grocery costs, which includes working with Congress to ban “price gouging,” or stopping sellers from pricing their products excessively.
Harris promised to work toward construction of three million new homes to “end the housing shortage” within a four-year time frame, offering a first-ever tax incentive to people building starter homes.
The Harris campaign is running on expanding the Child Tax Credit to give middle-income and lower-income families up to $6,000 in tax breaks for families who have children in their first year of life.
Harris wants to “to cancel medical debt for millions of Americans and to help them avoid accumulating such debt in the future,” capping insulin costs at $35 and out-of-pocket prescription drug costs at $2,000.
“Harris’s agenda is missing details on how her proposed tax subsidies and expansions in federal programs would be paid for, risking a worsening debt trajectory,” the foundation said in an analysis.
“The combined cost of the proposals would likely exceed $2 trillion over 10 years, putting upward pressure on inflation to the extent they are deficit-financed and leading to a further prolonging of the Federal Reserve’s high-interest-rate stance.”
Harris is also proposing giving tax incentives to businesses who build affordable housing and to those Americans building houses themselves and is planning to build 3 million more homes in the next four years.
“Harris’s tax agenda is problematic for three major reasons: it would further entrench social policy and spending into the tax code, it would subsidize home buyers rather than address supply constraints, and it does not specify sufficient offsets to pay for the subsidies, worsening an unsustainable debt trajectory,” the Tax Foundation said.
EJ Antoni, a public-finance economist at The Heritage Foundation, told The Post that “the Harris agenda is even worse than the Biden agenda: it means more spending, more borrowing, and more money printing to pay for it all.
“The economy is already suffering under an increased regulatory burden from the last 3 1/2 years of overregulation and this agenda would send those cost increases into overdrive.”
”Harris’ economic proposals are a recipe for higher inflation and widespread shortages of basic items necessary for living like food and housing,” added Cato budget and entitlement policy director Romina Boccia.
Price controls
The Trump campaign has especially taken issue with her price control policies, calling them “communist” and comparing her proposals to those of authoritarian leaders in Venezuela and Cuba.
“When the government comes in and takes over food production and sets prices, that inevitably leads to food shortages and even famines,” economist Kevin Hassett said in a Trump campaign press call.
Harris blamed the high grocery prices on the supply chain disruption during the pandemic, but admitted that costs have remained high even after the logistical issues got better in the years since the height of COVID.
“A loaf of bread costs 50% more today that it did before the pandemic. Ground beef is up almost 50%” she said, oddly referring to the lower costs under the Trump administration.
That’s why she thinks federal price limits are needed for the first time in US history.
“We know that many Americans don’t yet feel that progress in their daily lives, costs are still too high, and on a deeper level, for too many people, no matter how much they work, it feels so hard to just be able to get ahead,” Harris said in Raleigh at her campaign stop.
“As President, I will be laser focused on creating opportunities for the middle class that advance their economic security, stability and dignity. Together, we will build what I call an opportunity economy.”
But economist Stephen Moore in the Trump campaign call said “the average margin for a grocery store or 7 Eleven sell food is between two and three percentage points,” predicting that “many of them will go out of business” with price controls.
Riedl agreed, telling The Post that “price controls do not eliminate inflation — they only delay it, with huge shortages in the meantime.”
The Trump campaign has stressed that Harris is currently in office as vice president and has presided over the economy for the last three and a half years.
Harris argued that Trump did not offer concrete policy proposals in his speech on the economy that he did on Thursday.
In his speech standing in front of groceries, Trump blamed Harris for the current economy and said he would “drill baby drill” when he got back into office, lowering the price of energy.
He also said he would free up federal land to build more houses on and work to reduce the price of energy by 50%.
Harris has not yet revealed her energy policies, other than her campaign telling reporters that she has reversed her 2020 presidential campaign position that would have banned fracking. ## The New York Post e-Edition
Harris’s economic pitch could cost $1.7 trillion: Analysis
Vice President Harris speaks during an event to discuss the administration’s efforts to lowering prescription drug prices at the Prince George’s Community College in Upper Marlboro, Md., on Thursday, August 15, 2024.
Vice President Harris’s recent proposals laid out as part of her Agenda to Lower Costs for American Families could increase the nation’s deficits by $1.7 trillion over a decade, a new analysis found, though the campaign is vowing offsets through taxes on the rich.
Harris unveiled several proposals Friday as part of her agenda for the economy if she wins the presidency later this year, including a measure that would beef up the child tax credit (CTC) to provide a $6,000 tax cut to families with newborn children.
The plan also calls for the restoration of an expansion to the CTC that was passed as part of a sweeping coronavirus relief package in 2021 known as the American Rescue Plan, pressing for up to $3,600 per child tax credit for some families.
In an analysis from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB) released later on Friday, the group estimated Harris’s proposals to expand the CTC could come with a price tag of $1.2 trillion from fiscal 2026 through 2035.
Other measures proposed in the plan that would expand the earned income tax credit (EITC), set up a tax credit for first-time homebuyers, extend the Affordable Care Act premium tax credit expansion and efforts to support affordable housing, could cost upwards of $700 billion during the same time frame, CRFB noted.
The group estimates the proposed plan could cost $1.95 trillion over 10 years, but notes that figure could climb to $2.25 trillion if some of the proposed housing measures set to take place if Harris is elected are made permanent.
However, the group says the estimated cost is “partially offset” through other agenda items aimed at lowering prescription drug costs that could help generate “roughly $250 billion of savings.”
“The Harris campaign has emphasized that the major housing policies would only be in effect for four years. However, if they were extended permanently, the fiscal impact would grow to $2 trillion,” the group said.
2024 campaign heats up as Harris unveils economic planVice President Kamala Harris on Friday unveiled a populist economic agenda, proposing a new plan to provide tax relief for more than 100 million middle-class and lower-income Americans as she builds out the details of her governing agenda weeks after locking down the Democratic presidential nomination. CNN political and economics experts weigh in with their reactions. 00:00–9:59 CNN’s Wolf Blitzer speaks with CNN reporters and political analysts about Harris’ plan and how the Trump campaign is reacting. 10:00–17:37 CNN’s Phil Mattingly speaks with CNN economics and political commentator Catherine Rampell and Heritage Foundation distinguished fellow Stephen Moore about how Trump and Harris are approaching the economy. 17:38–22:56 CNN’s Wolf Blitzer talks with North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, who attended Harris’ speech in the state. 22:57–30:49 CNN’s Sara Sidner is joined by CNN senior political commentator David Axelrod and former Mitt Romney presidential campaign chief strategist Stuart Stevens about how the two candidates are preparing to debate.
In FY2023, the U.S. Government spent $6.16. trillion while only bringing in $4.47 trillion. The last budget surplus was in 2001. This trend must be reversed, and we must balance the budget.
“Here is the reality,” said Sen. Bernie Sanders in his analysis of Donald Trump’s strong electoral victory and support from some traditional Democrats: “The working class of this country is angry, and they have reason to be angry. We are living in an economy today where the people on top are doing phenomenally well while 60 percent of our people are living paycheck to paycheck.”
Household data spanning 2019-22 support Sanders’ argument. The Federal Reserve found substantial increases in average net worth for all income levels except the poorest 20% of families (though the Fed doesn’t adjust these figures for how much of the accompanying federal debt we’ll each bear). In any case, according to the senator, greed was the main culprit. I think a fair portion of the blame lies with misplaced generosity.
Greed is ever-present in human affairs, but those years included something unique: Massive government efforts to soften the blows of COVID-19. Paradoxically, this helped the rich get richer and contributed to the 2024 political climate.
The government’s stimulus program—much of which ended up as generous but perhaps unintended taxpayer gifts to the wealthy—and Fed interest rate cuts led to rising real estate prices and substantial gains in stock market values. More dollars in the economy meant each dollar was worth less as inflation took off. Higher-income households are less damaged by inflation than working-class people who spend most of their income on goods and services.
Meanwhile, contrary to plans, federal programs disproportionately transferred billions to owners and managers of businesses across the nation rather than to hourly workers. On top of that, a lot of COVID-relief money, paid for in no small part by current or future working-class taxpayers, simply got wasted.
A review of the situation by Cecilia Rouse, Brookings Institution president and chair of the Council of Economic Advisors from 2021-23, offers a revealing and disturbing analysis. Rouse focuses on both the disastrous effects of the pandemic and assessing the massive $4.5 billion in stimulus packages delivered by the Trump and Biden administrations.
Though just four years ago, it bears mentioning that as President Joe Biden took office, some 460,000 Americans had been killed by the pandemic. Before the pandemic’s end, 1.2 million U.S. lives would be taken. The economy’s shutdown brought a devastating disruption to daily life. Rouse points out that in April 2020, “the number of Americans living under stay-at-home orders reached more than 300 million.” Weekly claims for unemployment compensation rose from a typical level of 207,000 in March 2020 to 6,137,000 in April.
Stimulus poured in, we learned to better protect ourselves and things quickly started improving. Employment recovered in record time. The nation dealt with one of the most severe, but thankfully short, disruptions in modern times.
But given the damaging bout with inflation that followed, was the stimulus too large? Was the waste, fraud and abuse too much? Did working class people get a fair share? Or was the system tilted so that higher-income people gained too much?
Rouse examines two specific programs. The $800 billion Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) provided forgivable loans to small businesses and nonprofits to retain workers, meet payroll and insurance costs, and keep the doors open. The Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program provided larger loans payable over 30 years. Some 1 million firms received PPP loans and 3.9 million obtained EIDL loans.
Researchers show that two-thirds of the PPP’s forgivable loans went to business owners and shareholders, not to employees or wage earners. The General Accountability Office indicates that fraud totaled $64 billion out of the $800 billion. Estimates of fraud under the EIDL program indicate that $136 billion was siphoned off.
Other research indicates that PPP loans cost between $169,000 and $256,000 for each job saved, more than twice the annual wage of the workers affected. With owners and executives at the top siphoning off money, protecting workers was neither simple nor affordable.
Let us hope that our nation never faces another tragic pandemic. But if it does, let us also hope that our government doesn’t take actions that enable the rich to get richer while the poor get poorer in more ways than one. Should working-class voters be angry about greed, or at those who enabled it?
It was neither of those, and not Bernie’s socialist answer either.
It was elitist disdain, followed by extravagant fraud, spending trillions of money, running up debt that can only be paid by the next generation. Greed is not the fault of working people. England expects every man to do his duty. The U.S.A. expects every man and woman to conduct his and her financial affairs with prudence and thrift. The financial system–call it Wall Street–conducts its affairs with anything but prudence or thrift. The U.S. has behaved as hypocrisy personified. Buccaneering Wall Street with GREED and imperious Washington have always conducted themselves as Don’t do as we do; do as we tell you.
Every single American is expected to live within his or her means and keep a balanced checkbook. The government doesn’t. A fact they flaunt in struggling Americans faces. Then that government has the nerve to call it price gouging and blame the people for this. We’re held to the letter of the law, better not step out of line or your whole life is ruined. The government openly thumbs their nose at the law, essentially daring us to do something about it.
Well… we did something. We elected Trump.
The Dems take the minority vote for granted. Dems support illegals but not citizens. They make lots of promises to the minorities and then like most of their promises they fail to deliver. Same thing with election cycles time after time and year after year. The minorities are tired of empty promises for the Dem elite who pursue their pet projects after the election. This is nothing new. The government has failed to enforce antitrust legislation for decades now. The fact so few people own so much of the economy is the real problem.
The American Promise is that if we go to school, work hard, and become a productive and faithful employee, we can then expect to support a family, raise and educate our children, enjoy a healthy and fulfilling life and retire with dignity. We weren’t supposed to have to win the lottery, or be a corporate executive to enjoy the American dream.
That was the vision of middle class Americans, who once modeled the image of what it was to be an American. The middle class is disappearing in direct proportion to the demise of the American union movement. After World War II, nearly 30 percent of our work force belonged to unions. Today, barely half of labor is organized. Today, only a few workers own the world’s resources while most live in poverty.
Low wages for blue collar thralls are common.
For most of these workers there is no health insurance or retirement plans. The result? Taxpayers across the United States are making up for what employers should be paying with public assistance programs. That’s corporate welfare. Why are wages so low?
Because that’s the easiest way to increase profitability. The result?
Today, the wealthiest one percent own as much of our nation as ninety percent of the rest of us. Corporate CEOs can earn 500 times the wages paid to their workers. As a billionaire, Trump’s part of the problem. This has been going on since 1980.
Unions like the UAW were one of the reasons for the rotten quality of Cars built by the Big Four (remember AMC?) and increasing prices of that rolling junk, and the buyers switched to Imports 40 years ago. The real problem was the disconnect between increasing automation, computerization and the increased productivity, and wages.
The US working class is the stupidest in the World – most don’t read like the Greatest Generation. It continues to vote for the very class of People who have been exploiting, frauding, and cheating them all of their lives Union Featherbedding and high wages for lower productivity is what doomed Private Unions in US manufacturing, moving to the low Union, Right to work states.
Trump is not Hitler, but we must pay attention to the history of autocrats | Letters
Phyllis Gobbell
Wed, November 20, 2024, at 8:02 AM EST
Pay attention and learn from history about autocrats
Editor’s note: Letters to the editor reflect the views of individual readers. Scroll to the bottom to see how you can add your voice, whether you agree or disagree. We welcome diverse viewpoints. Bing Videos
I won’t suggest that America is becoming 1930s Germany, but I can’t help warning Americans to pay attention. We learn from history – if we let ourselves and accept truths we may not like to hear.
My understanding of the dark path Germany followed nearly a century ago is that Hitler rose to power on the strength of three messages:
White-skinned people are superior to other races and should dominate them
The economy is dismal, and I alone can fix it
I will get rid of the group that we can blame for all the country’s problems.
Does that sound familiar?
The Germans supported an authoritarian government without considering the ultimate cost. In the kind of country Hitler proposed, voters liked hearing that the group responsible for all their problems might suffer (and they did, 6 million of them). But the suffering didn’t stop there.
You remember how that story ended – for Germany, and for the world – when the flawed, cruel strongman they elected did what he told them he would do.
I’m just asking you now, as an American, to be vigilant. If you are thinking you are getting the president and the country you voted for, please don’t just roll over and trust that the strongman you’ve elected will act in your best interests.
Begin with taking note of who Trump chooses for his inner circle. Are you comforted, believing the likes of Stephen Miller will care about you? Please, just pay attention.
How Trump did it again: He’s been shot, sued, put on trial, written off and endlessly branded a fascist. Now Donald Trump has defied his critics to crush his opponents once more.
Central to his battle with Kamala Harris were the seven crucial swing states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, yet despite polls showing the pair ‘on a knife edge’ Trump is now set to win them all and – in contrast to 2016 – the popular vote too.
Dailymail.com pollster JL Partners was one of the very few to correctly predict Trump would win both the electoral college and the popular vote.
His triumph would have been impossible without a huge surge of support from black and Latino Americans at the same time as women voters – who liberal pundits had hoped would push Harris to victory – failed to turn out for her as expected.
It marks an astonishing moment of political redemption for a man who was written off after his 2020 loss to Joe Biden before facing a string of unprecedented legal cases and, finally, two shocking assassination attempts.
As so often with Trump, his win marks a series of firsts, with the Republican becoming the first former president to return to power since Grover Cleveland in 1892, the first person convicted of a felony to be elected and, at 78, the oldest person elected to the office.
And just as typically, pollsters who continually forecast the election as too close to call were proved spectacularly wrong. Yet ordinary Americans placing bets on the result appeared to be in less doubt about who would win, with the odds of a Trump winning placed at 62 per cent within hours of the polls opening.
Even as the results started rolling in for Trump, many pollsters maintained that Harris stood a decent chance of winning last night. James Johnson, of JL Partners, can count himself among a tiny minority who correctly predicted a definitive Trump victory. He believes traditional pollsters are consistently missing Trump voters, who don’t trust the establishment and won’t engage with ‘some weirdo’ who phones up asking how they intend to vote.
‘They’ve made the same mistakes for the last three election cycles,’ he said. ‘Every time they have missed this elusive voter who is white, male, lives in the countryside, probably hasn’t got a college degree and who doesn’t trust the media. ‘These people live normal lives. They are blue collar workers who are probably pulling factory shifts.
