The Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum in West Branch will be part of a national series of discussions on health care reform. All of the nation’s presidential libraries are joining forces to host three forums each on the subject.
Hoover Library director, Tim Walch, says the libraries are the perfect place to encourage discourse on the most important issues facing the country. He says they are unique institutions in the world and by expanding their missions to include the forums, they make the libraries more relevant to people’s daily lives.
Walch says the goal is not to come up with an answer, rather to encourage people to think about the issue, and respect other viewpoints. The first forum was held last month in Des Moines. Walch says,"These discussions are not about winning, they are about weighing, it’s about weighing different options, listening to other people, considering what they have to say." He says you might not change your viewpoint, but at least you will understand why other people think differently.
The Library, along with its partners, will host a forum in Cedar Rapids on October 15th, and October 22nd at the University of Iowa. Walch made his comments today (Thursday) on the Iowa Public Radio Program "The Exchange."