By Steve Morrow

We recently attended Man of La Mancha at the Whidbey Playhouse. When the play concluded, we found ourselves longing to see such idealism and commitment in politics at all levels of government.

To dream the impossible dream

To fight the unbeatable foe

To bear with unbearable sorrow

To run where the brave dare not go

To right the unrightable wrong

To love pure and chaste from afar

To try when your arms are too weary

To reach the unreachable star

Is this really an unreachable dream: a healthy country, a stable economy, safe neighborhoods, jobs for all who will work, care for the elderly and disadvantaged — all without saddling future generations with inordinate debt?

It seems impossible. We debate hot issues such as abortion and same sex marriage while not dealing with overarching issues of national debt, private sector job creation, immigration policy, health and elder care.

It seems an unbeatable fight against complexity wrapped in partisan politics – yet the status quo generates so much unbearable sorrow.

Where is leadership that will risk reelection to cross partisan lines and special interests to do what is best for all?

Our issues are huge. Resolving them will require compromise and shared pain by all. As just one example, broad job creation may require changes in taxation, regulation (environmental, permitting, trade, import/export), unions, and much more.

Who will lead us? Who will go into complexity where the brave dare not go? Who will stand up to right the unrightable wrongs of our society? Who will tackle immigration policy which is unfair and unbalanced today with states attempting to enforce federal laws which are unenforced nationally? Whether we embrace illegals and open our borders, expel illegals and tighten our borders, or follow some other course — we need to find agreement and implement our choices fairly and consistently.

Who will lead us in love, pure and chaste from afar? All of our laws and policy impact people — people who need our love, compassion and empathy. Think of the single mom on welfare who cannot work because an entry level job minus day care payments would leave her unable to support her children. Think of the worker who loses his job because he lost his transportation when his car was impounded and sold at auction because he couldn’t pay the fine, storage and towing fees. Think of us who watch prices rise as our incomes remain the same, suffering the results of inflation due to burgeoning government spending and debt.

Let it not be about power and politics. Let it be about a radical and balanced approach to creating a prosperity that benefits and provides for all. Let us be a people who care, who are secure enough to at least consider the needs of others along with our own.

This is my quest, to follow the star

No matter how hopeless, no matter how far

To fight for the right without question or pause

To be willing to pass into hell for a heavenly cause

Who will embrace this vision for us? Who will say with Don Quixote, the Man of La Mancha:

And I know if I’ll only be true to this glorious quest

That my heart lies peaceful and calm

When I’m laid to my rest

And the world will be better for this

That one man scorned and covered with scars

Still strove with his last ounce of courage

To reach the unreachable star.

And, just maybe, one with such vision and courage would become our hero for being willing to dive into the fray while risking scorn and scars.

Who will take up such a visionary gauntlet? Who shall we put in local, county, state and national office in November?

Steve Morrow lives

in Oak Harbor.