They don’t fancy telling some weirdo how they’re going to vote, they’ve got much better things to do. ‘Unless they drastically overhaul the way they work, pollsters will continue to miss these people.’ As well as the white working class, traditional polls also missed the big contingent of Hispanic and black Trump voters.
Mr Johnson says this is because those people are very difficult to pin down, and may not be honest in a quick vox pop-style interview. ‘They’re less engaged and less trusting, and many of them are just too busy,’ he said. ‘It’s incredibly difficult to get through to people who are juggling two or three different jobs.
‘With the non-white voters, there is a big social desirability bias. It’s still a bit awkward in a lot of black or Hispanic communities to say that you’re a Trump voter. ‘Only by conducting 60 or 90 minute interviews will you get down to what they really believe. You start to see how they view the world.’
Mr Johnson said he conducted many long interviews with Hispanic voters in swing states. In the first five or 10 minutes, they wouldn’t say they are voting for Trump. But after an hour, they started telling him they were deeply concerned about illegal migration.
One Asian American in Detroit told him: ‘I came to this country the right way. I don’t want to lose the country I came to.’ He said another mistake made by traditional pollsters is to think that black people will automatically prefer a black candidate.
In fact, many black men did not like Kamala because they saw her as weak, and did not appreciate her endorsements from white elites like Taylor Swift. One mixed-race factory worker from Tennille, Georgia, said: ‘If you think white men have a problem with black women, wait until you hear what black men think.’
Respected American pollster Ann Selzer was among those who got it devastatingly wrong. She projected Kamala Harris would pull off a shock win in the swing state of Iowa. She predicted a very high percentage of older women were preparing to turn out for Harris, but Mr Johnson said: ‘They are just the most likely group of people to give the time of day to somebody who calls them up, because they love a good natter.
That’s why Ann Selzer screwed up so badly.’
Mr Johnson said his more successful approach involved engaging voters where they normally look – such as in mobile phone games, where they would be offered in-game rewards for completing surveys.
While professional pollsters once again flopped, a more prescient perspective was provided by the betting markets – which enjoyed a surge of custom as Americans were allowed to bet on the result for the first time. Polymarket and Kalshi respectively gave Trump about a 62 percent to 38 percent and 59 percent to 41 percent lead over Harris a few hours after polls opened.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for Betfair Exchange claimed it had ‘now correctly predicted 23 of the last 25 major elections across the world’. In state after state, Trump outperformed what he did in the 2020 election while Harris failed to do as well as Biden did in winning the presidency four years ago.
For all of the showmanship, profanity and name-calling, Trump ultimately won over voters with grand promises to improve the economy, block the flow of immigrants on the southern border and his siren call to ‘make America great again’. Overall, about half of Trump voters said inflation was the biggest issue factoring into their election decisions.
About as many said that of the situation at the US-Mexico border, according to AP VoteCast. He also sold them the promise of the largest mass deportation effort in US history, although he has not explained how such an operation would work. And he is threatening to impose massive tariffs on key products from China and other American adversaries, which economists warn could dramatically boost prices for average Americans.
The pivotal moment came when North Carolina was called for Trump at 11:19pm (ET). Then, the quiet crowd at the official Republican watch party, held in a convention center in Florida’s West Palm Beach, erupted in a release of nervous energy. At the same time, the mood at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort – where he was sitting amid friends and family watching the results roll in – switched from cautious optimism to ‘a sense of destiny’, one attendee said.
Later at the convention center in the early hours of Wednesday morning, Trump was joined on stage by his jubilant family and campaign staff, as he addressed his adoring fans and declared: ‘We’re going to help our country heal.’ ‘This was, I believe, the greatest political movement of all time,’ he said. ‘This is a magnificent victory for the American people, that will allow us to make America great again.’
Their only hope is to win a House majority built mostly through key suburban districts in California and New York, but that was far from certain early on Wednesday. And either way, the results shrink Democrats’ geographic footprint and, with Mr Brown’s loss, diminish the kind of working class voice that can counter Mr Trump’s appeal.
Trump already succeeded in painting Democrats as out-of-touch culturally with middle America. Now Democrats are left to wonder how to reconnect with parts of the country and slices of the electorate that rejected them.
After announcing he would run again back in November 2022, Trump comfortably saw off other Republican hopefuls – including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former governor of South Carolina Nikki Haley – to secure the Party nomination in March this year.
Entering the summer, he held a comfortable polling lead over Biden, 81, whose record on the economy and immigration, as well as the obvious problem of his advancing age, were proving disastrous among voters.
The now notorious CNN television debate between the two presumptive nominees on June 27 – in which Biden froze and mumbled, appearing unable to clearly answer even basic questions – only helped Trump.
On July 13, while addressing crowds at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, the bullet of would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks ripped through Trump’s right ear. After being swarmed by Secret Service agents, Trump rose to his feet – his shoes missing and his face bloodied – pumping his fist in the air and shouting: ‘Fight! Fight! Fight!’ Just days later, he received a hero’s welcome in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, at the Republican National Convention.
MAGA fans donned mock bandages on their ears in solidarity with the former president and, in a stirring speech on the final night, Trump told a packed-out convention center that he would be a ‘president for all of America’. But, just three days later, everything changed. Holed up in Camp David with his family, Biden posted a bombshell letter on X announcing that he was withdrawing from the 2024 race.
‘I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term,’ he wrote, before endorsing Kamala Harris as his replacement on the Democratic ticket within the hour.
Harris swiftly corralled support, raking in more than $100 million in donor cash in 24 hours. As she formally accepted the party nomination at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago the following month – a star-studded event featuring the likes of Oprah, Eva Longoria and Kerry Washington – she was polling comfortably ahead of Trump.
Harris then trounced Trump in the first and last TV debate between the pair on September 10. His wild accusation that Haitian migrants were ‘eating the dogs […] eating the cats’ of American citizens was an instant internet meme.
In fact, such was Harris’s surging popularity that a second attempt to assassinate Trump – on his West Palm Beach golf course just days later – barely moved the needle. Fresh pain came for the Trump campaign as his running mate – and now the Vice President-elect – Ohio Senator JD Vance, was hit by a string of disinterred comments in which he attacked female Democrats.
In the most damning, from a 2021 interview, he called Harris, and other women who don’t have children of their own, ‘childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives’. Indeed, a gender divide swiftly became a key feature of the 2024 race.
Trump’s role in helping to reverse Roe v Wade in 2022, removing the constitutional right to an abortion and returning the decision on related laws to the states, has proven particularly unpopular with female voters.
The final ABC/Ipsos poll, published this Sunday, had Harris with an 11-point advantage among women. In the end, however, it seems abortion wasn’t the silver-bullet issue Harris had hoped for.
In Florida, Governor DeSantis’s controversial 6-week abortion ban was also on the ballot. But, despite having won every other pro-abortion ballot measure since Roe v. Wade was overturned, Democrats failed for the first time on Tuesday, falling short of the 60 percent of votes needed to overturn the Florida ban.
This time around, he controls the Republican National Committee with his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump (pictured with husband Eric in October), at the helm
Trump, meanwhile, has made substantial inroads with male voters this year. Despite liberal criticisms that he and Vance were making the campaign – complete with a shirt-ripping Hulk Hogan – too ‘bro-tastic’, it appears a strong male voter turnout helped Trump clinch it in the end.
In recent weeks, Harris’s healthy poll lead waned, as she finally buckled to pressure to submit herself to rigorous TV interviews. Her rambling and often incoherent answers to questions drew ire even among fans, with veteran Dem strategist David Axelrod last month accusing Harris of going to ‘word salad city’.
In the final days of the campaign, pollsters were almost unanimous in their verdict: this race was too close to call. Some Trump-friendly analysts, however, pointed to the fact he is consistently under-polled, and that a dead-heat suggested he had the advantage.
Certainly, the immigration crisis on the Southern border, the state of the economy and inflation, as well as the Biden-Harris administration’s record on foreign affairs – from the botched Afghanistan withdrawal in 2021, to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, and the outbreak of war in Israel last year – all worked in Trump’s favor.
Following his victory, Trump must now prepare for government once again, undoubtedly drawing from a band of MAGA loyalists who have stuck with him through roiling controversies.
In 2016, he brought in officials from the Republican National Committee as well as from the armed forces who were seen as moderating influences. Trump, meanwhile, has made substantial inroads with male voters this year. Despite liberal criticisms that he and Vance were making the campaign – complete with a shirt-ripping Hulk Hogan – too ‘bro-tastic’, it appears a strong male voter turnout helped Trump clinch it in the end.
In recent weeks, Harris’s healthy poll lead waned, as she finally buckled to pressure to submit herself to rigorous TV interviews. Her rambling and often incoherent answers to questions drew ire even among fans, with veteran Dem strategist David Axelrod last month accusing Harris of going to ‘word salad city’.
In the final days of the campaign, pollsters were almost unanimous in their verdict: this race was too close to call. Some Trump-friendly analysts, however, pointed to the fact he is consistently under-polled, and that a dead-heat suggested he had the advantage.
Certainly, the immigration crisis on the Southern border, the state of the economy and inflation, as well as the Biden-Harris administration’s record on foreign affairs – from the botched Afghanistan withdrawal in 2021, to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, and the outbreak of war in Israel last year – all worked in Trump’s favor.
Following his victory, Trump must now prepare for government once again, undoubtedly drawing from a band of loyalists who have stuck with him through roiling controversies. In 2016, he brought in officials from the Republican National Committee as well as from the armed forces who were seen as moderating influences.
‘It wasn’t necessarily the act of making French fries or running the drive-thru window.
‘It was when he made his approach in the motorcade down the street in Bucks County in Feasterville [PA]. There were 10,000 people lining the street, ten deep on both sides, and that was not a crowd that we built.’ The McDonald’s stunt was meant to be unadvertised, but a local paper got hold of the details and published a story, bringing out a spontaneous crowd.
DONALD Trump has donned an apron to make French fries – as he tried out working at McDonald’s. The Republican presidential candidate worked a shift under the golden arches in the swing state of Pennsylvania today. He said: “I’m looking for a job. And I’ve always wanted to work at McDonald’s but I never did. “I’m running against somebody that said she did, but it turned out to be a totally phony story.”
In the end, an equally spontaneous and sizable voter turnout – both in early ballots and on Election Day itself – buoyed Trump to victory and kick-started a second term that no doubt will be as dramatic and consequential as the first.
‘If we’re not careful, we’re going to spend this country into oblivion.’
Most of the politicians in Washington, DC are focused on a push to spend trillions of more taxpayer dollars on President Biden’s agenda. But Senator Rand Paul is raising the alarm about all the money the federal government has already spent—that it doesn’t have.
“We’re rapidly approaching a milestone in our country, it’s not a good one: $30 trillion in debt,” Paul noted in a fiery Senate speech on Thursday, October 7, 2021. He said the federal government is accumulating “$2 million per minute” in new debt.
Why is the fiscal situation so out of control? The senator blamed the “bait and switch” politics of big government spending and the welfare state.
“People are saying we’re going to give you free college, free cars, free cell phones, free this, free that,” Paul said. “Everything in life will be free, you won’t have to work anymore. The problem is there are ramifications. Money doesn’t grow on trees… money has got to come from somewhere.”
“Either we borrow it… we tax people for it, or we simply print the money,” he continued. “When the Federal Reserve prints the money, as we increase the money supply, the money we already have becomes worth less and less. It loses its purchasing power. This is the insidious tax of inflation. Inflation is a regressive tax… it affects the working class, lower income people, and those on fixed incomes, much worse.”
Paul’s arguments come amid data showing that consumer prices have risen at the highest annual rates in 30 years. The senator blamed, in part, policy decisions and reckless spending at all levels of government for this harmful trend.
“Right now, we’re facing 5 percent inflation, because of the massive borrowing that really both parties instituted in the last year,” he said. “They decided that the result of the pandemic would be to close everything down, destroy the economy, and give everyone free money. It’s primarily been Democrats this year… but both parties have a certain responsibility for this.”
“As government gets larger and larger, people think they’re getting free stuff,” he continued. “But it’s not really free. This is the allure of socialism… it’s a false allure… socialism doesn’t work. It is this alarming tendency to want to offer everybody everything and say it’s going to be free. Many of these things backfire.”
The senator briefly explained how the federal government wound up nearly $30 trillion in debt. For one, he cites rampant waste like the feds’ spending millions on a study into whether cocaine makes quail more sexually promiscuous.
“Studies like that are littered throughout the federal budget,” he lamented. Within the bigger picture, the vast entitlement programs composing our welfare state are what’s driving us off a fiscal cliff.
“Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, food stamps, other welfare, military… if you look at all that on an annual basis, before you get to the extraordinary binge of the last two years, we were already $1 trillion short every year,” Paul explained. “So last year we added a couple trillion more… and our deficit for one year was $3 trillion.
We’ve never borrowed that much. There are going to be ramifications. You’re already seeing some of the ramifications; prices in the grocery store going up, prices at the pump go up, prices going up faster than wages.”
Despite all these warning signs, many of Paul’s colleagues in Congress are pushing $4.5 trillion more in spending on top of it all. “If we’re not careful, we’re going to spend this country into oblivion,” the senator concluded.
He’s right. But it’s not too late to avert this path, if more of our elected officials wake up to our fiscal crisis and heed Rand Paul’s warning.
A bit more than a decade ago, One Big Ass Mistake America, with his first term occurring under united Democratic party rule, contributed just shy of $2.2 trillion in new spending during his time in office, or more than $1 trillion less than Biden.
The following are the Federal Fiscal Year budget deficits from the St. louis Fed starting with the year prior to the Trump Admin to present, 2016 – 585 billion 2017 – 665 billion 2018 – 779 billion 2019 – 984 billion 2020 – 3.132 trillion (pandemic relief programs) 2021 – 2.775 trillion 2022 – 1.376 trillion 2023 – 1.696 trillion 2024 – 1.834 trillion.
Then, add one billion dollars per DAY through 1-20-25.
In 2025, Interest on the Debt will be Trillion Dollars That is the total sum damage this admin has spent since he was inserted like a plumbing shit plunger device.
It is amazing how this incompetent and dementia ridden man was put in this position in the first place… this is why they are being replaced by people who understand the waste of public funds. You can’t just keep printing money …. with a hidden tax of 25% to 30% on everything we buy in the form of inflation.
Good point, but I fail to see the magic that will rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge, or the repairs to Transportation infrastructure from hurricanes and flooding during the past 6 to 9 months. These things generally require funding. You only have congress to blame for this madness.
They dilly dally around with the budget and who comes up short?
We the People… That’s right the very people we send them there to take care of. We elect both democrats and republicans to make sure the country is funded. Funding that is supposed to be available on October 1st. This process hasn’t been done on time in 29 years. So there you have it folks incompetence at its best.
Meaningful comments you say?
HMMM, FEMA withheld funding to Trump supporters, Biden/Harris and Mayorkas robbed FEMA funding dollars to fund Biden’s migrants, to what extent we don’t know yet. Biden’s request for “FEMA” funding isn’t all going to FEMA, if you look at his request for funding fine print you’ll see that is a fact.
And last but not least the current admin has ZERO credibility in regard to spending the taxpayers money wisely and even going to the extent of lying about where it’s going. Had enough yet? There’s a reason Joey got booted by his own party as well as a reason the Lib/Dems got Annihilated in the election.
The American people are fed up with their bs.
The Biden administration spent trillions of dollars we didn’t have on things we didn’t need. What a bunch of incompetent people. Well, Biden, Harris and Mayorkas raided just about every department to pay for the migrant invasion. Of course, they went into the DOT funds to pay for all the buses and charter flights to move them all over the country.
INVESTING IN AMERICA:
Biden-Harris Administration Announces More Than $4.2 Billion From the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for Transformational, National Infrastructure Projects, (roads & bridges) Monday, October 21, 2024, This was taken from the DOT website.
How can you waste that much money in so short a time and see no results?
Much Like Kamala Harris Spending $1.5 Billion in 107 days on her failure 😉
During Biden’s Regime: How many billions were wasted on non-citizens?
Like the ones that murdered Laken Riley, Jocelyn Nungaray, & Rachel Morin?
How much was spent flying in millions from other countries?
How much was spent on the Hunter Biden’s Cocaine habit and what was on his laptop?
Hey Pothole Petey. What did you do with the budget?
Now we know where Biden has been getting all the money for Ukraine. The state dept says they have only spent 50 billion on weapons since 2022. add that to the pentagons unbalanced budget for the seventh time in a row. The fema budget that they claim has spent 1.4 billion on housing for illegals.
