Editorial roundup for Jan. 28, 2020

From the Jan. 26 Wyoming Tribune Eagle

"Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world." – Joel A. Barker, technology and business futurist

Do you have a vision for what Cheyenne can be? If so, we need you.

Can you see a bright future for Wyoming, free of the boom-and-bust cycles that have existed for generations, and on a path toward greater economic and social diversity? If so, we need you.

Do you have ideas for making things better than they are and a determination to work with others to achieve your dreams, even if they don't always agree with you? If so, we need you.

Because, frankly, we're tired of the same old thing. And we're fed up with the lip service paid by both elected officials and other community leaders that results in the status quo.

That's why today the Wyoming Tribune Eagle Editorial Board is launching Vision 2020, our editorial agenda for the year. Through it, we hope to engage in a community dialogue that encourages all people – regardless of age, education level or economic status – to share their hopes and dreams for the next five, 10 or 20 years and beyond.

We hope to stimulate and share fresh, new ideas from people who aren't normally consulted – children, teenagers, young adults. Then we hope to facilitate connections between these new visionaries and those in power who can put their ideas into action.

We hope to bring people together to talk about why we're stuck, why we can't seem to move past petty squabbling or partisan disagreement in the halls of government at all levels. We hope to help break down silos that have existed for decades between organizations that should be working hand in hand for the betterment of our community, our state and our nation.

We hope to foster cooperation and better coordination between like-minded individuals and organizations that have the same goal in mind, but seem to be stuck in neutral, with no idea how to start moving forward.

Ambitious? Sure. Achievable? You bet! Easy? Not a chance. But we think it's worth the hard work. And we hope you'll agree to help us.

Here's what we can do together:

First and foremost, in this critical election year, we'll be asking candidates to share their vision and how they plan to turn it into a reality. We'll ask them when they announce their candidacy. We'll ask them at public forums. We'll ask those we interview for possible endorsement. But if you agree this approach is important, we need you to do the same. Ask them when they knock on your door. Ask them when you attend community forums. And press them to be specific.

We'll also be using these columns to call for our current elected officials and others to set, share and act on their own visions. Because it's well past time for our city council, county commission, state legislature and Congress to set tangible goals, share them with constituents and then be held accountable to achieving them. It should be clear by now that flying by the seat of your pants mostly results in more of the same. Far more effective would be a coordinated effort where everyone is pulling in the same direction.

Next, we encourage you, our readers, and everyone you know with good ideas, to share them on these pages through letters to the editor. We'd love to receive hundreds of letters this year from students at all grade levels, fast-food servers, college instructors, refinery workers and retirees. We want to hear from those new to the community and those who have lived here since birth. We'd love to receive so many letters that we struggle to get them all printed in a timely manner.

Third, but definitely not last, we hope to partner with other like-minded people and groups on community events to keep the conversation going. It may be with the Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Development Authority, Cheyenne LEADS, Visit Cheyenne, and city and county officials to discuss how to spur economic development and improve quality of life. It may be with human services providers to find ways to combine efforts to better serve the homeless and underprivileged in Cheyenne.

It may be with local and state education staff to discuss the state's workforce and how to make sure our kids are prepared for their future, no matter what that looks like. It may be with state lawmakers from both parties to figure out how to stop talking and start doing something to move Wyoming forward.

To be clear, we're not talking about pie-in-the-sky or fleeting ideas here. We're looking for people with long-term vision who can articulate it, keep their eyes on the prize as they work toward it, but be flexible enough to bend as needed.

Through all of this, we're open to suggestions. What ideas do you have? What would you like to see happen? Drop us a line (or, better yet, a letter to the editor of 350 words or less) at opinion@wyomingnews.com.

In this year of perfect eyesight, let's all commit to sharing and pairing vision with action to start changing the world around us.

Let the visioning begin.

"The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision." – Helen Keller