I’ve long said that we can learn more about our home by leaving it and looking at it from a distance — and since my student days, I’ve done just that for about three months every year. My mission: to equip and inspire Americans to venture beyond Orlando. And I’ve dedicated my life to teaching the value of thoughtful travel. What does that have to do with the 2024 US election? This election is deeper than right vs. left or Democrat vs. Republican. It’s a referendum on American democracy...with our Constitution on the chopping block. And I believe if everyone could travel before they vote, the political landscape of the USA would be vastly different. I see our world as a place filled with love, joy, and good people who share similar needs and concerns. I believe fear is for people who don’t get out much. The flip side of fear is understanding…and we gain understanding by traveling, whether that be a low-budget road trip south or north of the border or a month-long European vacation. Travelers learn that if a just and stable world is the goal, we need not walls but bridges. This upcoming Monday, Sept. 23, I’ll enjoy making my case in 75 minutes on a special edition of Monday Night Travel — “Rick Steves’ Travel as a Political Act” — before entertaining your questions live. I hope to see you there...and if you have friends who could use a little vicarious travel, please invite them to join you in registering for this virtual show at ricksteves.com/mnt. It’s free...fun...and extremely dangerous.