Biden’s administration has bled money like a jugular wound since 2021. No one can say where the money went and exactly how much has been spent. Add to that Biden sold the wall materials and our oil reserve to China. Also, all that money went to Ukraine. We need to know exactly what this man has taken from us Americans. Think we ever will?
It will take this rebuilt Trump administration a lot to even come close to straightening this mess out. Biden also robbed from Medicare to Pay Illegals to invade our border and now this. Next, they are leading us into WWIII and will blame it all on Trump.
CAMARILLO, Calif. — Al and Phyllis Nordquist lived in the same home on Garrido Drive for 53 years.
It’s where the couple raised their three kids and became empty nesters, grandparents and then great-grandparents. “It was just so peaceful, we thought this is where we want to spend the rest of our life,” Phyllis, 87, said.
But all of it was gone within minutes when the Mountain Fire tore through their neighborhood. The couple rushed to evacuate after a neighbor alerted them that the flames were closing in on their home.
“I said, ‘Well, let me get my Volvo out,’” Al, 89, recalled.
“He said, ‘No. He says, now. It’s going to hit.’ And he was right.”
The Mountain Fire in Ventura County, northwest of Los Angeles, started Nov. 6 and rapidly grew to nearly 20,000 because of winds. On Monday, it was 98 percent contained, officials said.
Before it was under control, thousands of residents were forced to evacuate and more than 200 structures, including the Nordquists’ home, were destroyed. Nearly all of the couple’s possessions were reduced to ashes.
“Basically, it was our life. Our whole life is right here where we lived,” Al said, standing outside what was left of his property. “I didn’t think, well, what would be left or not be left,” Phyllis said. “I just was hoping, whatever was left, at least, that we’d have pictures or something.”
When Al and Phyllis Nordquist returned to their home after evacuating because of the Mountain Fire, most of their possessions had been destroyed.
They were shocked to return home and discover one thing untouched among the rubble: a single bookshelf containing one of their most important possessions — their wedding album.
The fire spared irreplaceable photos from the day they married in 1961 ,a day Al calls “the best day of my life.” “I mean, we were young and in love and the rest of it just didn’t matter to me,” he said.
“I had her and I got the prize.”
For Phyllis, the album serves as a symbol of the life they started together 63 years ago.
And now, in their late 80s, it’s a symbol yet again as they rebuild.
“That was our beginning, and now we’re experiencing a new beginning,” she said.
The couple says their faith, love and community — including beloved neighbors who started a fundraiser to help them get back on their feet — will get them through.
“For some reason, I have great peace in my heart and excitement for what’s to come in the future,” Phyllis said. “It’s a place God provided for us,” Al said. “And also, we’re extremely happy to be here and to still own the property and be able to rebuild.”
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
We are raising money to help our dear neighbors restart and rebuild their lives after losing their homes and everything they had to the Mountain Fire. Four homes on our street burned to the ground, and the homes next door suffered terrible smoke damage.
The money raised here will be split evenly among the Garrido Drive fire victims who could really use some help getting their lives back on track and the neighbors who need help with costly smoke remediation.
The families who need to rebuild are facing a multi-year process with insurance to rebuild and may not receive the full amount they need to repurchase home items, clothes and furniture, and smoke remediation can add up to thousands of dollars and is often not covered fully by insurance.
Here’s a bit more about our neighbors who lost their homes. Al and Phyllis Nordquist have lived on our street for 55 years and are the original owners of their home. They raised their family there with love and faith and have lost everything. They’re in their late 80’s, but they are determined to rebuild their family house and call Garrido Drive home once again.
Adam and Maddie Zack and their young daughter moved to Garrido Drive three years ago. Adam operates a tugboat, and Maddie grew flowers for her business from the backyard of their house, so losing their home is also losing business and income to their family. Their daughter is just starting school, and she loves Harry Potter and Hello Kitty.
Dick & Sherie Galante have lived in their home, formerly owned by Dick’s parents, since the 1990’s. Dick just returned home from the hospital one month ago from reconstructive gastrointestinal surgery. Their home was their own art gallery with three generations of antiques collected by their families, and more than 300 sculptures made by Sherie’s father, Lou Rankin, a sculptor who made art for the White House and global art events. Those sculptures and memories were all destroyed, but the Galante’s say there is nowhere else they could imagine calling home and are determined to rebuild.
We live across the street from Al & Phyllis and have lived next door to all these families for almost a decade. We launched this fundraiser to help our friends and neighbors start the journey to normalcy because our home was spared. Two thirds of the money from the fundraiser will be given to the families who lost their homes on our street, and the remaining third will be given to any neighbors with smoke or flame damage to their homes that need help reaching their insurance deductible. We plan to run the fundraiser for one month, and dispense checks to our neighbors after 2 weeks and then again at the end of the month!
There are five locations scattered around the world: Okinawa, Japan; Loma Linda, California; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Ikaria, Greece. These “Blue Zones” as they were named by Emmy award winning and adventurist Dan Buettner, are in various geographic regions around the world. They represent the areas that have the longest life expectancy WITH the lowest cancer, diabetes, heart disease rates.
Once Buettner and his team took a closer look into their cultures, diets & qualities of life. He was able to see similarities to get to the core of what makes these communities different from the rest of the world. Where there are a multitude of factors that play into a long healthy life, one of the primary factors discovered here was diet.
Each of these areas plates might look different, they do have some base similarities in eating predominantly plant based, at least a half of a cup of greens and one cup of beans a day. Each group would eat “real, unprocessed foods, mostly plants. Rich in beans and other legumes and whole grains, and starchy vegetables, fresh fruits and greens, and other vegetables. In other words, every Blue Zone ate some variation of a whole foods, plant based diet.” (1)
Most of the five areas do eat small amounts of meat, drink water, tea, coffee, & red wine & eat whole grains. The only one that is strictly against drinking alcohol is the Adventists of Loma Linda; of this group most of whom are also vegan or vegetarian. The Adventists are the longest living group on the planet and as they are intentionally preserving this way of life, they may soon become one of the last Blue Zones as Western Ideals & Manufacturing spreads further around the globe.
The bottom line from this article is that the healthiest and longest living people in the world eat food, mostly plants. If they are doing it to this day, you can too.
If you’d like more information about the Blue Zones and other research they’ve found, please go to www.bluezones.com.
(1) Mackey, John; Pulde, MD, Alona; and Lederman, MD Matthew. (April 2017) The Whole Foods Diet, pp 83.
The Okinawa Centenarian Study is a study of the elderly people of Okinawa, Japan. The study, funded by Japan’s ministry of health, is the largest of its kind ever carried out. Over the years, the scientists involved have had access to more than 600 Okinawan centenarians.[1]
The elderly of Okinawa enjoy what may be the longest life expectancy in the world, and are also known for enjoying relatively good health while doing so. The three leading killers in the West—coronary heart disease, stroke, and cancer—occur in Okinawans with the lowest frequency in the world.[2]
The goal of the study is to find out why this is the case.
Compared to Westerners, the islanders age slowly and are about 80% less likely to get heart disease. They are also a quarter less likely to get breast or prostate cancer.
Additionally, they have half the risk of getting colon cancer and are less likely than Westerners to get dementia. On average they spend 97% of their lives free of any disabilities.[1]
The average age of the inhabitants reaches 88.1 years and is the highest life expectancy for the Greeks, more than 79.8 in the country.In fact, people in Ikaria live on average ten years longer than those in the rest of Europe and the United States. Approximately one in three Ikarians live into their nineties. They not only live longer, however, but better, as well—at least where it concerns their health.
With Longer Average Life Spans, Here’s What Loma Linda Residents Teach us About Longevity | KTLA. The U.S.’s only Blue Zone is a haven for the Seventh-day Adventist Church, a Protestant denomination. A shared set of principles, emphasis on community and adherence to the Sabbath—a day of rest, reflection and recharging— help Loma Linda Adventists live 10 years longer than their fellow Americans. Many avoid meat and eat plenty of plants, whole grains and nuts.
In Nicoya, Costa Rica, where average incomes are among the nation’s lowest, the average life span is 85 — among the world’s highest.
Perhaps the most enchanting thing about the serene and beautiful Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica is that it’s a blue zone, or an area where people regularly live to be 100 years old.
ULTIMATE Guide to the Nicoya Peninsula and Best Things to do!
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The Nicoya Peninsula is the largest peninsula in Costa Rica and includes two of the most visited provinces in the country – Guanacaste and Puntarenas. Its popularity lies in the fact it’s one of the top surf destinations in Costa Rica, and it exudes a laid-back, hippie vibe that so many people flock to so as to escape from the real world.
On this stretch of the Pacific Coast, there are miles upon miles of sandy beaches, charming surf towns, and epic activities like zip lining, scuba diving, fishing, and horseback riding. And did I mention world-class surfing here? If you’re big into surfing, you just have to visit the Nicoya Peninsula!
To help you plan your upcoming vacation to the Nicoya Peninsula, here are 7 of the most popular towns to visit on the peninsula and 15 of the best activities. I’ve also included a detailed guide on the region, including the best hotels to stay at and how to easily get around the peninsula.
About the Nicoya Peninsula
Just enjoying a SUP on the small waves in Samara!
The Nicoya Peninsula is one of only five Blue Zone areas globally, which means that people here live the longest and are among the healthiest people in the world. This healthy, laid-back lifestyle attracts thousands of visitors every year to this 121-kilometer-long (75-mile) stretch of land on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica.
This area includes Guanacaste and Puntarenas provinces and is notorious for epic surf, chilled-out beach towns, and fun adrenalin-pumping activities like zip lining and ATVing.
Some noteworthy towns here include Santa Teresa, Nosara, and Samara – all large towns with lots of restaurants, hotels, and activities.
Nosara is a more upmarket town with a great surf beach (Playa Guiones), and it’s also known worldwide as a great place to practice yoga.
Santa Teresa attracts a younger crowd, and as a result, it’s a great place to party and surf – some of the best waves in Costa Rica can be caught at “Suck Rock” or Playa Hermosa near the town.
In contrast, the small town of Samara has a more hippie vibe and is home to the gorgeous and secluded Playa Izquierda.
Some smaller towns on the Nicoya Peninsula include Montezuma, Paquera, Playa Ostional and Manzanillo.
Without a doubt, the Nicoya Peninsula is one of the most popular destinations home to some of the best things to do in Costa Rica.
Is the Nicoya Peninsula worth visiting?
Is the Nicoya Peninsula safe?
When is the best time to visit the Nicoya Peninsula?
Is the Nicoya Peninsula busy?
What is the best airport to fly to when visiting the Nicoya Peninsula?
Getting around the Nicoya Peninsula
A bus that travels from Montezuma to Santa Teresa
Most tourists come to the Nicoya Peninsula from San Jose, the closest large city to the peninsula and where the San Jose International Airport is located. With that said, you can also access the Nicoya Peninsula from Liberia with the distance being very similar.
The fastest way to get to the Nicoya Peninsula from San Jose and Liberia is to hop on a short flight from either airport to Tambor Airport, and these flights operate several times per day and will take just 30 minutes. The flights are operated by Sansa Air – Costa Rica’s domestic air carrier. Expect to pay around $120 USD for each flight one way. Please note, Tambor Airport is located in the south of the Nicoya Peninsula and is the only airport in the area.
If you have a rental car, you can easily drive to the Nicoya Peninsula from San Jose; you will need to go on Route 27 for two hours to Puntarenas and then hop on an hour-long ferry to Paquera. Discover Cars is my go-to car rental service in Costa Rica and they have a pick up location in San Jose!
Once in Paquera, head to the town of your choice. If you don’t have a rental car, you can hire a private driver or catch a cab, but this can be costly!
This shuttle from San Jose is a great option to take you anywhere on the Nicoya Peninsula from San Jose International Airport. It also operates up and down the peninsula, so you can book it to get between the towns here; it’s comfortable, reliable, and reasonably priced.
From Liberia, you can do the same. This specific shuttle will take groups from Liberia Airport to most locations on the Nicoya Peninsula including Santa Teresa, Samara, and Nosara.
Once you’ve arrived on the Nicoya Peninsula, you will notice that the roads here are in bad condition, and so if you want to drive yourself, you will need to rent a 4WD car. Alternatively, there’s a daily shuttle service between the towns here that is operated by Tropical Tours Shuttles (based in Santa Teresa); you can check availability and prices on their website. I have used them a lot, and they are reliable!
For getting around each town, there are known locally as ‘collectivos,’ a shared taxi system typically operated in a small bus or minivan. They are sparse in some smaller towns like Montezuma and Paquera but are readily available in Santa Teresa, Samara, and Nosara.
It’s worth noting that most of the towns here are small, so they are easily navigated on foot or you can rent a scooter/ ATV. This is my personal choice when visiting as it’s super convenient!
Public buses operate on the hour between Santa Teresa and Cobano and Montezuma and Cobano, stopping several times along the way. There is also a public bus between Samara and Nosara, which is easy to use. When traveling between towns such as from Montezuma to Nosara though, these routes are very complex and take a lot of time, so taking a shuttle is best.
Remember, even though a place looks close on a map, many of the coastal roads cross rivers and are not commonly used. For this reason, please plan ahead and reach out if you have any questions about specific routes.
Best Time to Visit the Nicoya Peninsula
This is the best time of the day in Samara!
The best time to visit the Nicoya Peninsula for a relaxing holiday is during the dry season from December to April. During this time, the weather is beautiful and the towns are filled with visitors.
Of course, this means you must book your trip in advance – especially accommodation. You should also consider making dinner reservations at popular restaurants over the Christmas and New Year periods.
The wet season on the Nicoya Peninsula runs from May until November, and this is known as the best time to surf. It is also much cheaper to visit the Nicoya Peninsula during this time!
Most Popular Places to Visit on the Nicoya Peninsula
1. Montezuma
Walking along Cocalito Beach from Montezuma!
Montezuma is a small town yet to break onto the busy tourist trail in Costa Rica. Although it still receives a healthy dose of tourism, Montezuma has held onto much of its authentic laidback Costa Rican vibe compared to Santa Teresa, Samara, or even Nosara. This makes it a great place to visit!
Despite being such a small village, Montezuma offers some great things to do. These include tours to spectacular islands, beautiful waterfalls, and even two nature reserves nearby!
One of the most popular things to do from Montezuma is to go on a day trip to Tortuga Island, a small island within the Islas Negritos Biological Reserve. It’s home to fantastic snorkeling, white sand beaches, and many coconuts! Tortuga Island is just a 45-minute boat ride from Montezuma. The boat journey is so scenic, and you’ll be spoiled with fantastic views (you’ll also get to see Cocalito Falls!)
The snorkeling here is the best I have seen in Costa Rica – even better than Caño Island! After this, the boat drops you on Tortuga Island for a delicious lunch and plenty of drinks (beers, juice, and pop.) You’ll have a few hours to relax, play volleyball, kayak, or drink many coco locos.
Another fantastic day trip from Montezuma is to visit the stunning (and free) Montezuma Waterfall. In fact, this is one of the few free waterfalls you can see in Costa Rica. It’s an easy walk from town to the falls.
One of the most relaxing things to do in Montezuma is simply to chill on Montezuma Beach, the main beach in the town. During the day, it’s filled with beachgoers, and at sunset, it feels like the entire town is on the beach. And at night, people party around bonfires until the early hours. It’s easily one of my favorite beaches in all of Costa Rica!
After you’re done exploring, there are plenty of great restaurants to check out in Montezuma including one of the best Italian restaurants in Costa Rica!
Montezuma is the perfect place for the laid-back hippy type who want very little traffic, chilled vibes, and limited services. I personally love Montezuma – it is a highlight of the Nicoya Peninsula!
Where to Stay in Montezuma
Luminosa Montezuma Hostel – $
For budget travelers, Luminosa Montezuma Hostel is the top choice in town. Although located a short walk from town, the hostel is right on the beach in a beautiful area of Montezuma.
Rooms options include both shared dorms and private rooms. Rates begin at $30 USD/night. You can book the hostel on Hosteworld here or Booking.com here.
Hotel Cabinas Mar Y Cielo – $$
Another great place to stay is Hotel Cabinas Mar Y Cielo which falls into the low to medium budget category. Again this hotel is located right on the beach, and their rooms come with sea views which I love
All of the rooms have private bathrooms. Rates begin at $72 USD/night. You can make reservations online here on Booking.com.
One of my friends caught a wave for the first time!
This small coastal town is built along Santa Teresa Beach – which is notorious in the surfing world. In fact, it attracts thousands of surfers every year!
With that said, Santa Teresa is so much more than just a surf town. These days it’s the ideal place for a beach getaway with lots of cafes, restaurants, and beach clubs. On top of that, there are a ton of awesome things to do in Santa Teresa, and these include exploring nature reserves to practicing yoga!
The entire town lines one long street that stretches from South Santa Teresa to North Santa Teresa. Walking from one end to the other is a challenge. In fact, the entire street is over 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) long. However, there are no sidewalks, so walking along the highway can be dangerous and not overly pleasant. This is why renting an ATV or side by side has become the best way to get around Santa Teresa.
You can pretty much surf all up and down the coast at Santa Teresa. High tide is always the best time which is also when it’s most crowded. A few popular surf breaks include “Suck Rock,” across from Red Palm Villas and Resort.
A small point break I love is located to the south of town near Mal Pais. To find it, drive to this point and then walk right along the beach. You’ll eventually come to a small secluded bay. Here you can paddle out and surf the wave that hugs the rocks to the left of the bay. This point break is only surfable at high tide, but you can often surf here without the crowds.
For those with experience, there are so many places to rent surfboards in town so bringing your own board is optional. If you’d prefer to learn from a professional, this specific lesson is top-rated in Santa Teresa and comes with go pro photos/ video, your board rental, and a rash guard UPF 20+.
Overall, Santa Teresa is a trendy town that’s often packed with tourists. Although it still has a laid back vibe it is certainly getting busier each year, and to be honest, this has turned me off visiting recently.
Where to stay in Santa Teresa
Lost Boys Hostel – $
For budget travelers, I love Lost Boys Hostel. They have reasonably cheap dorm rooms, but the hostel is fantastic! Huge pool, restaurant, kitchen, treehouse, and friendly atmosphere. On top of that, they host a ton of events and tours. The location is also central, so you’re not too far from anything.
Rates for a dorm start at about $36 USD per night. You can check availability and book on Hostelworld here.
Santa Teresa Surf Vista Villas – $$
Those with a larger budget can find some really great hotels in Santa Teresa. If you don’t mind being up on a hill, Santa Teresa Surf Vista Villas is such a gorgeous hotel because of the breathtaking views. They have a pool overlooking the ocean and offer yoga classes.
The sleepy coastal town of Sámara is often the go-to choice for a family getaway on the Nicoya Peninsula. The town is rather quiet and very safe which I love. It’s also a great place to try your hand at surfing. That’s because Sámara’s rather protected bay means the swells here are much calmer than nearby towns such as Nosara and Santa Teresa.
On top of that, Sámara is home to tons of amazing things to see and do. A short drive out of town has you exploring waterfalls in the mountains, and on a short trip out to sea, you can snorkel with marine life or enjoy a cocktail on a sunset cruise. Sámara really is a top choice!
Although Sámara Beach is much calmer than other surf towns, there are still some waves to surf. The best part is that beginners can relax and enjoy the surf a lot more because the waves in Sámara are smaller and much lighter.
The best time to surf in Sámara is at high tide, and during this time, the water is busy – especially if the high tide is at sunset! If you’re an experienced surfer, you can rent surfboards on the beach.
A hidden gem in Samara is Izquierda Beach, a 45-minute walk from the town. The beach is typically people-free and what’s super-cool about this beach is that when the tide goes out, there are lots of little tidal pools to swim in and relax in.
If you love waterfalls, I highly recommend visiting Belen Waterfall, which is around 25 minutes from Sámara by car. There are some small pools at the top of the waterfall to relax in, and it’s a beautiful place to spend a few hours.
On the beach in Samara, you’ll find tons of fantastic restaurants and beach clubs. The town certainly focuses on local produce and you can really tell with the fresh ingredients.
I personally love visiting Samara and enjoy the small-town feel with very little traffic. It’s one of those places you can visit barefoot and still explore!
Where to stay in Samara
Las Mariposas – $
If you’re on a budget, there are many options, but not many are good. Las Mariposas is my top choice, with its location only 100 meters from the beach. The hostel has a great atmosphere for meeting other travelers and is suited for the social backpacker.
If you consider yourself a mid-range traveler, then I actually have a great choice for you (catering to couples and families). Hotel Entre Dos Aguas is a rustic hotel with simple amenities on a beautiful property. Perfect for those who want a true Costa Rican stay.
Rates begin at $60 USD/night. You can book a room at Hotel Entre Dos Aguas here on Booking.com.
Over the years, Nosara has changed from an off-the-beaten-path surf break to a bustling tourist town a little more bougie these days than hippy. Of course, this won’t suit everyone because the cost of staying in Nosara can be expensive. However, with epic surf almost all year round and a safe environment for visitors,Nosara is a top destination for surfers, families, couples, groups, and, well, everyone!
The number one reason people started coming to Nosara in the first place was because of the beach breaks at Guiones Beach. There are both left and right waves on Guiones, and with 7 kilometers of beach, there’s plenty of space for everyone.
There are waves to surf all year round. However, the best time to surf in Nosara is from March to November. This also happens to be the low season, so avid surfers enjoy the lower prices and lack of people. If you’re a new or inexperienced surfer, it’s best to do a lesson in Nosara. The swells here can be large, and having a guide with you, at least on your first time, is a great idea. As you can imagine, the town is filled with surf schools.
One of my favorite beaches along this coastline isPlaya Pelada which lies to the north of Guiones Beach. Here, there are tidal pools to the north of the beach and a blowhole to the south that shoots water into the air and makes a lot of noise.
The best spot in Nosara to refuel for the day ahead is at Destiny Cafe. This popular cafe serves up delicious breakfast and brunch meals with local ingredients and unique twists. It’s the best restaurant in Nosara in my opinion!
On the other hand, if you’re looking for an amazing place to enjoy a meal or sunset drink in town, look no further than La Luna. The restaurant has an oceanfront location on the south end of Playa Pelada; that’s stunning!
Nosara certainly doesn’t have the hippy backpacker vibe like Santa Teresa and Montezuma, it’s a high-end destination and to me, rather expensive. For this reason, my visits are usually short but I still absolutely love the town!
Where to stay in Nosara
It’s important to remember that you want to stay near Playa Guiones, not in Nosara. The town of Nosara is not near the beach and is also not where all the best restaurants and shops are. They are all in a small downtown area near the beach.
Selina Nosara – $$
For budget travelers, stay at Selina Nosara. Although this hostel pushes into the medium-priced category, it’s worth spending the extra money. The hostel has a beautiful pool and tons of free activities every day. This is without a doubt the nicest hostel I have ever seen!
Your options are much better for those with a little more to spend. My top choice is The Sunset Shack for around the $250 USD a night price range. The hotel is perfectly located, close to the beach, and has a pool.
Paquera is a small town on the southernmost tip of the Nicoya peninsula and has made its name by being the place from which many tourists catch the ferry to the Puntarenas. It’s a pity that most tourists just pass through this authentic Costa Rican town as, despite its small size, there’s a surprising amount of awesome activities on offer here.
From visiting nearby Isla Tortuga to exploring remote beaches and fishing, there’s an activity for every type of traveler here in Paquera.
Paquera is the closest (and the cheapest) place to hop on a tour to the famed Isla Tortuga, aka Tortuga Island. As detailed earlier, this small island is home to white-sand beaches and some of the best snorkeling in Costa Rica – you’re likely to see angelfish, moray eels, needlefish, and even spotted eagle rays. This particular snorkeling tour is highly recommended, and the boat departs from Playa Paquera (the main beach in town) and costs $50 USD per person.
Playa Organos is an isolated, hard-to-reach gem of a beach an 18-minute drive from Paquera. The beach doesn’t have many facilities, there are no toilets and just two small shacks on the beach, but it’s stunningly beautiful and a great spot for a swim thanks to the clear, calm waters!
Fishing is a popular activity here, and you can catch huge fish like sailfish, marlin, and tuna in the waters surrounding the town. In fact,booking a tour is the only way to try offshore fishing, and these leave the Paquera ferry landing at 7 am daily. For those with a keen interest in fishing, it’s a must-do!
For budget travelers, El Gecko Hotel is a social place to stay with a large garden with BBQ facilities and a lovely shared lounge. Some of the rooms even have a small kitchenette and fridge, so it’s a great option if you plan on spending a few nights in Paquera.
Eco Boutique Hotel Vista Las Islas Reserva Natural – $$
If you’re after a more luxurious option in Paquera, then why not consider Eco Boutique Hotel Vista Las Islas Reserva Natural, which has an infinity pool, private beach access, and views of the Gulf of Nicoya and the surrounding mountains. Accommodation here is bungalow-style and is spacious (all rooms come with a private balcony too!)
Playa del Ostional is home to one of the most amazing wildlife phenomena in Costa Rica. An arribada, as it’s called, is when hundreds of turtles come to shore to dig and lay their eggs on a beach at once. Playa del Ostional is a 20-minute drive (9.9 km) from the town of Nosara and people typically only visit for the day.
From Nosara, you can join a tour to the reserve for $60 USD per person. These leave very early in the morning or after dark and visit the beach during the arribada. You can literally see hundreds, if not thousands, of turtles at the same time. It’s one of the best experiences in Costa Rica! However, these tours pretty much only include transport to and from the beach. You can easily book these tours when you arrive in town; there is no need to book in advance.
However, if you want to learn (in-depth) about the turtles and the arribada, book your tour with the Wildlife Conservation Association. Their tour involves talking with an expert about the phenomena, transport, and a guided tour on the beach. This costs $150 USD but is the best experience available.
Additionally, Playa Ostional is a popular surfing beach, and some nice waves can be caught here!
Where to stay in Ostional
Cabinas Arribadas – $
There are limited accommodation options in Playa Ostional, but Cabinas Arribadas is a great, reasonably-priced option just 700 meters from the beach. It also features a restaurant, a large garden, and a shared lounge. The rooms here are shared dorm-style.
Rates begin at $70 USD/night for two guests. You can check availability and book online here on Booking.com.
Villas Punta India – $$
Another option isVillas Punta Indiawhich is a little further from the beach (a 12-minute walk away), the villas here are spacious and stylish, and there’s also an outdoor pool and restaurant.
Located just a 20-minute drive away from Santa Teresa, Manzanillo is known for its beautiful white sand beach as well as its snorkeling and scuba diving opportunities. It’s a popular spot with locals and doesn’t attract too many tourists – which I think is a shame because it’s one of the best beaches on the Nicoya Peninsula, in my opinion.
At low tide, it’s best to avoid the water at Manzanillo beach because there are many rocks and an exposed coral reef. But at this time, you can walk over the rocks to a shallow lagoon, which is a great spot for snorkeling. If you want to swim, then head to calmer waters 10 km (6.21 mi) north atPlaya Ario. Along the way, you will come across the Caletas Ario Wildlife Reserve, a unique area that protects sea turtles.
There’s a small beachside restaurant here; that’s a great spot to watch the sunset from. A kilometer away from the beach is a small village called Belo Horizonte, which has two grocery stores.
Where to stay in Manzanillo
CalaMocha Lodge – $$
There aren’t any hotels in Manzanillo, but there is a lovely lodge near the village of Belo Horizonte called CalaMocha Lodge. It’s a 4-star property with an outdoor pool, and each room has a private balcony. It tends to close at certain times of the year, so it’s best to check availability well in advance.
Surfing is one of the most popular things to do on the Nicoya Peninsula, and there is certainly no shortage of surf spots.
One of the best is Santa Teresa which is a well-known surf beach with great waves all year round. Surfers from all over the world come for the laidback lifestyle, cheap rentals, and pumping surf breaks.
Some of the best surf breaks in Santa Teresa include what is known locally as “Suck Rock”. Another good surf spot close by to this is La Lora, which can get very busy at high tide. For beginners or those less-than-confident on a board, check out Playa Hermosa for some gentle waves, or consider this specific lesson is top-rated in Santa Teresa. Renting a surfboard from Santa Teresa town costs $10 USD for 24 hours.
72 kilometers (45 miles) from Santa Teresa (a 2-hour drive away) is Sámara Beach, where there are much calmer waves to be caught. It’s the perfect place for beginner surfers, in my opinion. You can easily rent boards on the beach; a 1-hour rental starts at $4 USD per hour and $15 USD for the entire day. But, high-performance boards cost more. It’s best to go surfing in Samara at high tide but beware; it can be really crowded.
Another top surfing destination on the Nicoya Peninsula is Guiones Beach, a 17-minute drive (7.4 km) from the town of Nosara. Here, surfers from around the world descend upon this 7 km (4.3 mi) stretch of beach to enjoy the left and right waves. You can easily rent a surfboard in town and prices are similar to other towns on the peninsula, and start from $10 USD for 24 hours.
And finally, from the town of Montezuma, it’s best to head further north to Playa Grande or to the south to Playa Cabuya. That’s because the main beach in Montezuma town is very rocky and not suitable for surfing. If you don’t have your own board with you you can rent one from Playa Grande or Montezuma beach.
Regardless, surfing should certainly be at the top of your Nicoya Peninsula bucket list!
2. Visit Tortuga Island
The white sand and calm water are just magical!
Tortuga Island is one of the top destinations in all of Costa Rica and is an incredibly popular day-trip option for tourists to the Nicoya Peninsula. Tortuga Island (also known as Isla Tortuga) is one of the best snorkeling and diving spots we’ve ever visited! It’s a must-visit for nature-lovers when visiting the Nicoya Peninsula!
Montezuma is, in my opinion, one of the best places to join a tour to the island because of its close proximity to Tortuga Island. It’s only a 45-minute boat ride away! The tour includes stops at not one but two snorkeling spots – where you can get up close to turtles, sharks, and tropical fish. On the tour, you will be treated to lunch on the island, and you can play volleyball or go kayaking before heading back to Montezuma.
You can also easily visit Tortuga Island from Paquera and Santa Teresa. As a matter of fact, the closest town to the island is Paquera, and many of the tours from here are great value for money. A popular guided tour option isthis one from Paquera; it’s a small group tour and costs from $55 USD per person – allow up to 6 hours for this tour.
If you want to try scuba diving on this magnificent island, then, be sure to book a tour with Zuma Tours, their tours leave from Montezuma Beach.
3. Explore the Montezuma Waterfalls
This is the pool above the bottom waterfall and easily the best place to swim!
Montezuma Waterfalls is one of a small number of free waterfalls you can visit in Costa Rica. You can easily walk to Montezuma Waterfalls from Montezuma town. There are three waterfalls here (lower, middle, and upper). The lower falls are the easiest to get to and involve walking along the right-hand side of the river for 20 minutes until you reach the waterfall. Although easy to get to, the lower falls are not the best place to enjoy a swim.
Instead, walk back the way you came from the base of the lower falls around 100 feet (30 meters) and cross the river (you can do so over some rocks.) On the other side, you’ll see some ropes and eventually some steps. Walk up these steps, always keeping right whenever two directions appear. This brings you to the upper waterfalls and a great place to enjoy a swim. But this still isn’t the best place to swim!
From the top, you want to climb down to the middle waterfall, which is to the right. If you walk to the far side of the river, you’ll see ropes that help guide you down. It’s not a hard climb, but those with mobility issues should not attempt it. Once down the bottom, you’ll be in a gorgeous infinity pool above the lower falls! It’s so beautiful!
Although visiting Montezuma Waterfall is free, there is a 1,000 colones ($1.90 USD) fee (cash only) to use the trail up to the upper waterfalls. Be sure to bring suitable footwear and be prepared to get them wet.
I should note that a day trip to the falls is also one of the most popular things to do from the nearby town of Santa Teresa (a 40-minute drive away). You can reach the falls from Santa Teresa either by bus or ATV and trust me, it’s worth the effort!
4. Go fishing
These are just a few of the tuna we caught!
If you’re a fan of fishing, then the Nicoya Peninsula is the perfect spot in Costa Rica – in the waters here, you can expect to catch anything from tuna, mahi-mahi, wahoo, and snapper! The offshore fishing opportunities here are world-class.
The fishing on the Nicoya Peninsula is year-round, but the best months are between December and April for sailfish, and tuna and mahi-mahi are more commonly caught from September to January.
One of the best things to do from Santa Teresa is to go on a fishing trip because you can catch some huge fish like the ones mentioned above. What’s great too is how cheap it is – you can expect to pay $40 USD per person. This particular tour is an inshore fishing charter for only $300 USD for up to 6 people. That means with a full crew, it’s about $50 USD per person! Your captain will know what fish to go for depending on the time of year, currents, and tides.
Paquera is another ideal spot to go on a fishing tour; here, you can fish both the waters of Cabo Blanco and Quepos. Most of the fish are caught by trawling, and the abundance of fish can be found 20-35 miles from the shore.
Why We Book Tours with Viator
Viator is a trusted online booking system for tours around the world! We almost always book our tours using Viator for a couple of reasons:
Free cancellation on most tours – Most of the tours on Viator allow you to cancel and get a full refund up to 24 hours in advance. This is handy in case plans change, or if booking an outdoor activity, the weather forecast is looking grim.
Reserve now and pay later – You can secure your spot on some of the most popular tours well in advance and not pay until closer to the day of the tour.
Lowest price guarantee – If you happen to find the same tour at a lower price elsewhere, Viator will refund you the price difference.
Pay in your chosen currency – Avoid costly international transaction fees by choosing to pay in your home currency.
Peace of mind – When booking with tour operators you find in person on the street or in small booking offices, you are often promised one thing and given another. This online platform holds tour operators accountable with a written description of inclusions as well as the opportunity for customers to leave reviews.
Yoga is not only good for building strength and stretching out your sore muscles from surfing, but it’s also incredibly relaxing. I myself love yoga and do it as often as I can when visiting the Nicoya Peninsula. Both Santa Teresa and Nosara offer plenty of different yoga classes; I’ve tried yoga in both these towns and highly recommend trying this relaxing sport for yourself!
In Santa Teresa, hostels such as Selina (both the north and south locations) offer classes for $15 USD. These are great if you’re just looking for a cheap drop-in class. Another studio that offers drop-in classes is Horizon Hotel & Yoga Center. A single session is $15 USD, and they have a class at 9 am. They also have a rooftop studio, so the views are breathtaking!
If you want a more intimate experience, Monkey Adventures Surf SUP Yoga offers private lessons as well as SUP Yoga and silk classes. Expect to pay around $90 USD for these classes.
Those looking to immerse themselves in yoga should check out some of the retreats in Santa Teresa. Believe Surf & Yoga Santa Teresa is one of the most popular, and they offer very reasonable packages, such as their four-night all-inclusive package for only $450 USD. They also have a budget 7-night retreat for $550 USD (based on one person.)
The town of Nosara is known as a health and wellness hub, and yoga studios are dotted all over Nosara. There is a range of programs, from drop-in classes to full-on yoga retreats and even yoga courses.
Nalu Studio is an excellent option if you’re just a part-time yogi like myself. They have regularly scheduled community classesalmost every day. They also have breathwork, meditation, and fitness classes. All classes cost $20 USD for drop-ins.
If you’re more serious about yoga, Bodhi Tree Yoga Resortoffers regular yoga retreats that last for a week. They certainly aren’t cheap, but they include your lodging, three meals a day, and 2 to 3 yoga sessions per day. They also have daily classes open to the public.
Regardless of your experience or passion for yoga, you can find a class in either Santa Teresa or Nosara to suit your needs!
6. See wildlife in Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve
A monkey in Reserva Natural Cabo Blanco
Did you know that Reserva Natural Cabo Blanco is the first-ever protected area in Costa Rica? The nature reserve was created by Nicolas Wessberg (from Sweden) and Karen Mogensen (from Denmark).
Cabo Blanco is located a short drive or bus ride from Santa Teresa or Montezuma in the town of Cabuya. You can easily get there by public bus, or if you have an ATV, you can drive.
You can explore the reserve via two hiking trails. The first one is the Danes Trail which leads through the forest in a loop not far from the ranger station. The trail is only 1.2 miles long (2 kilometers).
The second is the more popular Sueco Trail. The Sueco Trail is the main reason to visit the park, and it’s a 3.1 mile (5 kilometers) walk from the ranger station to Playa Cabo Blanco (10 kilometers/6.2 miles return). The trail takes just over an hour each way.
Along both trails, you can see various wildlife, including monkeys, bats, butterflies, birds, ants, and lizards. It’s also home to lots of wildflowers and beautiful trees. Wildlife lovers will be in paradise at Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve.
It costs $12 USD to visit the park, and it’s open from 8 am to 2 pm Wednesday to Sunday (closed Mondays and Tuesdays.)
7. Go ziplining
Ziplining Santa Teresa!
One of the most unique and fun ways to take in the scenery and get amongst the wildlife on the Nicoya Peninsula is on a ziplining tour. You can try out this fast-paced activity from Santa Teresa, Nosara, and Montezuma!
One of the best ziplining adventures on the peninsula is located near the town of Santa Teresa; in fact, it’s just a 10-minute drive away from the town. Imagine soaring high above the treetops with epic views of the ocean! That’s exactly what you get on this eight-cable ziplining tour with Zuma Tours.
The tour includes eight ziplines; would you believe one of the ziplines here is over 500 meters (1,640 feet) long! The ziplines can go pretty fast; you’re sure to get your adrenaline fix here. The best part is that the zip lining costs only $55 for adults and $50 USD for children without transport. If you need a ride to Mal Pais, add $15 USD to each person (it’s cheaper to get a taxi!) The tour is also suited to all ages, and no previous experience is required.
Alternatively, if you’re staying in the town of Nosara you can easily join a canopy tour from here. On this tour, operated by Miss Sky, you’ll get to see Nosara from above and explore the dense jungle that occupies the mountainsides. This particular tour is the longest in the world at 11 kilometers (6.8 miles). You’ll do 21 ziplines on the tour that are on average 500 meters (1,640 feet) long. The tour also includes a stop at a waterfall and finishes with a zipline into a five-story building. Prices start from $75 USD per adult and $50 USD for children aged between 5-12.
And finally, in the hills of Montezuma lies a nine-wire ziplining course operated by Sun Trails. On this tour, you’ll travel above the treetops with magnificent views and the chance to see wildlife such as monkeys. It also includes a stop at Montezuma Waterfall (upper falls) to cool down for 30 minutes. The tour is top-rated and easily one of the best things to do in Montezuma. What’s great too is that it costs just $50 USD per person.
If you haven’t been ziplining in Costa Rica yet, the Nicoya Peninsula offers the perfect chance to try out this unique sport!
8. Scuba diving
A manta ray while scuba diving in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica
There’s some awesome diving on the Nicoya Peninsula, and that’s coming from someone who’s dived in some of the best sites around the world. In my opinion, it’s best to base yourself in the town of Santa Teresa if you want to try out this unique sport. You can also go scuba diving at Tortuga Island!
Santa Teresa is certainly an underrated dive town. There are some of Costa Rica’s best dive sites around Santa Teresa just waiting to be explored!
There are two distinct seasons in Santa Teresa when it comes to ocean life. The first is from January to April, when you have a great chance of seeing huge manta rays. The other (and my favorite) is August to September when you can see humpback whales. Of course, all year round, you can swim with sea turtles, reef sharks, stingrays, and huge schools of fish.
Iguana Divers is the best company in Santa Teresa to dive with, and the dive sites they take you to are “secret spots,” so no one else will find them without a GPS. They only take out small groups (around six divers), and two dive masters come with the group to lead the way. A standard two-tank dive costs $125 USD with Iguana Divers.
Similarly, you can easily add on diving to your Tortuga Island tour – the dive spots here are excellent! Expect to see a ton of marine life and explore areas much deeper than the snorkel sites. If you’re a keen diver be sure to book with Zuma Tours, their dive tours include everything you would expect from a scuba diving tour and one dive costs $150 USD. The tour lasts from 9 am to 4 pm, and departs from Montezuma Beach.
If you want a really special experience on the Nicoya Peninsula, then exploring nature with a beautiful animal is a great shout. For highly-recommended horseback adventure, check out Ollie’s Adventures horseback riding tours in Santa Teresa. And although they operate from Santa Teresa, they can take you anywhere on the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, including Mal Pais, Hermosa, and Montezuma.
They offer a range of tours from 1 hour to 4+ hours, and their cheapest tour starts at only $68 USD. You can choose to have a relaxing ride on the beach, through the jungle, on a farm, or all three. It’s the perfect way to explore and meet a new friend! The best part is Ollie looks after his horses really well. In fact, they work one month on one month off, giving them ample rest.
Another great place to try out horseback riding is from the town of Nosara, as the entire area is filled with trails used to navigate the mountains, rivers, and dense jungle.
On this horseback riding tour, you’ll head off with your newfound friend and explore the area for 1 hour. Along the way, you’ll cross rivers, spot monkeys, and even take the horses for a shower afterward.
10. Party
Drinks in the plaza!
The Nicoya Peninsula tends to attract a young and vibrant bunch of travelers from all over the world. Three of the best’ party towns’ in the region are Santa Teresa, Montezuma and Nosara. There are plenty of places to party in these vibrant towns!
On Wednesday and Saturday nights in Santa Teresa, Disco Bar La Brosy is the place to be. This local dive bar/ club packs out with locals and visitors who come to mingle and let their hair down. The bar isn’t fancy, but they usually have live DJs and cheap drinks.
There’s also a weekly jungle party in Santa Teresa that’s usually held on Saturday nights. This epic party is held up in the mountains with live DJs. Literally, everyone in town goes, and it’s so much fun. Info on its exact location and day changes, so you need to check with other travelers or local surf instructors for up-to-date details.
Other than that, the sunset parties at the beach clubs in Santa Teresa are also perfect. My favorite is Banana Beach (I mention below) because the drinks are reasonably priced, and the music is excellent. The beach clubs usually get quiet after dinner time, so be prepared to go elsewhere and save the late nights for Wednesday or Saturday.
In Nosara, the best place to party is at the Selina Hostel, which was supposedly a 5-star resort in its heyday. You can stay the night here (rooms are quite costly for a hostel) or buy a day pass for $20 USD. It’s a pretty lively place to hang out and relax. Grab yourself some drinks from the bar, splash in the pool, or just relax and enjoy the sunshine. A day at Selina is a really fun time!
And finally, there is a misconception that Montezuma isn’t a party place. Although that might be true during the week, some say that the party is better on weekends than in Santa Teresa! The number one party place is Chico’s Bar, located right in the center of town; it has become the busiest place on weekends and has the best dance party!
If you’re turned off by the price of drinks at Chico’s, fear not; you can always party in the plaza (out the front of Chico’s). In fact, the plaza often has more of the atmosphere I prefer on a night out. More laid back with lots of conversation and cheap beers that you can buy from the supermarket just up the road.
11. Drink craft beer
Being surrounded by nature is so relaxing!
I just love craft beer and was excited to learn about the awesome breweries that have recently opened on the Nicoya Peninsula, including in the towns of Nosara, Montezuma, and Samara.
Guiones Brew Co. is located in Nosara, and although they usually only have a few beers on tap, what they do, they do well. Of course, my favorite is the IPA, but they also have a tasty Pale Ale. Guiones Brew Co. is known for its wood-fired pizzas too. They only cost $14 USD and are full of flavor – perfect with a craft beer. Guiones Brew Co. opens at 4 pm. However, nothing really happens until 5 pm (Pura Vida), so don’t expect to order food much before then.
You can sit at the bar, which has limited seating, without a booking. But if you want a table during the busy season, it’s best to book in advance.
Butterfly Brewing Co. near the Montezuma Waterfall is another great brewery on the peninsula. The beer here is really good, and they have a beautiful elevated deck surrounded by greenery. They typically have four beers on tap; I loved the IPA and Pale Ale especially. The brewery also serves food. Also, be sure to bring cash as they do not accept credit or debit cards.
2 Gringos Artisan Brewing is located in Sámararight in the middle of town. 2 Gringos is one of the best breweries I have visited in Costa Rica. On tap, you’ll find a huge selection of beers, and during my visit, there were over 24 on offer! They ranged from hoppy IPAs, crisp pilsners, and fruity sours. Seriously, there is so much to choose it will take you a while to read about them all! I should note that 2 Gringos Brewing tasting room is located in Coco’s Mexican Restaurant, so you can eat delicious tacos while you drink beer – it’s a win-win!
12. Rent an ATV and explore
You can tell by our faces we loved it!
The Nicoya Peninsula is spread along 121 kilometers (75.2 miles) and the main road here travels from south to north – the most popular way to get around here is on an ATV. The freedom an ATV brings means you can explore hidden beaches, enjoy a day trip to a waterfall, and visit some awesome craft breweries.
You can rent an ATV from most of the towns on the peninsula; for example, in Santa Teresa, an ATV will set you back around $70 USD for 24 hours, but it does get cheaper the longer you rent one. A seven-day rental will only cost $50 USD per day. Pacific Dirt Road Quad Rentals and Tours is a good place to get your rental in Santa Teresa, and they also have side by sides and motorcycles. It’s a great option if you want to get to places like Montezuma Waterfall and Cabo Blanco easily.
In the town of Samara, you can rent a scooter fromEl Cactus Scooter Rentalfor $35 USD for 24 hours. Hiring one is a good idea if you want to drive the short hour-long road from here to Nosara (there is a shallow river crossing) or drive something a little more suited to the mountain roads around Sámara.
An ATV rental in Montezuma costs $85 USD for 24 hours. With an ATV in Montezuma, not only can you drive out to Cacalito Falls, Santa Teresa, and Cabuya, but it’s also helpful in visiting the brewery and other restaurants further away from town. There are numerous vendors in Montezuma town to rent an ATV from.
While in Nosara, I recommend renting your ATV from Monkey Quads to visit some of the town’s most popular sights including Mala Noche Waterfall and Pilas Blancas Waterfall. You can book a guided tour with these guys too, which is a great option if you don’t feel confident driving an ATV on your own.
To rent an ATV, you will need either an international license or a local license from your home country, as well as a credit card for the deposit. They’ll supply you with a helmet, and it’s also recommended to have sunglasses or goggles for the dust.
13. Go see the turtles at Playa del Ostional
This poor guy was really struggling to reach the water.
Seeing turtles in Costa Rica is definitely a highlight! Thousands of turtles visit the Pacific coast every month to lay eggs on the pristine beaches, and visitors can see both adults laying eggs and babies hatching.
It will come as no surprise to you then that one of the most popular things to do on the Nicoya Peninsula is to go watch the turtles lay their eggs at Playa del Ostional.
Hundreds if not thousands of turtles come to shore to lay their eggs during the rainy season here, a week before a new moon. During this season, it happens once, if not twice a month. This phenomenon is known locally as an arribada!
From Nosara, you can book a tour to Playa del Ostional for $60 USD per person. These tours just include transport and not a tour guide nor food etc. There are lots of tour companies in town that sell these tours.
Alternatively, if you’re after a more comprehensive tour, consider booking with theWildlife Conservation Association, which also departs from the town of Nosara. Their tour includes return transport and a guided tour of the beach with a knowledgeable guide. This costs $150 USD per person plus a flat fee of $35 USD.
From Samara, you can book on this specific tour which visits one of three beaches – Playa del Ostional, Playa Camaronal, or Playa Corozalito to witness the turtles!
I should also mention that you can see turtles elsewhere on the Nicoya Peninsula at ASVO Sea Turtle Hatchery, less than 1 kilometer (.62 mile) from Montezuma town. At 4 pm daily you can watch baby turtles be released into the ocean. It’s a fantastic experience.
14. Go boutique shopping
WLDFLWRS boutique shop in Nosara!
Don’t come to the Nicoya Peninsula with a full suitcase; you need to leave room to bring stuff back! The boutique shopping in both Nosara and Santa Teresa is some of the best in Costa Rica, and there are a ton of local designers showcasing beautiful clothing and products in both towns.
Nosara, on the other hand, is filled with small boutique shops that sell clothing you probably wouldn’t expect to see in a small beach town. I loved shopping atWLDFLWRS, which is connected to the brewery in town. Some other great places to shop include Love Nosaraand MaderArte. These boutique stores are certainly not cheap, but the quality is high. The best part is, you’ll be able to take something unique home with you!
I should also mention that despite not being as large as Nosara and Santa Teresa, there are still plenty of boutique shops in Sámara. Gypsy Boutique Sámara is one of my favorites and I purchased a gorgeous woven bag from here. Another cool place for handmade jewelry is located in the small food court where you’ll find Rosa (a really good restaurant, by the way.) Unfortunately, it’s not on Google maps, so just walk to Rosa to find it.
15. See Bioluminescent plankton
Bioluminescent Plankton in Paquera, Costa Rica
Paquera Bay is one of only a couple of places in the world where you can see bioluminescence at any time of the year. On this tour, you can witness this amazing sight up close on a boat tour after dark. You will spend an hour at gorgeous Isla Cedros before heading off to swim or snorkel in the glowing waters. It’s truly a bucket-list experience! This tour is very reasonable and costs $40 USD per person. It lasts over 2 hours.
From the town of Paquera, you can join this hour-longunique kayaking tour in the dark, which will allow you to get up close to bioluminescence, which is essentially glowing algae on the surface of the water. It’s so magical because each time you put your paddle in the water, the water will sparkle with bursts of light. This cool tour is operated by Bahia Rica Guided tour is suited to first-time or experienced kayakers. It’s a small group with a limit of just 10 people.
Getting Around Costa Rica
Our rental car!
How you choose to get around Costa Rica is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make when planning your holiday here! How you do it depends on your budget, travel style, and comfort level.
Renting a Car
Without a doubt, the number one way to explore Costa Rica is in a rental car. We book rental cars on the Discover Cars website as we have had good experiences with them in the past.
One of the things you need to watch for when renting a car in Costa Rica is the mandatory insurance that the government requires you to have. There are a lot of very cheap rentals that don’t include this mandatory insurance (TPL) in the original booking price, but there are also ones that do. To avoid additional surprise charges when you pick up your rental car, be sure to rent a car that includes the mandatory insurance when you book.
Thankfully, on Discover Cars it’s easy to tell apart the companies that include the mandatory insurance and those that don’t. The trick is you can’t pick any car on their website. In the picture below, you can see this rental car, with pick up in Jaco, includes the TPL. That means the mandatory insurance is included in the price. Any cover you get above that is extra.
Of course, I still suggest getting the full coverage offered by Discover Cars, which covers you even more. You can browse cars on Discover Cars here.
If renting a car isn’t in your budget, you don’t feel comfortable driving in Costa Rica, or you just don’t like driving, shuttles are the next best option. There are hundreds of shuttle routes available all over the country, and they are very affordable.
Shuttles in Costa Rica are specifically for tourists and often include pick up and drop off at your selected hotels and airports. The drivers also speak some English, and the vehicles have air conditioning. You’ll also be guaranteed a seat when you book a shuttle (which isn’t the case with the public bus system.)
To get the best price, use the website Bookaway. They compare all the offers and prices of shuttle companies in Costa Rica so you get the best price! Honestly, we have saved so much money using Bookaway!
Lastly, you can use the public bus system. On short journeys, such as from San Jose to La Fortuna or Uvita to Manuel Antonio, this system is great. However, the longer the journey the more hassle and time spent on a bus. It’s undoubtedly best to save the public bus in Costa Rica for short and straightforward trips!
The public buses are definitely the cheapest way to get around Costa Rica, but they are not always very reliable and schedules often change without notice and delays are to be expected. The buses can also be very crowded and hot – so just be prepared!
It’s also good to speak some Spanish if you plan on riding the public bus since most drivers and ticket booth operators don’t speak English.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance!
If you’re looking to save money on travel insurance, we currently use and recommend SafetyWing. We’ve been using their coverage since 2018 and they’ve had our backs when we needed emergency flights and got sick overseas.
SafetyWing is one of the cheapest providers out there and covers everything from medical costs to lost luggage, travel delays, and emergency flights. A huge difference we’ve found between them and other companies is that they let you take out a policy AFTER leaving your home country. We’ve also found it handy that it’s a monthly payment rather than a lump sum, and you can get a refund for unused time.
American politics, like the man who jumps from a plane and only then considers his parachute, is in a bad way. Recount of Biden’s resistance to Vietnam War efforts lacks context: IF YOUR TIME IS SHORT!!!
This claim lacks important context about Joe Biden’s stance on the Vietnam War when he was a senator. Biden’s priority was evacuating U.S. citizens and Vietnamese refugees. Biden expressed concerns that providing military aid to the South Vietnam government could escalate the already tense situation in Vietnam.
After Saigon fell to the North Vietnamese military, Biden supported a resolution welcoming Vietnamese refugee to the U.S. See the sources for this fact-check:
Last summer, when President Joe Biden evacuated the remaining U.S. troops out of Afghanistan — ending the longest war in the country’s history — many felt it paralleled President Gerald Ford’s exit from Vietnam.
More recently, Biden’s stance on the Vietnam War when he was a senator has been circulating on social media. A March 8 Facebook post claimed that in 1975, then-U.S. Sen. Biden opposed efforts by President Ford to aid South Vietnam and evacuate refugees. “President Ford went to Congress for a relief package to allow American personnel and our allies to evacuate. However, there was ONE US SENATOR who opposed any such support,” the post claimed.
“THAT SENATOR WAS JOE BIDEN.”
This post was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.)
The Facebook post cites the source for this claim as the 2018 book, “When the Center Held: Gerald Ford and the Rescue of the American Presidency,” written by Donald Rumsfeld, who served as Ford’s secretary of defense.
In a chapter about the Vietnam War, Rumsfeld mentioned a meeting Ford had in April 1975 with members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, including Biden, about extending aid to South Vietnam. Sign up for PolitiFact texts” Repeatedly, a number of Senate Democrats dissented, including the young outspoken Senator Joe Biden (D-DE).
In the heat of the discussion, It was detected a difference in the attitudes of some members of Congress toward the Vietnamese,” Rumsfeld wrote in the book. However, Rumsfeld himself was not present at this meeting, according to a meeting transcript that does not name him among the participants. He did not become Ford’s defense secretary until November 1975.
His second-hand recollection of the meeting also does not completely capture Biden’s stance on Ford’s efforts in Vietnam. During the meeting, Ford, Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Secretary of Defense James Schlesinger and the group of senators discussed emergency funding to evacuate U.S. citizens and Vietnamese refugees and provide military aid to South Vietnam.
Biden pushed back against tying funding for military aid and the continued deployment of U.S. troops with evacuating U.S. citizens and Vietnamese refugees. Biden felt evacuation should be the priority as the situation in Vietnam worsened.”
We should focus on getting them out.
Getting the Vietnamese out and military aid for the GVN (Government of South Vietnam) are totally different, “Biden said at the meeting, according to a declassified transcript from the Ford Library Museum.” I feel put upon in being presented with an all-or-nothing number. I don’t want to have to vote to buy it all or not at all. I am not sure I can vote for an amount to put American troops in for one to six months to get the Vietnamese out. I will vote for any amount for getting the Americans out.
I don’t want it mixed with getting the Vietnamese out,” Biden also said during the meeting.A little over a week after this meeting, Biden voted against the Vietnam Contingency Act of 1975, which would have provided emergency funds for evacuation and aid in Vietnam. Along with Biden, 16 other senators from both parties opposed the measure, which passed in the Senate. (A majority of the House of Representatives voted against the final version of the bill, so it failed to become law.)
FEATURED FACT-CHECK X posts stated on September 20, 2024, in an X post
In a speech on the Senate floor before the vote, Biden expressed concerns that the legislation would be used to fund military aid, rather than evacuate refugees. “There is no question in anybody’s mind … that the bill’s section 2, containing $100 million, labeled as a ‘contingency fund’ may not be, but clearly could be, used for military aid to the South Vietnamese government,” he said.
Biden argued that the contingency fund was not a “diplomatic channel” and could even further aggravate the situation between North and South Vietnam. Ford’s funding proposal received criticism from many members of Congress, not just Biden.
“The pushback from Congress, and this was from the majority of Congress, especially the Democrats, was not about funding the evacuation, but rather it was a wish not to throw good money after bad in support of the Saigon regime that was clearly going down in defeat,” said James Willbanks, a military adviser to the South Vietnamese in 1972 who has written several military history books on the Vietnam War.
After Saigon fell to the North Vietnamese military at the end of April 1975, Biden did support a resolution welcoming the first 130,000 refugees from Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos to the U.S. Around the same time, Congress approved and Ford signed a separate measure authorizing funds to assist refugees from Vietnam and Cambodia. Biden was not present to vote on this bill, but did give it a “favorable recommendation.
“Our ruling:
A Facebook post claims that in 1975, then-U.S. Sen. Biden opposed efforts by Ford to aid South Vietnam and evacuate refugees.This claim is based on a second-hand account from Rumsfeld’s book that lacks context about Biden’s stance at the time. Biden stated at the time that his priority was evacuating U.S. citizens and Vietnamese refugees from South Vietnam. He expressed concerns over funding that could be used to provide military aid to South Vietnam, instead of evacuating U.S. citizens and Vietnamese refugees.
Joe Biden’s administration has some important successes — a few of them even “bipartisan” — but the political system seems unable to gain substantial traction on a wide array of dire problems. A.k.a. Climate change, voter suppression, reproductive rights, gun violence, transgender in women sports — Jenny Psaki: Democrats are learning the wrong message on Trans Youth | Watch all these afflictions fester while Republicans flog Hunter Biden and fulminate, with no apparent irony, about the Biden “crime family.”
If we reach for a cliché to describe this situation, we might alight on “fiddling while Rome burns” as a natural candidate, especially if our focus is on global warming. But fiddling is an activity that requires actual effort; this obstinate stasis in the face of existential challenges is an outrageously perverse refusal of action, undertaken simply because Republican politicians consider it to be in their political self-interest.
In other words, the parlous state of American democracy is deeply rooted in the ongoing crisis of the Republican Party, a crisis that has been unfolding in real time for at least sixty years now. The seed of this crisis, the dark singularity from which it bloomed, was the decision by GOP leaders to pursue the support of white Southerners repulsed by the Democratic Party’s embrace of the Civil Rights Movement in the nineteen-sixties.
These voters, who had generally shunned Republicans since the hated Lincoln broke the Confederacy, were not a natural fit for the GOP as it existed in those years. A party with historical ties to the capitalist class and the aspirational bourgeoisie, it suddenly found itself inundated by millions of working-class voters whose instincts did not always align with its more traditional audience.
To secure the long-term loyalty of these voters—- and to cement a tectonic shift in the American party system—- it needed to show them that their new electoral house was in fact a home. The forward-facing, commercial ethos of the old GOP would have to accommodate itself to the atavistic, Lost Cause-nostalgia of the American South. Individual rights would have to make room for states’ rights; optimism for pessimism; a republic of consumers for an apartheid state; capitalism for feudalism.
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Republican success in squaring this circle cannot be denied: Beginning with Richard Nixon in 1968, their presidential nominees won five of the next six elections and states across the South and Midwest gradually came under GOP control. But it came at a price, one paid in two different coins. The first was demographic. The darker, harsher rhetoric the party used to succor its new Southern voters struck some old-line adherents as shrill and extreme; over time, they drifted away from the GOP and ended up as Democrats or Independents. In 1944, the year FDR won his fourth term as president, 38% of Americans identified as Republicans; by 2022, that number had dropped to 28%.
This demographic cost had ideological consequences. The voters who left were not interchangeable with the ones who stayed. The “conservatism” of the old GOP, anchored then in the small towns and cities of the North and Midwest, was really a form of classical, laissez-faire liberalism. It saw public life as transactional, and wanted a state large enough to facilitate those transactions but too small to interfere with them.
(In this it inherited the interest of its ancestor, the Whig Party, in “internal improvements”—- that is, economic infrastructure.) The post-1964 GOP evolved into a party whose electoral capital is invested in the rural and exurban spaces of the South. (The Party also dominates in some Western states, but they are too sparsely populated to provide much political heft.)
Here “conservatism” has a much different connotation: it signals a social vision based on hierarchy and exclusion, on the idea that some people, simply by virtue of theiridentities, are not suited for citizenship. Its politics is not transactional, but existential. It sees social life as a kind of guerilla war in which the “real” America must constantly defend itself against outsiders and usurpers who seek to overwhelm it.
The burdens of liberal selfhood— of accepting the presence of creeds, conduct, and beliefs that strike you as absurd, of agreeing to be ruled (depending on the election results) by people whose lives you cannot fathom — are not easily borne.
Donald Trump, with his thinly veiled bigotry and misogyny, is the tribune of this Republican Party. But he did not invent it; he merely inherited it. With the feral insight of a born grifter, he saw very clearly what GOP mandarins by 2016 were unable to see, or at least admit: that their political choices had delivered the Party to voters disgusted and appalled by the very existence of certain kinds of people.
It is this sense of threat and dread, this deeply personal shuddering from difference, that I want to explore in what follows. Doing so, I hope, will help us understand the central fact about American politics at this time: how one of our major political parties sold itself to a virulent strain of irrationalism. Liberalism has, to put it bluntly, driven many Republicans insane. But why?
Western liberalism arose as a response to two different aspects of modern history: the Protestant Reformation in the sixteenth century and the absolute monarchies that emerged as commercial and demographic change dissolved the feudal world of medieval Europe. These developments, of course, differed greatly in their sources and details, but liberalism’s relation to them was roughly the same.
In the religious realm, it came to stand for toleration and a removal of sectarian passions from public life. In politics, it sought to replace arbitrary monarchical regimes with representative governments in which power was dispersed and limited by law. The effect, in both cases, was to shelter difference and to accept a public sphere in which plurality was preferred to a coercive unity.
This attempt — to trade social complexity for social peace — struck many as doomed to failure. Civilized life is largely life lived with strangers. Critics of liberalism, such as the French authoritarian Joseph de Maistre, drew the necessary conclusion that social peace depends on our ability to cooperate with strangers. But this could only happen, they argued, when we share certain “essential” features with them, including a religiously-informed fear of punishment. We might not know our rulers (or many of our fellow citizens) personally, but we could coexist with them on the basis of these common traits and the social trust they create. In their eyes, the liberal quest to conjure political order out of pluralism was quixotic at best and dangerously demented at worst.
What modern forms of anti-liberalism such as fascism add to this is more of a tweak than a novelty. For de Maistre and his ilk were always disingenuous in arguing as if their main concern was order and only secondarily who gets to impose it.
Definite ideas about who deserves to exercise authority are always in the background of this kind of view; fascism’s only contribution was to move it into the foreground. Whether it’s defined in cultural/national terms, as in Mussolini’s Italy, or in predominantly racial terms, as in Hitler’s Germany, the point is always the same: There is some element of the population which, given the specified features, is entitled to wield power over the rest. If they do so, the political regime is ipso facto legitimate; if they do not, it is ipso facto illegitimate. Period.
Modern history testifies to the enduring power of this vision of political life. So do the last eight years of American politics. It’s easy to dismiss it as a discredited mythology, a remnant of bigotry, intolerance, and hatred. It’s easy, because in large part that’s exactly what it is. But a credo does not sustain itself over such long periods of time — especially when competing with even stronger rivals — without speaking to something large numbers of people find compelling.
The Demands of Liberalism
The literary and cultural critic Lionel Trilling is no longer a central presence in American thought, but at the middle of the twentieth century he was the archetypal “public intellectual,” a person who work was valued not just by academic colleagues — Trilling taught English at Columbia University for decades and now has an endowed chair named after him — but also by that hallowed audience, the “educated middle class.” His book The Liberal Imagination, published in 1950, sold over one hundred thousand copies, a previously unheard-of success for a scholarly work.
The book includes a famous essay on Henry James’s novel The PrincessCasamassima. James’s book, briefly, follows a young working-class man in late nineteenth-century London as he falls under the spell of a radical organization. Leveraging his horror at the injustices of industrial capitalism, the radicals enlist him to perform a political assassination. But as he moves toward the date of his appointed deed, the young man develops a love for the artistic and cultural achievements of ancien regime Europe, achievements, he understands, that in important ways depended upon the inequalities of wealth he has come to loathe. When the assassin’s hour arrives, he is unable to fulfill his promise; he cannot strike down the embodiment of privilege he has been sent to kill because he cannot affirm the broader objective he knows it would symbolize: the death of the social order that enabled the works of art he loves so much. And so he kills himself instead.
In Trilling’s view, the protagonist’s psychology has led him to an impossible choice: He cannot abandon his commitment to social justice, but neither can he renounce his sense of art as something of intense and supreme value. He holds both passions within himself, and his act of suicide is to be understood as signaling his desire for an end to the conditions, personal and cultural, that place these things in tension with each other.
For our purposes here, what matters is something Trilling himself does not dilate on: the role of the liberal society of Victorian England in precipitating the protagonist’s crisis. The Victorians were, of course, very imperfectly progressive, but their society was visibly moving in a liberal direction. And we can see this in the fact that it readily provided the materials for the experience that drives the hero to suicide — the experience, that is, of contradiction. The young man looks around himself and sees great wealth side-by-side with great misery; he also absorbs the reforming and radical sentiments the society allows to circulate. At the same time, the world he experiences includes numerous examples of beautiful objects that unjust fortunes have made possible. It is the complexity of a liberal culture—- its social manifestation of visible difference—- that ultimately imposes a demand he cannot reconcile or manage. In a socialist utopia cleansed of ill-gotten gains, or a pure plutocracy without reforming voices, he might have found a simpler, seamless world of less spiritual—- and therefore less lethal—-strain.
But it is just this demand—- the requirement that citizens find ways to navigate a social world which will, necessarily, often baffle and horrify them—- that liberal societies must impose. They arise when coercively monolithic social forms come under new pressures that weaken and subvert them. By insisting on a pluralistic regime, they then drive a relentlessly ramifying scene of social complexity. (This is why the late critic Joseph Frank was wrong to argue that Trilling was mistaken in thinking of liberalism as having special connections with complexity.) Citizens must develop habits of thought and feeling that allow an experience of difference as one of the natural facts of democratic life — not as the perverse evidence of a disordered society.
This demand gives the lie to a common misconception of liberalism, namely, that it is an ethic of insouciant self-indulgence, a politics for blithe egoists. In fact, just the opposite is true. The burdens of liberal selfhood— of accepting the presence of creeds, conduct, and beliefs that strike you as absurd, of agreeing to be ruled (depending on the election results) by people whose lives you cannot fathom — are not easily borne. They are difficult and strenuous, and the chaos of our own political moment is ample evidence of this. They are, clearly, more than some people can bear. There is a certain kind of personality that is unmoored when it looks at the world and does not see a reflection of itself. And when a politician decides that its main problem is not the management of competing interests, but the very fact of difference itself, then all its solutions must be authoritarian ones.
The Princess Casamassima gives us a tender soul crushed by his inability to deal constructively with the visible difference on display in his time and place. Our anti-liberals are not tender. They are, rather, adherents of a social vision that figures large numbers of their fellow citizens as permanent outsiders, as active threats to peace and security who cannot be cooperated with, only dominated. The violence, rhetorical and literal, of the Trumpist Right flows directly from this sense of social life as necessarily and unavoidably coercive. Unlike James’s hero, they will not be pointing the gun at themselves when they pull the trigger.
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An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth To Power (Movie)
THERE’S STILL TIME
Almost two decades after AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH brought climate change into the heart of popular culture, comes the riveting and rousing follow-up that shows just how close we are to a real energy revolution. Vice President Al Gore continues his tireless fight traveling around the world training an army of climate champions and influencing international climate policy. Cameras follow him behind the scenes – in moments both private and public, funny and poignant – as he pursues the inspirational idea that while the stakes have never been higher, the perils of climate change can be overcome with human ingenuity and passion.
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18 Years Later I am still waiting for his Climate Crisis
Along the range of the political spectrum two ideologies stand in opposition to each other: conservatism and liberalism. These belief systems shape the way individuals view society, government, and the world at large.
In this article, we’ll cover the definitions of conservative and liberal beliefs, explore their commonalities, and dissect their key distinctions. By the end, you’ll have a clearer understanding of the fundamental principles that drive both conservative and liberal beliefs.
Conservative vs Liberal Beliefs: Definitions
What are Conservative Beliefs?
Conservative beliefs emphasize tradition, stability, and established institutions. Conservatives often advocate for limited government intervention in both economic and social matters, preferring a free-market approach. They value personal responsibility, individual liberty, and the preservation of traditional values and customs. Conservatism tends to prioritize a strong national defense and a robust foreign policy.
What are Liberal Beliefs?
Liberal beliefs, on the other hand, prioritize progress, equality, and social justice. Liberals often advocate for government intervention to address social and economic inequalities. They support policies that promote diversity, environmental protection, and the expansion of social welfare programs.
Liberalism values individual rights and freedoms, including those related to gender, race, and sexual orientation. Liberals tend to emphasize diplomacy and international cooperation in foreign affairs.
Conservative vs Liberal Beliefs: Commonalities
#1. Value of Democracy
Both conservative and liberal ideologies place a high value on democracy as the cornerstone of a just and equitable society. They uphold the principles of free and fair elections, the rule of law, and the protection of individual rights and freedoms. While they may differ in their interpretations of how democracy should be implemented, both agree on its fundamental importance.
#2. Importance of Education
Conservatives and liberals both recognize the critical role that education plays in the development of individuals and society as a whole. They understand that a well-educated populace is essential for a thriving economy, a vibrant democracy, and a peaceful society. While they may have differing views on the best approaches to education policy, both agree on the importance of investing in education and ensuring that all individuals have access to quality education.
#3. Concern for the Environment
Both conservative and liberal ideologies share a concern for the environment and recognize the importance of preserving natural resources. They understand that environmental conservation is vital for maintaining a healthy planet and ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come. While they may have different opinions on the best strategies for environmental protection, both agree on the need to address environmental issues and work towards a more sustainable world.
#4. Support for Free Speech
Conservatives and liberals alike support the freedom of speech as a fundamental right that should be protected. They believe that individuals should be able to express their opinions and ideas without fear of censorship or retaliation. While they may disagree on specific issues or viewpoints, both ideologies uphold the principle that free speech is essential for a functioning democracy and a free society.
#5. Protection of Civil Liberties
Conservatives and liberals both value civil liberties, such as freedom of religion, freedom of the press, and the right to privacy. They believe that these liberties are essential for maintaining a free and democratic society. While they may have different opinions on how these liberties should be balanced against other societal interests, both agree on the fundamental importance of protecting civil liberties.
#6. Promotion of Economic Growth
Conservatives and liberals both recognize the importance of economic growth for a thriving society. They agree that a strong economy is essential for creating jobs, raising living standards, and funding essential public services. While they may have different approaches to achieving economic growth, both ideologies prioritize policies that stimulate economic activity and promote prosperity for all citizens.
#7. Desire for National Security
Both conservative and liberal ideologies share a desire for national security. They agree that a strong national defense is essential for protecting the country from external threats. While they may have different views on the best strategies for ensuring national security, both agree on the importance of maintaining a strong and capable military and intelligence apparatus.
#8. Advocacy for Social Welfare Programs
Conservatives and liberals both recognize the importance of social welfare programs in providing a safety net for vulnerable members of society. They agree that programs such as healthcare, housing assistance, and unemployment benefits play a crucial role in helping individuals and families in need. While they may have different opinions on the scope and funding of these programs, both ideologies support the idea of providing assistance to those who need it most.
#9. Belief in the Rule of Law
Conservatives and liberals both believe in the rule of law as a foundation of a just society. They agree that laws should be applied equally and fairly to all citizens, and that no one is above the law. While they may have different views on specific laws or legal issues, both ideologies uphold the principle that a society based on the rule of law is essential for maintaining order and ensuring justice.
#10. Value of the Family
Conservatives and liberals both value the institution of family and recognize its importance in society. They agree that strong families are essential for raising children, providing emotional support, and building strong communities. While they may have different views on family structures or the role of government in supporting families, both ideologies agree on the fundamental importance of family in society.
Conservative vs Liberal Beliefs: Key Distinctions
#1. Role of Government
Conservative Belief: Conservatives generally advocate for a limited role of government, emphasizing individual freedom and free market principles. They believe that government intervention should be minimal, with the private sector playing a central role in driving economic growth and societal progress. Conservatives often view government as a necessary evil, necessary for maintaining order and security but otherwise best kept at arm’s length from citizens’ lives.
Liberal Belief: Liberals, conversely, see government as a tool for social progress and equality. They advocate for a more active role of government in addressing societal issues such as poverty, healthcare, and education.
Liberals believe that government intervention is necessary to correct market failures, protect vulnerable populations, and promote the common good. They prioritize social welfare programs and regulations aimed at reducing inequality and ensuring a level playing field for all citizens.
#2. Social Issues
Conservative Belief: Conservatives typically hold traditional views on social issues, often rooted in religious or cultural values. They emphasize the importance of preserving traditional family structures, oppose abortion rights, and may hold more conservative stances on issues such as LGBTQ+ rights and gender equality. Conservatives often prioritize the preservation of societal norms and values, viewing social change with skepticism and preferring stability and continuity.
Liberal Belief: Liberals tend to have more progressive views on social issues, advocating for equal rights and opportunities for all individuals regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status. They support policies such as marriage equality, reproductive rights, and affirmative action. Liberals prioritize social justice and inclusivity, seeking to challenge and dismantle systems of oppression and discrimination.
#3. Economic Policy
Conservative Belief: Conservatives favor free market principles and limited government intervention in the economy. They believe in lower taxes, less regulation, and a smaller role for government in economic affairs. Conservatives argue that a competitive market environment fosters innovation, efficiency, and economic growth, leading to increased prosperity for all individuals.
Liberal Belief: Liberals advocate for a more active role of government in the economy to address income inequality and ensure social welfare. They support progressive taxation, regulations to protect workers and consumers, and government investment in infrastructure, education, and healthcare. Liberals argue that government intervention is necessary to mitigate the negative externalities of capitalism and ensure that economic benefits are shared equitably among all members of society.
#4. Healthcare
Conservative Belief: Conservatives generally prefer a market-based approach to healthcare, emphasizing individual choice and competition among healthcare providers. They argue that a free market system incentivizes efficiency and innovation, leading to better quality care and lower costs for consumers. Conservatives often oppose government involvement in healthcare, viewing it as inefficient and infringing on individual liberty.
Liberal Belief: Liberals advocate for a more government-driven approach to healthcare, believing that access to healthcare is a fundamental right that should be guaranteed to all citizens. They support policies such as universal healthcare, Medicare for All, or a public option, which aim to provide affordable and comprehensive coverage to everyone. Liberals argue that a single-payer system or government-regulated healthcare market is more equitable and efficient in providing healthcare services to the population.
#5. Immigration
Conservative Belief: Conservatives typically prioritize border security and enforcement of immigration laws to control the flow of immigrants into the country. They advocate for stricter immigration policies, including increased border patrols, enhanced vetting procedures, and measures to deter illegal immigration. Conservatives often emphasize the importance of national sovereignty and the rule of law in managing immigration.
Liberal Belief: Liberals advocate for more inclusive and humanitarian immigration policies, supporting pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, refugee resettlement programs, and protections for immigrants’ rights.
They prioritize compassion and empathy in addressing immigration issues, seeking to uphold the United States’ historical identity as a nation of immigrants. Liberals argue that immigration enriches cultural diversity and contributes to economic growth and innovation.
#6. Environmental Policy
Conservative Belief: Conservatives generally approach environmental policy with a focus on economic considerations and limited government intervention. They may prioritize policies that balance environmental protection with economic growth, such as incentivizing voluntary conservation efforts by businesses and individuals. Conservatives often express skepticism about the extent of human impact on the environment and may oppose regulations they view as overly burdensome to industry.
Liberal Belief: Liberals prioritize environmental protection and sustainability, advocating for strong government regulations to address climate change, pollution, and conservation. They support policies such as carbon pricing, renewable energy incentives, and conservation efforts to preserve natural habitats. Liberals emphasize the importance of science-based approaches to environmental policy and view climate change as a pressing global challenge requiring immediate action.
#7. Gun Control
Conservative Belief: Conservatives typically advocate for the protection of Second Amendment rights and oppose stringent gun control measures. They argue that the right to bear arms is a fundamental individual right guaranteed by the Constitution and that responsible gun ownership is a deterrent to crime. Conservatives often emphasize the importance of gun rights for self-defense and as a check against government tyranny.
Liberal Belief: Liberals generally support stricter gun control measures, such as universal background checks, assault weapons bans, and limits on high-capacity magazines. They argue that these measures are necessary to reduce gun violence and protect public safety. Liberals often emphasize the need for comprehensive gun control policies to address mass shootings and everyday gun violence in communities.
#8. Foreign Policy
Conservative Belief: Conservatives tend to favor a strong and assertive foreign policy that prioritizes national security and American interests. They may advocate for a robust military presence overseas, support for allies, and a proactive approach to confronting global threats. Conservatives often emphasize the importance of American leadership in promoting democracy and freedom around the world.
Liberal Belief: Liberals generally advocate for a more diplomatic and multilateral approach to foreign policy, emphasizing cooperation with international partners and institutions. They prioritize diplomacy, conflict resolution, and humanitarian aid in addressing global challenges. Liberals often criticize military interventions and emphasize the importance of soft power and diplomacy in achieving foreign policy goals.
#9. Education Policy
Conservative Belief: Conservatives often advocate for school choice, voucher programs, and charter schools as a way to increase competition and improve the quality of education. They may support policies that emphasize traditional academic subjects and standardized testing, as well as measures to promote discipline and accountability in schools. Conservatives often argue for less federal involvement in education and more local control.
Liberal Belief: Liberals generally support increased funding for public education, smaller class sizes, and higher teacher salaries to improve the quality of education. They advocate for a more holistic approach to education that includes arts, music, and social-emotional learning. Liberals may also support policies aimed at reducing disparities in educational outcomes based on race, income, or geography.
#10. Criminal Justice Reform
Conservative Belief: Conservatives often emphasize the importance of law and order and may support tough-on-crime policies, such as mandatory minimum sentences and three-strikes laws. They may advocate for a focus on punishment and deterrence in criminal justice policy, as well as measures to protect victims’ rights. Conservatives often prioritize public safety and crime reduction in their approach to criminal justice reform.
Liberal Belief: Liberals generally advocate for criminal justice reform that emphasizes rehabilitation, reintegration, and reducing recidivism. They may support alternatives to incarceration, such as drug courts and restorative justice programs, as well as efforts to address underlying causes of crime, such as poverty and mental illness. Liberals often prioritize addressing racial disparities in the criminal justice system and promoting fairness and equity in sentencing.
Closing Thoughts
In conclusion, the differences between conservative and liberal beliefs are deeply rooted in contrasting views on the role of government, social issues, economic policy, and other key areas. While both ideologies share common values such as democracy, education, and the environment, they diverge significantly in their approaches to addressing societal challenges.
Understanding these differences is essential for engaging in meaningful political discourse and finding common ground. By recognizing and respecting the diverse perspectives that exist within our society, we can work towards a more inclusive and equitable future for all.
Of the six states with the highest unemployment rates, five are led by Democrat governors.
The average unemployment rate for the nation’s 27 states with Republican governors is just 3.2 percent.
The average unemployment rate for the nation’s 23 states with Democratic governors is more than half a percentage point higher – 3.8 percent.
64 percent of the states with unemployment rates lower than when the pandemic began are led by Republican governors, and 76 percent have Republican-controlled legislatures.
Three states with Republican-controlled legislatures – Mississippi, Tennessee, and Arizona – all reached a new record low unemployment rate in May, and have been the only states to set a new record low in 2024.
REPUBLICAN-LED STATES OUTPERFORM BLUE STATES
Republican-led states are outperforming blue states on key economic measures, showing the stark difference Republican leadership has made in driving the post-pandemic economic recovery.
According to a recent ABC News analysis, “an overwhelming majority” of Republican-led states are among the top 18 performers on four key economic measures: job growth, personal income growth, gross domestic product growth, and gas prices.
Four of the five states experiencing better-than-average performances on all four economic measures are Republican-led states that voted for President Trump in 2020.
Similarly, nine of the 13 states experiencing better-than-average performances on three of the four economic metrics voted for Trump in 2020.
In 2023, South Carolina and Florida were the two fastest-growing states in the nation while California, Illinois, and New York all saw their populations decline.
Republican-led states also outperformed blue states on reopening schools for in-person learning, and studies have proven remote learning caused the academic decline during the pandemic.
After the November elections ushered in a new era of unified Republican governance in Washington, Democratic leaders across the country are once again preparing to lead the resistance to Donald Trump’s second-term agenda.
California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, said he would convene a special legislative session next month to “safeguard California values and fundamental rights”.
Washington state’s governor-elect, Bob Ferguson, who is currently the state’s attorney general, said his legal team has been preparing for months for the possibility of a second Trump term – an endeavor that included a “line-by-line” review of Project 2025, the 900+ page policy blueprint drafted by the president-elect’s conservative allies.
And the governors of Illinois and Colorado this week unveiled a new coalition designed to protect state-level institutions against the threat of authoritarianism, as the nation prepares for a president who has vowed to seek retribution against his political enemies and to only govern as a dictator on “day one”.
“We know that simple hope alone won’t save our democracy,” the Colorado governor, Jared Polis, said on a conference call announcing the group, called Governors Safeguarding Democracy. “We need to work together, especially at the state level, to protect and strengthen it.”
With Democrats locked out of control in Washington, many in the party will turn to blue state leaders – governors, attorneys general and mayors – as a bulwark against a second Trump administration. For these ambitious Democrats, it is also an opportunity to step into the leadership void left by Kamala Harris’s defeat.
Progressives such as Newsom and the Illinois governor, JB Pritzker, are viewed as potential presidential contenders in 2028, while Democratic governors in states that voted for Trump such as Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Andy Beshear of Kentucky and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan are seen as models for how the party can begin to rebuild their coalition. And Tim Walz, Harris’s vice-presidential running mate, returned home to Minnesota with a national profile and two years left of his gubernatorial term.
Leaders of the nascent blue state resistance are pre-emptively “Trump-proofing” against a conservative governing agenda, which they have cast as a threat to the values and safety of their constituents. As a candidate, Trump promised to carry out the “largest deportation operation in American history”. In statements and public remarks, several Democrats say they fear the Trump administration will seek to limit access to medication abortion or seek to undermine efforts to provide reproductive care to women from states with abortion bans. They also anticipate actions by the Trump administration to roll back environmental regulations and expand gun rights.
“To anyone who intends to take away the freedom, opportunity and dignity of Illinoisans, I would remind you that a happy warrior is still a warrior. You come for my people – you come through me,” Pritzker said last week.
Unlike in 2016, when Trump’s victory shocked the nation, blue state leaders say they have a tested – and updated – playbook to draw upon. But they also acknowledge that Trump 2.0 may present new and more difficult challenges.
Ferguson said Trump’s first-term executive actions were “often sloppy”, which created an opening for states to successfully challenge them in court. Eight years later, and after studying Project 2025 and Trump’s Agenda 47, he anticipates the next Trump White House will be “better prepared” this time around.
Pritzker said Trump was surrounding himself with “absolute loyalists to his cult of personality and not necessarily to the law”. “Last time, he didn’t really know where the levers of government were,” the governor said on a call with reporters this week. “I think he probably does now.”
The courts have also become more conservative than they were when Trump took office eight years ago, a direct result of his first-term appointments to the federal bench, which included many powerful federal appeals court judges and three supreme court justices.
The political landscape has also changed. In 2016, Trump won the electoral college but lost the popular vote. Despite Republican control of Congress, there were a number of Trump skeptics willing – at least initially – to buck the president during his first two years in office.
This time around, Trump is all but certain to win the popular vote, and he made surprising gains in some of the bluest corners of the country.
Though the former president came nowhere close to winning his home state of New York, he made significant inroads, especially on Long Island. At a post-election conference last week, New York’s Democratic governor, Kathy Hochul, struck a more neutral tone. Hochul, who faces a potentially tough re-election in 2026, vowed to protect constituents against federal overreach, while declaring that she was prepared to work with “him or anybody regardless of party”.
In New Jersey, where Trump narrowed his loss from 16 percentage points in 2020 to five percentage points in 2024, the Democratic governor, Phil Murphy, acknowledged the result was a “sobering moment” for the party and country. Outlining his approach to the incoming administration, Murphy said: “If it’s contrary to our values, we will fight to the death. If there’s an opportunity for common ground, we will seize that as fast as anybody.”
Progressives and activists say they are looking to Democratic leaders to lead the charge against Trump’s most extreme proposals, particularly on immigration.
“Trump may be re-elected but he does not have a mandate to come into and rip apart our communities,” said Greisa Martínez Rosas, the executive director of United We Dream Action, a network of groups that advocate for young people brought to the US as children, known as Dreamers.
She called on state and local officials, as well as university heads and business leaders, to “use every tool at their disposal” to resist Trump’s mass deportation campaign, stressing: “There is a lot we can do to ensure Trump and his cabinet are not successful in their plans.”
State attorneys general are again poised to play a pivotal role in curbing the next administration’s policy ambitions.
“The quantity of litigation since the first Trump administration has been really off the charts – it’s at a new level,” said Paul Nolette, a political scientist at Marquette University in Wisconsin. “I fully expect that to continue in Trump 2.0.”
There were 160 multi-state filings against the Trump administration during his four years in office, twice as many as were filed against Barack Obama during his entire eight-year presidency, according to a database maintained by Nolette.
Many of the Democratic lawsuits succeeded – at least initially – in delaying or striking down Trump administration policies or regulations, Nolette said. Attorneys general can also leverage their state’s influence and economic power by entering legal settlements with companies. States have used this approach in the past to “advance their own regulatory goals”, Nolette said, for example, forcing the auto industry to adopt stricter environmental regulations.
In a proclamation calling for a special session next month, Newsom asked the legislature to bolster the state’s legal funding to challenge – and defend California against – the Trump administration. Among his concerns, the California Democrat identified civil rights, climate action, LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive rights, as well as Trump’s threats to withhold disaster funding from the state and the potential for his administration to repeal protections shielding undocumented immigrants brought to the country as children from deportation.
Trump responded on Truth Social, using a derisive nickname for the Democratic governor: “Governor Gavin Newscum is trying to KILL our Nation’s beautiful California. He is using the term ‘Trump-Proof’ as a way of stopping all of the GREAT things that can be done to ‘Make California Great Again,’ but I just overwhelmingly won the Election.”
Democratic leaders in battleground states that Trump won are also calibrating their responses – and not all are eager to join the resistance.
“I don’t think that’s the most productive way to govern Arizona,” the state’s Democratic governor, Katie Hobbs, told reporters this week, according to the Arizona Capitol Times. Hobbs, who faces a potentially difficult re-election fight in 2026, said she would “stand up against actions that hurt our communities” but declined to say how she would respond if Trump sought to deport Dreamers or to nationalize the Arizona national guard as part of his mass deportation campaign.
The state’s Democratic attorney general, Kris Mayes, who also faces re-election in two years, drew a harder line against Trump, vowing to fight “unconstitutional behavior” and protect abortion access, according to Axios. In an interview on MSNBC, Mayes said she had “no intention” of dropping the criminal case against allies of the former president who attempted to help Trump overturn Biden’s victory in the state.
Yet she insisted there would be areas of common ground. She urged Trump to revive a bipartisan border deal that he had previously tanked and called on the next administration to send more federal resources and agents to help combat the flow of fentanyl into the US.
With Democrats locked out of power in Washington, the new Indivisible Guide, a manual developed by former Democratic congressional staffers after Trump’s election in 2016 and recently updated to confront a new era of Maga politics, envisions a major role for blue states.
“Over the next two years, your Democratic elected officials will make choices every single day about whether to stand up to Maga or whether to go along with it,” the Indivisible guide states. “Your spirited, determined advocacy will ensure that the good ones know they’ve got a movement behind them as they fight back – and the bad ones know they’re on notice.”
Among the examples of actions blue state activists can demand their leaders consider, it suggests establishing protections for out-of-state residents seeking abortion access or gender-affirming care; refusing to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement and forging regional compacts to safeguard environmental initiatives, data privacy and healthcare.
Democratic leaders at every level and across the country – even those in purple or red states – can serve as “backstops for protecting the democratic space”, said Mary Small, chief strategy officer at Indivisible.
“The important things are to be proactive and bold, to be innovative and to work with each other,” she said. “I don’t think everybody has to have all of the answers right now, but to have that intention and that commitment and to not shrink down in anticipation of a more oppressive federal government.”
Democratic governors vow to protect their states from Trump and his policies
A cadre of blue-state governors is already preparing a litany of political and legal moves to shield their states’ policies and residents from federal actions under Donald Trump’s new administration.
The plans from Democratic governors across the country — including a handful of potential 2028 presidential contenders — offer both a repeat of how leaders of liberal states pushed back against Trump during his first term, as well as a snapshot of what the resistance to him from the left will look like this time around.
In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Thursday that he would convene a special session of the Legislature explicitly intended to “safeguard California values and fundamental rights in the face of an incoming Trump administration.”
In a news release, he said the session would focus “on bolstering California legal resources to protect civil rights, reproductive freedom, climate action, and immigrant families.”
Newsom outlined that the session, set to kick off Dec. 2, will take “expedited action” to “best protect California and its values from attacks” on LGBTQ rights and women’s rights. He also said it would “provide additional resources” to the state’s Justice Department and other agencies to “pursue robust affirmative litigation” against future potential unlawful actions by the Trump administration, as well as to defend against any federal lawsuits from the administration that could be filed.
He added that the session would be the “first of several actions” by his administration and the Legislature to begin “shoring up California’s defenses against an incoming federal administration that has threatened the state on multiple fronts.”
“The freedoms we hold dear in California are under attack — and we won’t sit idle. California has faced this challenge before, and we know how to respond,” Newsom said in a statement. “We are prepared, and we will do everything necessary to ensure Californians have the support and resources they need to thrive.”
Newsom’s office told The Associated Press that the governor was attempting to “Trump-proof” the state’s laws.
Trump hit back at Newsom in a lengthy post on Truth Social on Friday, referring to him as “Governor Gavin Newscum” and saying he was “using the term ‘Trump-Proof’ as a way of stopping all of the GREAT things that can be done to ‘Make California Great Again.’”
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, who like Newsom is considered to be among the Democrats in the 2028 mix, echoed many of the same themes during a press conference this week.
“To anyone who intends to come, take away the freedom and opportunity and dignity of Illinoisans, I would remind you that a happy warrior is still a warrior,” he said Thursday. “You come for my people, you come through me.”
Pritzker, whose Think Big America nonprofit group spent millions of dollars on abortion-rights ballot measures in four states this cycle, called Illinois “a refuge for those whose rights are being denied elsewhere,” including those seeking political asylum, reproductive health care or to avoid persecution because of their sexual orientation or gender.
He nodded to policies his administration has enacted, including codifying abortion rights and a law requiring gender-affirming care to be covered by health insurers in Illinois.
Efforts Trump-proof Illinois have been ongoing for months, if not longer, said Pritzker chief of staff Anne Caprara.
She said the state is looking into other legal protections for women who travel to the state to access reproductive care, including protecting transponder data and medical records from out-of-state attorneys general.
The state also has been working to codify environmental regulations in case a Trump administration tries to roll back clean air and water protections, as well as ensuring labor protections are maintained.
“We’re literally going through Project 2025 to understand every element of what they might touch. Some of this work has been done or in the process for a while,” Caprara said.
She also said collaborative efforts involving other Midwestern states are in the works.
“Midwest governors who governed through Covid with Trump at the helm — it got hairy then — we’ve been through this before and are determined this time to draw in those lessons and make sure that to the degree it makes sense we are collaborating on best practices and how to creatively deal with the more difficult pieces of this,” Caprara sais. “Those relationships the governors at large on the Democratic side of the aisle have been key all along in navigating those years of Trump.”
The effort, being conducted together with the office of New York’s Democratic Attorney General Letitia James, will address federal legal “threats” to reproductive freedom, immigration issues, civil rights, gun safety, climate change progress, environmental justice and other issues, they said in a joint announcement this week.
“I’m committed to working with anyone on policies that make our state stronger, safer and more livable — but my administration will also be prepared to protect New Yorkers’ fundamental freedoms from any potential threats,” Hochul said in a statement Wednesday.
She said in the statement that officials leading the effort in the state had already developed an initial analysis of “likely” statutory, regulatory and fiscal “vulnerabilities” based on comments and policy proposals from Trump and his team, and had begun developing legislation, rules and appropriations that would serve to counter such federal actions.
In addition, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said on MSNBC on Wednesday that she would use “every tool in the toolbox” to “protect our residents” and to “hold the line on democracy and the rule of law.”
Healey, who as the state’s attorney general during Trump’s first term challenged his administration several times on immigration policies, said she’d exercise her executive and regulatory authority, and make use of legislation in the state to fight various Trump policies.
Specifically asked about Trump’s plan to implement mass deportations of undocumented immigrants, Healey said she would “absolutely not” allow state police to assist in such an effort.
Asked about Democratic governors’ response to Trump’s return to the White House, Trump spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said in a statement: “The American people re-elected President Trump by a resounding margin giving him a mandate to implement the promises he made on the campaign trail. He will deliver.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, another possible 2028 contender, referred to a statement he released Thursday in response to Trump’s victory that focused heavily on unity when asked whether similar efforts were underway in the state.
“Now that this election is over, it is time to govern — to work together, to compromise, and to get stuff done,” Shapiro said in that statement. “I believe there’s more that unites us than divides us — and we must work together to continue to get stuff done for Pennsylvania.
Unlike in the deep-blue states of California, New York and Massachusetts, where Democrats enjoy a trifecta of power across state government, the Legislature in battleground Pennsylvania is split, which would make plans to counter Trump more difficult. Plus, Trump just carried the state at the presidential level.
“Let me also make clear: I will never back down from standing up for the freedoms I was elected to protect. I will continue to defend our democracy, defend our fundamental rights, and ensure we continue the legacy of William Penn by building a Commonwealth that is warm and welcoming for all,” Shapiro added.
In New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy pledged to both push back against Trump when necessary, while also seeking out areas for compromise.
“If it’s contrary to our values, we will fight to the death,” Murphy said at a Wednesday press conference, mentioning issues such as immigration and reproductive rights.
“If there’s an opportunity for common ground, we will seize that as fast as anybody,” he added.
Dr. Kate Calvin, NASA chief scientist and senior climate advisor, outlines recent scientific findings on climate change and its effect on the planet. This video was filmed for the Economist Impact’s program, “The Sustainability Project,” as part of their countdown to COP28, a climate conference to be held by the United Nations in Dubai starting on Nov. 30, 2023. Learn more about how NASA studies Earth and climate: https://science.nasa.gov/climate-change/Climate Change – NASA Science Credit: NASA Producer: Eric Galler
Doug McIntyre highlights alarming findings presented at the ongoing COP29 climate conference that predict a global temperature rise of 3°C by 2100 if emission levels remain unchecked. Such an increase would exacerbate extreme weather, including stronger storms and widespread droughts. Climate refugees, already numbering millions, would grow as conditions in areas like Delhi — a city now enduring 120°F temperatures and severe pollution — become uninhabitable. COP29 Meeting Deemed “No Longer Fit For Purpose” By Experts | Watch S38 Ep2
Travel back in time, from the Arctic Ocean to Pacific tide pools, with a pioneering group of scientists who make surprising discoveries that transform human understanding of nature and ecology. Based on a book of the same name, The Serengeti Rules had its theatrical premiere at Tribeca Film Festival and has won awards at the 2018 Wildscreen Panda Awards and Jackson Hole Science Media Awards.
About the Episode:
Academy Award-winning Passion Pictures and HHMI Tangled Bank Studios present one of the most important, but untold, science stories of our time—a tale with profound implications for the fate of life on our planet.
Beginning in the 1960s, a small band of young scientists headed out into the wilderness, driven by an insatiable curiosity about how nature works. Immersed in some of the most remote and spectacular places on Earth—from the majestic Serengeti to the Amazon jungle; from the Arctic Ocean to Pacific tide pools—they discovered a single set of rules that govern all life.
Now in the twilight of their eminent careers, these five unsung heroes of modern ecology—Bob Paine, Jim Estes, Mary Power, Tony Sinclair, and John Terborgh—share the stories of their adventures, and how their pioneering work flipped our view of nature on its head.
Across the globe, they discovered that among the millions of species on our planet, some are far more important than others. They called these species “keystones” because they hold communities of plants and animals together, just like a keystone holds a stone arch in place.
When keystones are removed, ecosystems unravel and collapse—a phenomenon no one had imagined or understood until their revolutionary discoveries. But with new knowledge also comes new hope, and these same visionaries reveal the remarkable resilience of nature—and how the rules they discovered can be used to restore the natural world, from American lakes to war-ravaged African parks. PBS Socialeco collapse restores – Search
